https://thelongroadtovenice.com/2012/05/24/one-day-in-lyon/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120516_9903.jpg20120516_9903The Basilica is dramatically lit at night, and served as a good beacon back to the Vielle Lyon. The next day, we were headed back to Paris for the last part of our trip.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120516_9900.jpg20120516_9900We had to do some walking after our huge meal. This shot was taken on a pedestrian bridge over the Rhone.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120516_9895.jpg20120516_9895Another clever coffee service. https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120516_9893.jpg20120516_9893The brandy bottle had a wooden man inside of it.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120516_9891.jpg20120516_9891After completely stuffing myself on previous courses, I went with sorbet for dessert. when the waiter brought it out, he drizzled brandy all over it, and left the bottle for a digestif.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120516_9889.jpg20120516_9889Elizabeth ordered this hilarious looking sorbet and meringue dessert.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120516_9888.jpg20120516_9888I hate to use superlatives, but this was probably the best cheese that I've ever had in my life. As he dropped of this huge wheel for us to take what we wanted, proprietor said that he had to drive fifty kilometers to get it from a small village in the country get it, and that it could not be found anywhere else. Unfortunately, since we had stuffed ourselves with the previous courses, we could only eat a sliver of it. If I ever go back, I will definitely be getting this again.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120516_9886.jpg20120516_9886For our cheese course, the waiter brought out these special le Garet plates.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120516_9885.jpg20120516_9885I ended up making a sizable dent in the course, considering how much I had eaten of the first course. Once I got over the barely chopped up parts, I realized that the flavors were complex and perfect, and the meat was tender. I would definitely order this again.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120516_9884.jpg20120516_9884The salad was pretty great, and I think the photo speaks for itself.2012-05-25T12:10:30+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2012/05/21/a-last-day-in-aix/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120515_9930.jpg20120515_9930Our desert bounty of the day, some of the best of our whole trip. The praline and meringue treat in the top right corner of the box was our favorite, and reminded us of something that my mother occasionally makes. The chocolate treats weren't too bad, either.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120515_9925.jpg20120515_9925In a display of efficiency, Aix's builders have taken advantage of every existing wall, and square foot of space. Houses and shops have been built in between the buttresses of the Madeleine church.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120515_9917.jpg20120515_9917https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120515_9912.jpg20120515_9912Some books are better forgotten.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120515_9910.jpg20120515_9910https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120515_9908.jpg20120515_9908We came upon another flea market, which, like all the others, had some great old books. 2012-05-25T10:05:14+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2012/05/21/churches-popes-and-wine/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120514_9406.jpg20120514_9406The chocolate souffle was the real star of the meal.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120514_9404.jpg20120514_9404I went with the red wine and apple tart, which also had some red wine and pepper flavored whipped cream.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120514_9403.jpg20120514_9403Elizabeth went for the chocolate souffle.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120514_9402.jpg20120514_9402Dorade with carrots.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120514_9400.jpg20120514_9400We each had fish courses. I can't remember what type of fish this was.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120514_9399.jpg20120514_9399I started out with lamb sweetbreads, which were surprisingly delicious and tender.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120514_9397.jpg20120514_9397Elizabeth's salad included edible flowers.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120514_9396.jpg20120514_9396We had a great dinner in Aix that evening, which started with this amuse bouche.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120514_9390.jpg20120514_9390This is some of the most valuable farmland in the world. In order to be called Chateauneuf, the wine has to be grown here, in just 9,300 acres. It must also be grown on land that is arid enough to support lavender and thyme. In the distance, Mont Ventoux still looms in the distance.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120514_9384-2.jpg20120514_9384-2From other angles, it doesn't look too imposing.2012-05-22T00:56:39+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2012/05/20/antiques-and-views/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120513_9481.jpg20120513_9481The last town that we visited was Bonnieux. Speaking of Sadism, cycling fans may recognize the mountain across the valley. It's Mont Ventoux, scene of many a punishing Tour de France finish.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120513_9480.jpg20120513_9480A last look up Lacoste from the orchards below.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120513_9479.jpg20120513_9479Lacoste was not built for those who need wheelchairs.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120513_9477.jpg20120513_9477https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120513_9476.jpg20120513_9476https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120513_9475.jpg20120513_9475This is the narrowest bakery that I saw the whole trip.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120513_9473.jpg20120513_9473https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120513_9472.jpg20120513_9472This is the other side of the Marquis de Sade's castle, which, as you can see, is still occupied. In fact, as I learned while looking at listings in a real estate agent's window in Menerbes the night before, it's for sale!https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120513_9470.jpg20120513_9470The poppies were out in full force on the back side of the hill.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120513_9469.jpg20120513_9469Bonnieux, the next town that we visited, can be seen in the distance here.2012-05-21T02:43:28+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2012/05/18/markets-and-hill-towns/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/cover2.jpgcoverhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120512_9666.jpg20120512_9666The delicious dessert that we purchased from the bakery in Menerbes - an apricot tart that reminded me of something my mother used to make. A fantastic end to a fantastic day!https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120512_9651.jpg20120512_9651Our host, Serge, cut a fresh olive branch as a centerpiece for our table.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120512_9647.jpg20120512_9647Still life with Lonely Planet.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120512_9645.jpg20120512_9645Back at our B&B, we feasted on the terrace as the sun set over the hills.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120512_9644.jpg20120512_9644As the sun began to set, we made our way back to the B&B, excited to dig into the meal that we had assembled, but sorry to leave Menerbes.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120512_9640.jpg20120512_9640Fortunately, we were able to find a little bakery before it closed. The old lady who ran it was sitting in the back room watching TV and folding laundry, and was delighted to see us. We were in dire straights since we had bought a lot of bread-dependant picnic items at the market that morning, and had neglected to purchase bread. We bought her last loaf.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120512_9638.jpg20120512_9638Even the downtown streets have switchbacks.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120512_9633.jpg20120512_9633In sharp contrast to some of the other places that we visited, the streets were cool and quiet.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120512_9629.jpg20120512_9629Both sides of the town have commanding views in either direction. The wind started to whip over the hill in the evening.2012-05-19T15:41:21+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2012/05/17/off-to-provence/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/cover.jpgcoverhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120511_9737.jpg20120511_9737Yet another photo in my series of dental offices of the world, this one with my favorite dentist included.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120511_9734.jpg20120511_9734The coffee courses, served after desert, are always nicely presented.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120511_9732.jpg20120511_9732The dessert that came with my meal: strawberry soup. It was definitely not something that I would have chosen on my own, but it was surprisingly delicious, and tasted like the season in a bowl.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120511_9731.jpg20120511_9731Elizabeth's dessert sampler: why choose one dessert when you can sample five? she's got cheese, strawberry soup, creme brulee, a lemon tart, and a local grape beverage.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120511_9729.jpg20120511_9729My meal, which was muscles, fish, asparagus, and potatoes in a langoustine sauce.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120511_9725.jpg20120511_9725A closeup of the pea soup, which was Elizabeth's favorite part.