Its been three weeks now of sheer waiting for the Woman at the City that I live in Marraige Officiant to get back to us, but she finally did. She said that The Long Rock has to come here to This city in Turkey that I live and give her some papers and (we tried to give them to h er before she said NO! I don't need them!) and give us our Picture for the "Red Book" that we get upon Marrying. (the Red Book is a book that has the couples name, address, and all their information It is used as a Marraige Licence) Could it get any slower, please? (The Pictures of us we were told when we tried to give them to her, that she didn't want them because, "She would lose them!" Did she lose the other couples? Why would she lose ours and not their? Why are we so "special"?)
She called The Long Rock and told him to come to her office and do it tomorrow. He said he was in Istanbul and she said OK Monday. He asked her if I could just come with his mother and bring everything because really she just needs our pictures and a piece of paper from him with a copy of his ID . She said No that he has to come. ***Sigh*** So he has to come all the way out here and rush back in time to go to work on Monday night. But, see, Tuesday night he gets off work and Wednesday he will be here and has to go back on Thursday. So we were thinking of him coming on Wednesday. But she insisted he come on Monday. (Ok, lady with the really ugly fake leather purse, OK!)
I have some ideas of how I will decorate. Total cost? well, lights were my biggest expense. (350 feet of LED white lights with cool to the touch and are heavy duty with a cable being white) 28.00 (please know lights like these are not here in Turkey and the lights they have are for Christmas only sold at Christmas time and are about 10 inches long and about 6 dollars. They only work one season as I have two stirngs and only half work and they flash in an erroneous manner which kills me)
Vases for the flowers? I am I am making those. Why? Because they are all imported from China, they are hugely expensive and they are really ugly and huge. I dont want the types they have and so I am making my own. I will be spraying them all white and covering them with lace and using the lace as a stencil.peeling off the stencil and revealing the painted lace underneath. Divine. The lip where the lid goes? will be covered with Ribbon and tacked with a little hot glue. Yes. I have a glue gun. Three dollars. Amazon(dot)com. Guess WHAT? They are the equivalent of 15-40 Dollars here. The hot glue sticks are 4 for one lira in some places o r one lira a piece at a hard ware store but I didnt know you could buy them cheaper, or I would have bought them at the 4 for a lira place. One lira is about 40 cents.
Flowers? The biggest expense and I am trying to keep the price down, is going to be flowers. I want just a couple flowers and make it reall simple and elegant. I am not getting big jars and I am cutting little sticks of olive tree branches off olive trees for some of the greenry, gerrnery is cheaper and almost free here, and I will get a few peopnies. I only want one peony, one hygrangea, one lisiantus, and some greens in each little jar. Hygreangea are lots of flowers and peonies are full and so it will be really pretty and simple and I dont want it too fancy. That is the thing. I want a home feeling and a simple feeling and a welcoming feeling not a museum feeling. I think it will be achieved.
I am surprising the family by making bouttinoures and corsages and bouquet. I think it will