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120511_9722.jpg20120511_9722Elizabeth's meal: a little of everything, which included salad, fish, soup, chicken, potatoes, an eggplant thing, and a whole host of other treats.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120511_9721.jpg20120511_9721A fresh local salad.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120511_9717.jpg20120511_9717The region around Aix is famous for its Rose, which everyone told me was excellent. I have to say, though, that it's just not for me - too fruity, and too light. I was willing to give the local specialty a try, though.2012-05-18T06:33:35+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2012/05/13/a-day-at-the-palace/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120510_9230.jpg20120510_9230https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120510_9256.jpg20120510_9256The real stars were the desserts, a mouse and meringue creation, and a religieuse, supplemented with chocolates.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120510_9251.jpg20120510_9251Our in-room feast included quiche and croques madames.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120510_9247.jpg20120510_9247A last view back towards Le Notre's gardens, and the Grand Canal stretching to the horizon.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120510_9246.jpg20120510_9246We'll have to come back some day when the fountains are running. Unlike those in many other gardens of the era, those at Versailles are pump fed because Louis XIV chose to build his palace at the highest point.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120510_9245.jpg20120510_9245We were rewarded for our morning showers with beautiful clear skies for most of the day.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120510_9243.jpg20120510_9243A fork in the rode, followed by a couple of other forks in the resultant roads.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120510_9238.jpg20120510_9238I imagine that all sorts of illicit things could have taken place in the bosquets when they were first built, but the long views make discovery all the easier from a great distance. Unlike the enfilades in the great french chateaux, there is really nowhere to hide from the long perspective.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120510_9235.jpg20120510_9235One stubborn branch makes fights its way into a tightly groomed allee. I have no doubt that its days are numbered.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120510_9231.jpg20120510_9231Which way to go?2012-05-15T20:18:44+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2012/05/09/paris-part-ii/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120509_9121.jpg20120509_9121Maybe three museums in one day was a little too much. Our feet were killing us when we finally got home. It was our favorite day so far, though.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120509_9119.jpg20120509_9119Contrast. Tomorrow: Versailles!https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120509_9114.jpg20120509_9114A quiet Louvre is prepared for closing.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120509_9112.jpg20120509_9112Nike of Samothrace at the top of the stairs.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120509_9110.jpg20120509_9110There aren't many greater settings for this genre of painting.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120509_9107.jpg20120509_9107This is the ubiquitous photo of people photographing the Mona Lisa. When I add captions to these photos, the program tells me, "Alt text for the image, e.g. 'The Mona Lisa.'" It seems that I've just ruined my one big chance to literally use that phrase.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120509_9102.jpg20120509_9102Elizabeth takes in the hellenistic sculptures.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120509_9086.jpg20120509_9086The best time to visit the Louvre is late on a Wednesday because most people only come during the day, and they don't know about the extended hours.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120509_9074.jpg20120509_9074After dinner, we walked over to the Louvre to take advantage of the fact that it's open late on Wednesdays.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120509_9071.jpg20120509_90712012-05-11T16:55:10+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2012/05/08/paris-part-i/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120508_8752.jpg20120508_8752The courtyard screen is set off from the glass.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/banner2.jpgBanner2https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/banner.jpgbannerhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120508_8846.jpg20120508_8846Late for class again! We walked by my old elementary school, site of some of my least fond memories from the brief time when we lived in Paris.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120508_8842.jpg20120508_8842A friend of mine had to model the Swiss Pavilion for our 3D modeling class.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120508_8821.jpg20120508_8821I wonder if Nouvel took a tour through le Corbusier's Swiss Pavilion before he designed the Institute du Monde Arabe. Their subtle, but there are definite affinities. These glass blocks light the stairwell.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120508_8819.jpg20120508_8819https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120508_8816.jpg20120508_8816The single-loaded corridors define sterility, but have lots of light.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120508_8813.jpg20120508_8813Spartan furnishings and dark clouds rolling in.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120508_8810.jpg20120508_8810Most of the original photographs of this building are in black and white, so it never occurred to me how important color was to le Corbusier in this era.2012-05-10T12:21:50+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2012/01/02/2011-in-review/2012-01-03T09:30:37+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/08/08/a-last-hurrah-in-milan/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/20110724_7874.jpg20110724_7874https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/20110724_7864.jpg20110724_7864I lost count of how many statues adorn the Duomo, but this must be one of three million.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/20110724_7856.jpg20110724_7856Designed in a cruciform pattern, the two axes come together at this enormous dome. What do you know? There's a real Italian McDonalds there.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/20110724_7851.jpg20110724_7851The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II was a precursor to modern shopping malls.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/20110724_7844.jpg20110724_7844I was not disappointed, and seeing as this was the last gelato of my trip, why not close with a superlative. It was the best gelato that I had in Italy. I got my standard stracciatella, and something that they called "cookies." https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/20110724_7842.jpg20110724_7842I found this gelateria in the touristy part of town, so I was fully prepared for a rip-off. I knew that it would probably be my last round for the trip, though, so I was really hoping it would be a good.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/20110724_7841.jpg20110724_7841Leonardo Da Vinci pokes up in a lot of places in this town.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/20110724_7839.jpg20110724_7839Unfortunately, I arrived at La Scalla after closing time, but here it is from the exterior.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/20110724_7837.jpg20110724_7837The Galleria stretches from the Duomo to La Scalla, where it is severed at an angle.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/20110724_7834.jpg20110724_7834I suppose this is the last of the many photos that I've shown of domes during this trip.2011-09-20T12:05:51+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/08/10/home-sweet-home/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/20110731_7974.jpg20110731_7974This was my attempt to reproduce some flavors from the trip, or what I call a Turpan Penne alla Tad - a little bit of Central Asia, a little bit of Italy, and a lot of fresh local vegetables.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/20110728_7705.jpg20110728_7705This is what is referred to as a "small ice cream" in this part of the world. A few more of these, and I'll be back to my pre-trip weight.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/20110728_7701.jpg20110728_7701Not quite as impressive as the Istanbul skyline.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/20110728_7697.jpg20110728_7697My humble abode.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/20110728_7695.jpg20110728_7695Since I was in the habit of only dining on local specialties, a stop at Bob Lobster was a requirement during my ride back to town.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/20110728_7691.jpg20110728_7691I was greeted with beautiful weather on my first full day back, which demanded a bike ride to the beach, and procrastination on unpacking.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/20110728_7688.jpg20110728_7688https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/20110728_7679.jpg20110728_7679The water was significantly colder than the Bosphorous, and I only lasted about 30 seconds.2011-08-11T02:16:47+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/07/19/biennale-day/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110719_6381.jpg20110719_6381The streets in Canareggio were soon deserted, and I had to rush to get back to my room before being completely drenched.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110719_6372.jpg20110719_6372Taking shelter in a sotoportega is a good place to make a romantic connection.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110719_6347.jpg20110719_6347The streets were soon rain-soaked, and outdoor diners were forced to huddle beneath meagre awnings.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110719_6346.jpg20110719_6346I'm almost positive that this is not what I ordered. My waiter and I discussed a couple of his recommendations, and I'm pretty sure that we settled on a mixed seafood plate. Another waiter handed me this, and walked away. After scratching my head for a moment, I decided to dig in. About 30 seconds later, I saw my waiter heading towards me with a plate of seafood, but when he saw me eating this, he quickly turned around. I didn't mind, however, because this was fantastic, and I was able to practice my newly learned filleting techniques.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110719_6344.jpg20110719_6344At dinner, which happened to be in an alley very close to my dungeon of a hotel, I started with my waiter's recommendation of pasta with tuna.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110719_6334.jpg20110719_6334I could get used to the idea of Venetian happy hour. Cicheti and wine before dinner is not a bad way to start an evening.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110719_6333.jpg20110719_6333I stopped at another small Osteria for Cicheti on my way back to my neighborhood. https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110719_6331.jpg20110719_6331A gondolier emerges from beneath Carlo Scarpa's bridge in front of the Querini Stampalia. I'll be back here tomorrow to spend some time in the garden.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110719_6322.jpg20110719_6322The weather was looking ominous, as I made my way back towards the center of the city. I made the decision to have dinner near my hotel, which turned out to be a good decision, because the skies opened up shortly thereafter. Yes, that tower's leaning. It's the campanile of the Chiesa di San Giorgio dei Greci.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110719_6320.jpg20110719_6320One of the larger sotoportegi.2011-08-08T16:27:56+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/06/12/deserts-and-defenses/2011-08-03T00:37:40+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/08/01/troubled-kashgar/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/20110621_2712.jpg20110621_2712https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/20110621_2694.jpg20110621_26942011-08-02T03:43:46+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/08/01/more-verona-catchup/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/20110723_7304.jpg20110723_7304Yet another sample from my ongoing series of photos of people taking photos of people posing for photos.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110723_7452.jpg20110723_7452Last up, with my espresso, they brought me a full plate of biscotti. After having only ordered the two courses, I was glad that I had decided not to go for three, because I was completely stuffed. I was so stuffed that I was only able to cram three of these in my mouth before calling it quits.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110723_7451.jpg20110723_7451At the waiter's further recommendation, I decided to have desert in-house, and ended up ordering this, which the waiter described as flaky pastry filled with cheese and berries, but was not too sweet. It was also sprinkled with an "Indian meat spice," that imparts a "very particular" flavor not often found in deserts. As this was the "most particular" desert on the menu, I couldn't resist. It was not the sort of thing that I would have typically ordered (no chocolate), but I was pleasantly surprised by the subtle flavors, and it really wasn't too sweet. Before bringing it out, they also brought out a small cup of gelato as a palate cleanser, and the waiter asked me to identify the flavor. After slowly enjoying it, and doing my best to localize every single flavor, I came up empty, and meekly guessed cucumber. It turned out to be parsley, and I was surprised at how good it was.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110723_7450.jpg20110723_7450After looking at the prices on the menu, and with a still shrunken stomach from a long journey, I decided to only order two courses. This was the second course, which the chef hurried over to tell me was even "more particular" than the previous dish. This was cuttlefish pasta done right, with little tiny cuttlefish that are only available for twenty days per year. Just mentioning them brought a beaming smile to the waiter's face. Unlike the similar dish that I had in Venice, the cuttlefish just melted in my mouth, and the ink sauce was the perfect consistency. It was topped with shaved dried anchovies, which added a salty kick much in the way that Parmagiano Reggiano does for non-fish dishes, but was not overpowering.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110723_7449.jpg20110723_7449I asked the waiter what he recommended, and he got very excited. He told me that they had just this morning gotten in some Sardinian tuna that was only available for one month during the year. The chef was walking by as he said this, and exclaimed with glee that it was a "very particular" dish, and was exactly what he would order. With this glowing recommendation, I had not choice but to get the tuna. It was spectacular.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110723_7448.jpg20110723_7448On my last night in Verona, I splurged, and went to dinner at a restaurant that I had found earlier in the day. It was on a narrow side street off the beaten path, where no tourists could find it, and seemed to be only patronized by people in the know. Before my first course, they brought out this crab salad, which was garnished with a little bit of basil and olive oil. I also started out with a half bottle of local soave.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110723_7434.jpg20110723_7434Another view across the Piazza delle Erbe.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110723_7432.jpg20110723_7432https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110723_7430.jpg20110723_7430https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110723_7427.jpg20110723_7427The door to the duomo is guarded by these strange beaked beasts.2011-08-02T03:01:30+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/07/31/verona-alla-scarpa-or-as-much-of-it-as-i-could-see/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/verona_15a.jpgVerona_15aThis space, off of the sculpture wing, is the only modern appendage that penetrates the facade. Called the Saracellum, it sits as a pristine box in the interior garden, and brings natural light from above to highlight medieval artifacts from the castle's original inhabitants. Notice how Scarpa challenges the symmetry of the window above.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/verona_0054.jpgVerona_0054It was only after taking this photo that I realized the circular windows are different sizes.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/verona_0053.jpgVerona_0053These stepped motifs show up a lot in Scarpa's later work, particularly at the Brion Cemetery.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/verona_0052.jpgVerona_0052Although it's a bank, Scarpa did not hold back from his customary obsession with detail on this project.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/verona_0051.jpgVerona_0051The Banca Popolare di Verona, designed by Scarpa later in life, is unfortunately almost impossible to enter. No amount of pleading convinced the bank officials to let me in, although a Spanish architect that I met at the Castelvecchio told me that he was able to get in for ten minutes after three days of begging.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/verona_0050.jpgVerona_0050Another view of the interior moat, and the bridge area with Cangrande's statue.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/verona_0049.jpgVerona_0049The dark gray plaster ceiling is punctuated by wooden grills.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/verona_0048.jpgVerona_0048This section is devoted to Tintoretto and Veronese. It's a little shocking to see these displayed in a non-climate controlled environment, and I wonder how long it will be before air conditioning is introduced.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/verona_0047.jpgVerona_0047Again, the somewhat sparse surroundings and spare frames help visitors focus on the artwork (non-architects, at least). Here Girolamo Dai Libri's Modonna of the Parasol gets some star treatment.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/verona_0046.jpgVerona_0046The painting wing features a narrowing corridor, which accentuates the perspectival effect.2019-08-22T16:41:46+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/07/28/padova-to-verona/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/verona_0014.jpgVerona_0014The opera didn't finish until around 12:30, and by that time, the marble ledge on which I was sitting had become more than a little uncomfortable. That did not prevent me from dozing off for a few minutes in the second act.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/verona_0013.jpgVerona_0013The opera, the Barber of Seville, by Rossini, was performed with no artificial amplification. Despite my cheap seat, I was surprisingly able to hear everything with ease. Most people would recognize the arias from any kind of exposure to TV advertisements or old cartoons.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/verona_0012.jpgVerona_0012Fun with tilt-shift miniaturization.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/verona_0011.jpgVerona_0011Operas begin just after sunset, around 9:15, and the tradition is for the audience to light candles at the beginning of the performance. Neither I, nor anyone else in my section, was given one of these candles.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/verona_0010.jpgVerona_0010Although I had nosebleed seats, and a view obstructed by a pole that held an exit sign, it was still a pretty great experience to be there.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/verona_0009.jpgVerona_0009https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/verona_0008.jpgVerona_0008The arena, an old Roman colosseum, now hosts Verona's outdoor opera festival, and draws half a million people annually.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/verona_0007.jpgVerona_0007The Castelvecchio, of which I'll have plenty of photos in the next post, glows in the evening. First built in 1354, Carlo Scarpa renovated it in the 1960s.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/verona_0006.jpgVerona_0006The Castelvecchio bridge was bombed by the Germans as they retreated, but was rebuilt shortly thereafter.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/verona_0005.jpgVerona_0005A view up the Adige River in Verona, with the Castelvecchio on the right.2011-07-31T20:53:19+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/07/24/post-backlog/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110723_7489.jpg20110723_74892011-07-24T23:11:14+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/07/22/relics-and-bufala/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/banner1.jpgbannerhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/201021043037697.jpg201021043037697Within earshot from the dance party, a view from the eighteenth century.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110721_6932.jpg20110721_6932I turned a corner to find these kids practicing their breakdancing. https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110721_6922.jpg20110721_6922https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110721_6913.jpg20110721_6913Although the streets go quiet, the piazzas come to life, and people stay at these outdoor cafes well into the night.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110721_6912.jpg20110721_6912A beacon for late diners.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110721_6901.jpg20110721_6901Padova's little streets get silent at night.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110721_6897.jpg20110721_6897https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110721_6896.jpg20110721_6896For dinner, my waitress suggested this, tagliatelle with rabit and mushrooms.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110721_6895.jpg20110721_6895My waitress recommended that I try this dish, mozzarella di bufala, tomato sauce, and pureed eggplant. I had been looking forward to having some bufala mozzarella for a long time, and this did not disappoint.2011-07-24T11:28:18+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/07/21/onward-to-padova/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110721_6908.jpg20110721_6908Padova is one of the livelier small towns that I've visited, especially at night.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110721_6868.jpg20110721_68682011-07-22T11:56:18+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/07/20/scarpas-venice-at-least-part-of-it/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110720_65971.jpg20110720_6597Shoot first, ask questions later. Photography is strictly forbidden inside San Marco. Although none of my discreetly captured images came out well, I figured I needed to show one for the record.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110720_65731.jpg20110720_6573Water flows from one end of the garden to the other.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110720_6738.jpg20110720_6738My second course: a mixture of fresh local seafood. I think this is what I ordered last night, but I finally got it tonight.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110720_6748.jpg20110720_6748My final view towards the Grand Canal on my way back to Canereggio.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110720_6742.jpg20110720_6742Camp Santa Margherita is full of restaurants and bars, which are very popular among the student crowd at night.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110720_6737.jpg20110720_6737My first course for dinner: spaghetti alla vongole.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110720_6729.jpg20110720_6729The Campo San Barnaba is a lively place to hang out in the evening. In fact, this whole neighborhood is. Not coincidentally, most of the universities are located nearby.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110720_6724.jpg20110720_6724The tide slowly approaches the high water mark.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110720_6717.jpg20110720_6717This alley is far wider than the one that I showed the other day, but a scale figure is provided.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110720_6714.jpg20110720_6714The kids were called to dinner, and this soccer ball slowly bounced over to this corner on its own.2013-07-01T01:25:32+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/07/16/a-final-day-in-istanbul/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110716_6057.jpg20110716_6057Backgammon is the great Turkish passtime, especially when played over tea. I once had a professor who claimed that backgammon is the "least intelligent" game. I would have liked to see her say that in Istanbul. I thought about playing a few games with these guys, but I would have felt really bad about taking all of their money.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110716_6055.jpg20110716_6055This place was blindingly bright in an otherwise dark neighborhood.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110716_6052.jpg20110716_6052Nighthawks, Turkish style.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110716_6046.jpg20110716_6046This doner joint was just picking up for the evening, although I would have thought it more of a lunch thing.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110716_6043.jpg20110716_6043This is a popular plaza for hanging out with some fish sandwiches or ice cream.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110716_6033.jpg20110716_6033A would-be fisherman takes some time out to mug for the camera.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110716_6025.jpg20110716_6025At a totally different pier from the last time I showed an image like this, on another continent, with completely different performers, this was the main attraction, again. I don't understand it at all. In the west, people have often been accused of orientalist fetishization, but clearly Turks have a similarly exploitative fascination with North American indigenous cultures.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110716_6014.jpg20110716_6014There's a fish market on the docks on the Karakoy side of the Golden Horn from which you can pick out a fish, and have it cooked up at a neighboring outdoor restaurant.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110716_6008.jpg20110716_6008With doors like these, this bank must do honest business.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110716_5999.jpg20110716_5999I almost hopped on a ferry for a last trip to the asian side, but decided against it at the last minute.2011-07-21T10:20:57+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/07/19/cuttlefish-anyone-part-ii/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110718_6214.jpg20110718_6214The statues become slightly more animated at night, or maybe that's the gelato talking.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110718_6208.jpg20110718_6208Stracciatella on top. The perfect finale to a great day.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110718_6207.jpg20110718_6207Local sole. Whenever I've order a fish like this in the US, the waiter has fileted it at the table. The job was left to me, and I can't say that I did it expertly.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110718_6206.jpg20110718_6206Seppie al Nero, one of the dishes to which I was really looking forward. It's cuttlefish, cooked in its own ink, and served over pasta.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110718_6199.jpg20110718_6199These suckers payed extra to take their cicchete and wine outside.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110718_6197.jpg20110718_6197Cicchete are cheap, and the wine is delicious. It's a great way to start off the evening. On a Monday night, the interior of the place was jam-packed with locals.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110718_6196.jpg20110718_6196Cicchete, the Venetian version of meze, are small snacks that are enjoyed in the evening, while standing up and drinking wine. Tourists pay extra to sit down, but I try to live like the locals. I'm not fooling anyone, though.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110718_6189.jpg20110718_6189One of the last two gondola craftsmen can be found working on a boat towards the center of this picture. He has one rival, who's located on the opposite end of town. Some of his gondolas have ended up in Las Vegas. If you're wondering how I know all of this, I met the rather unfriendly chap once.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110718_6186.jpg20110718_6186"Sotoportega" means a passage underneath a building, and sometimes one has no idea what one will find on the other side. Also, these are sometimes the only through routes out of small squares, and can be difficult to find.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110718_6180.jpg20110718_61802011-07-21T23:44:08+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/07/18/venetian-update-coming-soon/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110718_6177.jpg20110718_61772011-07-19T07:14:14+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/07/15/ferries-feet-and-cable-cars/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110715_5908.jpg20110715_5908I nice supper snack, this bread, which was stuffed with potatoes, was tasty, and made for me over an upside-down-wok-type device in the open air.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110715_5905.jpg20110715_5905https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110715_5889.jpg20110715_5889Another view from a ferry, this one is from up the Golden Horn, back towards the Fatih Mosque (right), the Suleymaniye (center), and the Hagia Sophia (left).https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110715_5880.jpg20110715_5880Not a bad spot to dock a boat, this was where I awaited my ferry to take me back down towards the center of the city.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110715_5869.jpg20110715_5869I'm sure that most of the houses around here have panoramic views, but on the ground, it's nice to get a brief glimpse out to the Golden Horn.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110715_5864.jpg20110715_5864While the Ottomans saved the Byzantine churches, they let the palaces fall to ruin.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110715_5861.jpg20110715_5861The palace of Constantine Porphyrogenitus pokes out of the neighborhood.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110715_5858.jpg20110715_5858It's possible to walk the length of the walls across the peninsula, but I didn't attempt the trek.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110715_5856.jpg20110715_5856A small gate in the wall provides one of the few means to penetrate the barrier.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110715_5854.jpg20110715_5854The neighborhood around the walls, Kasim Gosim, is particularly colorful.2011-07-16T18:26:28+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/07/14/mosque-mosque-mosque-fish/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110714_5732.jpg20110714_5732This guy sold me a kilo of tasty cherries for $2. https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110714_5724.jpg20110714_5724Istanbul has a huge population of ferrel cats. I sometimes hear them serenading me at night.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110714_5723.jpg20110714_5723The Galata Bridge seems to be the most popular fishing spot. It's funny to see these people with enormous fishing poles pulling up sardines.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110714_5705.jpg20110714_5705The mosque is in an extremely busy district, but the courtyard was surprisingly peaceful.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110714_5697.jpg20110714_5697The New Mosque's arcade has some blue tile work that is vaguely reminiscent of the Timurid tile work that I encountered in Uzbekistan.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110714_5695.jpg20110714_5695I can't resist snapping another photo of the New Mosque, which isn't so new (it was built in the 17th Century).https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110714_5691.jpg20110714_5691I can't imagine that it's easy to cook in these boats, but I guess the guys have had enough practice.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110714_5684.jpg20110714_5684I'm not the only one addicted to these sandwiches. The tables were crammed with locals.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110714_5681.jpg20110714_5681Lemon juice and salt are provided on the tiny tables. Nothing else is needed.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110714_5680.jpg20110714_5680Although I try to sample as much of the food as I can, I've become addicted to these sandwiches, known as "balik ekmek," or "fish and bread." I could not resist getting one for dinner.2011-07-15T16:50:00+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/07/14/cruising-up-the-bosphorous/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110713_5589.jpg20110713_5589Dinner: a lamb dish, served in a white-hot terracotta bowl. I'm not sure this was the best choice after a hot day, but it was pretty good, once it stopped boiling.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110713_5583.jpg20110713_5583The Dolmabahce Mosque became the sultan's home mosque, too.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110713_5582.jpg20110713_5582The Dolmabahce Palace, pictured here, was built in the 19th Century, and soon replaced Topkapi as the sultan's preferred residence. Ataturk ended up moving in when he took power.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110713_5574.jpg20110713_5574A view towards Uskudar, on the asian sidehttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110713_5572.jpg20110713_5572Before this bridge was built in the seventies, the only way that Istanbullus could reach the different parts of their city was by boat.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110713_5565.jpg20110713_5565I wonder how the property value for the sultan's hunting retreat, pictured here, was affected by the enormous bridge built next door.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110713_5562.jpg20110713_5562This is a famous Turkish military academy. Some dubious names graduated from here. It's a nice setting, though.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110713_5552.jpg20110713_5552Right around here, on the European side, a house just sold for $120 million.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110713_5543.jpg20110713_5543This little village had what seemed like one fish restaurant per inhabitant.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110713_5536.jpg20110713_5536I caved in, and got some ice cream at a fishing village on the asian side. This one had vanilla, chocolate, and caramel.2011-07-14T09:21:36+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/07/10/walk-like-an-istanbulu/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110710_5099.jpg20110710_5099It turned out to be a beautiful evening, with a refreshing cool breeze.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110710_5096.jpg20110710_5096https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110710_5095.jpg20110710_5095If there is an open patch of waterfront, you will find Istanbulus fishing. Just make sure you don't get hooked, though.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110710_5093.jpg20110710_5093After an epic day of walking, I ended up having an early dinner at a delicatessen. The waiter told me that these were the best meatballs in the city. They were actually pretty good. The rest of the stuff was good, too, including the artichoke salad, and that red substance in the corner, which ended up being a spicy sauce for the meatballs.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110710_5092.jpg20110710_5092https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110710_5082.jpg20110710_5082Prayers had just started when I got here, so I couldn't make it inside.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110710_5075.jpg20110710_5075Not far from the last mosque, this one almost has an art-nouveau look to it.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110710_5069.jpg20110710_5069I figured that, for the sake of research, I need to sample ice cream everywhere I go. It's very different here. They have special tools for digging it out of deep tanks, and pull it out in rather thing slivers. The texture is a little gummy, but the flavor is superb. You'll notice that I went for all five flavors here, for the sake of research.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110710_5063.jpg20110710_5063Hasn't this kid ever heard of a cannonball? I give him a 2.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110710_5062.jpg20110710_5062Evidently, local kids like to swim in the Bosphorus, although they have to dodge the fishing hooks of the countless anglers who line up on the shores.2011-07-13T16:52:29+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/07/13/real-adaptive-reuse/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/banner.jpgbannerhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110712_5508.jpg20110712_5508The streets in this neighborhood are filled with tables. This was the view from our ours.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110712_5507.jpg20110712_5507Fresh sardines. These were ridiculously delicious.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110712_5505.jpg20110712_5505Local calimarihttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110712_5504.jpg20110712_5504The next course: these were stuffed with meat, and were covered with a yogurt sauce.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110712_5501.jpg20110712_5501Meze: couscous, an eggplant dish, and some local anchovies (not salty).https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110712_5497.jpg20110712_5497My friend and I grabbed a beer at a rooftop restaurant with a view.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110712_5496.jpg20110712_5496Those of you who know me well will know that this is my worst nightmare: a disgruntled clown, smoking a cigarette. I had to close my eyes as I snapped this picture.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110712_5494.jpg20110712_5494"Look, kids! Another mosaic!" The exit is on the opposite wall of this passage. A mirror was conveniently positioned over the exit door to remind visitors to look back, lest they miss this last mosaic.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110712_5483.jpg20110712_5483If I had seen nothing else on my trip to Istanbul, this would have made it worth it.2011-07-13T21:00:45+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/07/12/a-quick-update/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110712_5402.jpg20110712_54022011-07-13T06:17:53+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/07/12/fortresses-ferries-and-feasts/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110711_5328.jpg20110711_5328The bounty from the Kadikoy market: a kilo of cherries, and one enormous peach.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110711_5316.jpg20110711_5316The sun setting over the Galata Tower. I had actually tried to plan this trip to get some good light on the shores, but I waited too long, so I caught the sunset instead.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110711_5295.jpg20110711_5295A view from Kadikoy back towards Thracian Istanbul. To the left of the little lighthouse, you can just make out the Topkapi tower, the Hagia Sophia, and the Blue Mosque. To the right, you can barely see the Galata tower in the distance.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110711_5286.jpg20110711_5286I'm at a loss for words on this one. This was the most popular attraction on the docks in Kadikoy.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110711_5274.jpg20110711_5274A view back to where I ate. This was supposedly the best Turkish food around. I haven't had much Turkish food in my life, so I'm not a good judge, but it was pretty darn good food.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110711_5273.jpg20110711_5273I ordered a sampling of vegetable dishes at Ciya Sofrasi, the famous restaurant that I had been excited to try. Clockwise from the top, there was a Kale dish with peppers, another dish with what looked like kale, but was called something else, a bean dish, and some bulgar pillows with tomato and basil. In the middle is yogurt. The bulgar was the best part.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110711_5272.jpg20110711_5272My meat course: I think that I could best describe this as stuffed peppers, but that doesn't really do the trick.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110711_5266.jpg20110711_5266Finally, I can easily eat the fresh fruit!https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110711_5265.jpg20110711_5265Meringue peeps.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110711_5257.jpg20110711_5257This is another type of fish that I saw on the end of the fishermen's lines. I don't know what it is.2011-07-13T17:10:59+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/07/08/an-uzbek-farewell/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/detail.jpgdetailOn approaching the ornamental details, it becomes clear that every little niche is different.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110706_4772.jpg20110706_4772I never would have thought that these guides were former athletes, but they claimed to have been competitive weightlifters. The guy in the background is evidently extremely wealthy, and very well connected in this country. I was told to mention his name if I run into any problems. Hopefully this will come in handy at customs tomorrow morning.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110706_4769.jpg20110706_4769A former Kazakh weightlifter, this guy invited us over to his table, which he was sharing with some old weightlifting buddies who have become Uzbek bigshots. https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110706_4752.jpg20110706_4752Bicycles are still the most common form of transportation.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110706_4739.jpg20110706_4739I spent my last evening in Bukhara trying to soak up all of the details of the city. I'm headed towards a very different type of architecture in Istanbul.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110706_4727.jpg20110706_4727One of the persistent scarf-salespeople who would not leave me alone, this woman and her mother also sold table cloths and ceramics.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110706_4722.jpg20110706_4722Bukhara was once full of these covered bazaars, but only three remain. https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110706_4719.jpg20110706_4719Most of the medrassas have been converted into craft shops.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110706_4704.jpg20110706_4704The cavernous interior was composed of a series of interconnected domed rooms, lit from above by occlui. According ot the proprietors, the water and floors are heated by "underground fires."https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110706_4702.jpg20110706_4702Another way to beat the heat, head to a hammam. This bathhouse is 600 years old, and still in operation.2013-03-26T17:56:40+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/07/09/passage-to-istanbul/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110709_4899.jpg20110709_4899My hotel has a fantastic roof terrace. This is a view up towards the Hagia Sophia.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110709_4887.jpg20110709_4887To my surprise, there was an entrance to an ancient Byzantine palace in the back wall of the restaurant where I dined. The palace is now completely underground, and is currently being excavated. https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110709_4878.jpg20110709_4878My dinner: Turkish ravioli, filled with meat, and covered with a light yogurt sauce and chili oil. My stomach has shrunk a lot over the past few days, and this was way too much for me to eat.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110709_4877.jpg20110709_4877This puffy bread seems to be pretty popular here. I saw it on a lot of tables as I walked around. It's really a very thin layer of bread, filled with air, and was served with a chickpea paste.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110709_4871.jpg20110709_4871I'm trying to pace myself while I'm here, delaying gratification, and saving some of the sites that I've really been dreaming about visiting for later days. However, it's no exaggeration to say that visiting the interior of this space was the fulfillment of a long architectural dream of mine. It was a powerful experience, and I know that there are more like this to come.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110709_4859.jpg20110709_4859https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110709_4858.jpg20110709_4858The great dome of the Blue Mosque. Upon entry, visitors are given a plastic bag in which to carry their shoes. The bags were not designed for people with shoes my size.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110709_4852.jpg20110709_4852I was able to step into the Blue Mosque's courtyard before closing time, and discovered that the mosque was still open. https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110709_4847.jpg20110709_4847Istanbul's vast mosque complexes were once the city's centers of education, medicine, social interaction, bathing, and charity. https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110709_4843.jpg20110709_4843Old Istanbul was built on seven hills, and the city has a layered feel. In fact, this is the only city that I've visited over the course of this entire trip that has not been on a flat plain or valley.2011-07-11T15:23:24+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/07/07/sick-again/2011-07-08T01:56:32+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/07/06/bukhara-nights/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110704_4463.jpg20110704_44632013-03-26T17:50:23+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/07/05/another-bukharan-scorcher/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110705_4576.jpg20110705_4576I'm really starating to look forward to Turkish food. This was essentially Spaghetti-Os with a fried egg on top.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110705_4566.jpg20110705_4566The cool kids in the neighborhood, these guys shooed all of the other children away from their photo.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110705_4564.jpg20110705_4564"Hallo! Hallo! Mister! Photo!"https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110705_4563.jpg20110705_4563Although he looks much younger in the photograph than I remember him being, this is the old man who showed me to the synagogue. At the time, he was pushing a rickety wheelbarrow full of mortar down the craggy street.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110705_4562.jpg20110705_4562The rabbi's granddaughter is most likely one of the last Jewish Bukharans to be born here.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110705_4556.jpg20110705_4556Also buried in one of the old neighborhoods, an old synagogue remains active among a dwindling population of Jewish Bukharans. For centuries, Bukhara had a thriving Jewish population, numbering in the tens of thousands. They even developed their own language, known as Bokhori, which is stil spoken around here. Since independance from the Soviet Union, however, the population has fallen to only a couple of hundred. Seeing that I was a little lost, a kindly old man showed me the way to the synagogue, and then showed me around.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110705_4547.jpg20110705_4547This kid took a break from bike racing for a photo.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110705_4546.jpg20110705_4546There were plenty of kids asking me to take their photos in the old neighborhoods this evening. None of them asked for money, either.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110705_4543.jpg20110705_4543Another mausoleum, buried in a neighborhood. This one is a holy site, and supposedly, it is so popular as a place to be buried that people are stacked 30 meters deep around it.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110705_4536.jpg20110705_4536After spending a good portion of the day out of hte sun, I ventured out to explore more of the town around 7 PM. It was still stiflingly hot, but was beginning to cool a little bit. This is a small mosque that I discovered in the middle of a maze of narrow streets.2011-07-06T20:12:46+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/07/04/4th-of-july-in-the-land-of-plov/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110704_4473.jpg20110704_4473Future swindlers. The girl on the left asked me to take this photo, and then tried to hit me up for ice cream money. I think that she must have been a younger cousin of the persistent women who kept trying me to buy scarfs today. Kids constantly ask me to take their photos in this town, but this was the first time that one of them demanded payment. I reluctantly bought them the ice cream, and hope that the other little rascals in town don't catch on.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110704_4465.jpg20110704_4465The streets wind up and down over the small hills of the city. I would assume that these mounds actually contain layers of artifacts from ancient Bukharans.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110704_4437.jpg20110704_4437The city cooled down significantly towards sunset, and the light made walking around a treat.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110704_4435.jpg20110704_4435This medrassa, which is still active, is hidden behind these fortress-like walls. I wish that I could get inside.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110704_4431.jpg20110704_4431Seeing the fun that he was having, his friends quickly rushed over to get in on the action.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110704_4429.jpg20110704_4429While taking a couple of photos of the Abdul Aziz Khan Medrassa, this local youth ran over to get in the picture.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110704_4424.jpg20110704_4424When I had finished eating, and was enjoying some tea, the man and his wife finally came out for a little conversation, and persistent attempts to sell me some scarfs.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110704_4421.jpg20110704_4421My only companions for dinner were two cats. This one wasn't much company.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110704_4419.jpg20110704_4419My dinner: plov, salad, bread, and delicious melon. After receiving the invitation to come to this man's family home for dinner, I assumed that I would be eating with the family. Instead, they set up a table for me in the courtyard, and all retreated into the house. https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110704_4414.jpg20110704_4414My dinner was prepared at this stove in the courtyard of a man I met earlier in the day.2011-07-05T03:57:59+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/07/03/bukhara-bound/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110703_42901.jpg20110703_4290The little girl in this picture is working on the local photo scowl. https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110703_4289.jpg20110703_4289If you squint really hard, you can almost imagine what this place must have been like 100 years ago.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110703_4286.jpg20110703_4286This town seems to be full of these picturesque little streets.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110703_4284.jpg20110703_4284This medrassa in the center of town used to be a caravanserai, until the Khan decided that it looked too much like a medrassa not to be one.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110703_4276.jpg20110703_4276I'm staying in what used to be a medrassa, in one of the former scholars' rooms. My door is the one that says 1/1, although I think that the room actually takes up three former dorm rooms. I'll have more photos of the whole complex tomorrow.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110703_4274.jpg20110703_4274My arrival at my new B&B in Bukhara was greeted with this spread of tea and snacks.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110703_4272.jpg20110703_4272The proprietor's son could not stop smiling every time I saw him. However, when I took his picture, he immediately switched to the serious Uzbek photo face.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110703_4268.jpg20110703_4268This was the nice lounging area at the place where I stayed in Samarkand. It was a great place to take a load off in the afternoon, especially when the proprietor's son brought around some fresh fruit and tea.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110702_4305.jpg20110702_4305This was my breakfast spread at my B&B in Samarkand this morning, which was similar to what they served every morning, except there was usually a crepe. I got ripped off today, I guess. It was nice to have good fruit in the morning, and the apricots (usually yellow plums) were terrific. The tiny apples, however, were both bland and dry.2011-07-04T17:21:46+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/07/02/hospitality-land-part-ii/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110702_40591.jpg20110702_4059https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110702_4264.jpg20110702_4264Muhammed fancies himself a model.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110702_4255.jpg20110702_4255Muhammed's mother, Kimio, was one of the sweetest grandmothers that I've ever met.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110702_4246.jpg20110702_4246Of course, they insisted that I eat. I had just stuffed myself with bread at dinner, and ice cream on the street, so I didn't have a lot of room, but I was able to cram some more food in my stomach - just to be polite.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110702_4239.jpg20110702_4239Muhammed's family, including his daughter, Annisa, are expecting me to mail them some prints of these photos. I'll have to get someone to make sense of the address that his wife wrote down for me, because I can't read it at all.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110702_4235.jpg20110702_4235This proud father, named Muhammed, invited me into his courtyard for a photo shoot. https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110702_4234.jpg20110702_4234This fella tracked me down to get some pictures taken.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110702_4223.jpg20110702_4223These entrances in the Old Town reveal the beautiful courtyards within.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110702_4220.jpg20110702_4220A popular evening treat here: ice cream with some sort of berry sauce, which is topped with cocoa powder.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110702_4210.jpg20110702_42102011-07-03T16:36:08+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/07/02/mausoleums-and-ruins/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110701_4022.jpg20110701_4022Across the street, there is a mosque and mausoleum complex. Unfortunately, it is currently being renovated, but it was a really beautiful place. The pool in the center is surrounded by four enormous trees that were probably planted when the complex was first built, hundreds of years ago.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110701_4019.jpg20110701_4019One can imagine this grand gate when it was still complete.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110701_4016.jpg20110701_4016The intricacy of the interior can still be seen.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110701_4003.jpg20110701_4003I walked about four miles to get to this ruin. Was it worth it? Probably not.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110701_3990.jpg20110701_3990The fountain in front makes a great place to cool off.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110701_3985.jpg20110701_3985This is one of the oldest structures in Samarkand, dating from around 1380. Chinggis Khan annihilated the ancient city in 1220.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110701_3983.jpg20110701_3983The mausoleum form afarhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110701_3981.jpg20110701_3981This enormous arch is part of the ruined section.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110701_3978.jpg20110701_3978Off to the side of the mausoleum is a portion that is in ruins.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110701_3966.jpg20110701_3966Timur's monument is the one with the simple, but huge jade stone on top, which was broken by a persian ruler who then ran into a spell of exceedingly bad luck.2011-07-02T15:11:16+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/07/01/the-golden-road-to-samarkand/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110630_3933.jpg20110630_3933Strolling through the Russian section of town in the evening, I discovered this small amusement park.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110630_3931.jpg20110630_3931My dinner. Unfortunately, a good portion of the sauce ended up on one of the two good shirts that I brought with me.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110630_3920.jpg20110630_3920I'm out of words to describe this.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110630_3913.jpg20110630_3913Absolutely every surface becomes a place for ornament and pattern.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110630_3902.jpg20110630_3902Not a bad spot for a nap.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110630_3880.jpg20110630_3880They must have had some extra gold laying around when they built this mosque. Although seemingly domed on the interior, the roof is flat, which could provide some nice poche space for future mechanical and plumbing installations. I'm joking, of course. It would be much simpler, and probably better acoustically, to just drop in an ACT grid ceiling.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110630_3871.jpg20110630_3871The object that looks like a bed in this picture is actually a sort of seat that Uzbeks use to unwind in the heat of the afternoon. They take their shoes off, and sit and have tea, or take a quick nap.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110630_3868.jpg20110630_3868A view back to Ulugbek's Medressa.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110630_3864.jpg20110630_3864This is the gate to the medressa to the north. Each of the gates has a completely different motif.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20110630_3859.jpg20110630_3859The scale figure in this image is the guard whose palm I greased to get up in the minaret.2011-10-20T14:10:38+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/06/29/a-brief-look-at-tashkent/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110629_3506.jpg20110629_3506More cash than I thought I would ever see at once, however it's only worth $200. The Uzbeks don't have any bills over 1000 som, which is only worth about 50 cents. How am I supposed to carry around this many bills? This much cash should only be seen in a briefcase that is handed to a criminal in exchange for contraband.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110629_3500.jpg20110629_3500Even the old Soviet apartment blocks all have some sort of ornamental motif.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110629_3497.jpg20110629_3497I've really got to figure out the word for this dish because it's pretty much the same thing that I had right before getting ill in Kyrgyzstan, and I don't particularly like it. I asked the waitress for a recommendation, and this is what she brought me. https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110629_3496.jpg20110629_3496These guys made me my dinner, and insisted that I take their photograph.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110629_3488.jpg20110629_3488I hope to get some more time to explore the Old Town when I come back on the 7th.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110629_3482.jpg20110629_3482These pictures are probably getting repetitive, but this was by far the best bread that I've had so far on this trip.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110629_3480.jpg20110629_3480This is the woman who sold me my bananas.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110629_3479.jpg20110629_3479This woman sold me my non (Uzbek pronunciation) for the day. For those of you who did not know, gold teeth are very popular hear, and are considered a status symbol.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110629_3477.jpg20110629_3477This guy really wanted me to buy some of his spices. He would fill up a cup with a spice, and dump it into my hand. I figured out too late that he just wanted me to smell it, and I found myself eating dried tea leaves, much to everyone's delight nearby. He convinced me to buy some cardamom tea, and some kind of pepper.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110629_3476.jpg20110629_3476A lazy Wednesday at the bazaar.2011-06-30T00:30:57+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/maps/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/central_asia_route_2.jpgCentral_asia_routeMy updated path through Central Asiahttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/china_route_2.jpgChina_routeMy updated route through China2013-06-03T17:10:54+00:00weekly0.6https://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/06/28/so-long-kyrgyzstan/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110628_3418.jpg20110628_3418After that whole trip to the bazaar, this is the lunched with which I walked out of there. Bananas are the easiest fruit for me to eat here because they require no cleaning. These pockets are sort of a mixed bag, but everyone seems to eat them here. I never actually know what I'm going to get inside. This one had meat and onions.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110628_3412.jpg20110628_3412Do you like it spicy?https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110628_3410.jpg20110628_3410This was the fried food section of the bazaar.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110628_3409.jpg20110628_3409If a fruit can be found in this region, then they've found a way to dry it.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110628_3408.jpg20110628_3408https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110628_3406.jpg20110628_3406There's always a bargain to be had, and deals are made with a handshake.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110628_3404.jpg20110628_3404I could smell these strawberries from about twenty feet away. I immediately began salivating, and I had to put in a lot of effort to stop myself from getting them. Berries are too hard to clean here because I have to go through an elaborate ritual to soak them and rinse them in sterilized water a couple of times. These looked like eating berries, and they probably would have turned to mush by the time I made it back to my hotel in the blazing sun.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110628_3402.jpg20110628_3402The bazaar is like one enormous bulk foods section.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110628_3397.jpg20110628_3397https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110628_3394.jpg20110628_3394There is no shortage of carrots in Kyrgyzstan.2011-06-29T03:05:06+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/06/27/saddle-up-for-yurts-and-kymyz/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110627_3091.jpg20110627_3091How do you say "giddy-up" in Kyrgyz?https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110626_3277.jpg20110626_3277https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110626_3272.jpg20110626_3272https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110626_3268.jpg20110626_3268I can't imagine a much more picturesque site.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110626_3261.jpg20110626_3261This is Lake Kul-u-Kuk, the destination for my two-day horse trek. The final two hours up here were hazardously challenging.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110626_3252.jpg20110626_3252When i woke up, the sheep were still asleep. Only a dozen or so were baying. https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110626_3233.jpg20110626_3233It got cold pretty quickly once the sun set.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110626_3229.jpg20110626_3229The weather changes quickly in the mountains. https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110626_3221.jpg20110626_3221They start 'em out early here. This little boy was no more than five years old, and he had just come back from rounding up the sheep when I took this photo.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110626_3219.jpg20110626_3219They milk cows here, too.2011-06-29T14:50:49+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/06/24/welcome-to-bishkek-insert-comedic-but-unintelligible-russian-phrase-here/https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110624_3085.jpg20110624_3085This monument to World War II, with its eternal flame, becomes both a great place to take wedding pictures, and a skate park.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110624_3076.jpg20110624_3076After my huge lunch, I just got a local street snack for dinner. Samsas are the Central Asian version of samosas. I had heard that they were fantastic in Bishkek. This one was OK.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110624_3075.jpg20110624_3075A remnant from an optimistically modern age.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110624_3057.jpg20110624_3057While many former Soviet states symbolically tore down all of their old Bolshevik statues, the Kyrgyz couldn't bear to part with them. Why get rid of this perfectly good statue?https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110624_3042.jpg20110624_3042Wouldn't you like to have your picture taken with this crew?https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110624_3038.jpg20110624_3038The summer sun traces long shadows in the countless parks in the evening.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110624_3034.jpg20110624_3034All of the officials in this country where comically large hats. You can barely see a couple of them here.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110624_3032.jpg20110624_3032The Kyrgyz decided that they just couldn't give up the old Soviet imagery.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110624_3019.jpg20110624_3019Bishkek is full of these verdant parks and shady lanes.https://thelongroadtovenice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110624_3016.jpg20110624_3016What a quaint university building!2013-03-26T17:37:30+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/06/23/mountains-goats-and-camels/2021-09-29T23:49:03+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/06/23/update-coming-soon/2011-06-23T09:19:48+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/06/21/kashgar-almost-lives-up-to-the-hype/2011-06-22T04:33:48+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/06/20/finally-in-kashgar/2011-06-21T03:51:57+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/06/19/internet-woes-part-ii/2011-06-20T12:45:21+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/06/17/the-long-train-ride-to-kashgar/2011-06-18T14:59:53+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/06/17/a-cold-in-the-desert/2011-06-19T16:19:34+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/06/16/hospitality-land/2011-06-21T03:53:20+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/06/14/night-train-to-turpan/2011-06-16T23:15:35+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/06/14/beating-the-heat/2011-06-16T05:48:51+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/06/13/make-way-for-tomorrow-dunhuang/2011-06-14T13:02:05+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/06/11/fellow-travelers/2011-06-11T16:05:04+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/06/10/a-few-quick-observatons/2011-06-11T12:49:43+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/06/10/fresh-air-and-tight-spaces/2011-06-11T09:59:31+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/06/09/back-in-the-swing-of-things/2011-06-10T14:57:23+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/06/09/internet-woes/2011-06-09T22:20:32+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/adventures/2011-12-22T07:50:26+00:00weekly0.6https://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/06/07/warriors-and-dumplings-2/2011-06-08T03:27:44+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/06/06/anyone-for-cuttlefish/2011-06-08T03:40:31+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/06/05/an-early-hiccup/2011-06-05T22:53:55+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/06/03/new-maps-section/2011-06-03T21:37:11+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/05/30/the-wonders-of-google-translator/2011-06-05T22:56:00+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/05/30/the-countdown-has-begun/2011-06-02T21:07:51+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/2011/05/20/my-silk-road-adventure/2011-05-25T04:26:48+00:00monthlyhttps://thelongroadtovenice.com/about/2015-02-16T07:51:25+00:00weekly0.6https://thelongroadtovenice.comdaily1.02021-09-29T23:49:03+00:00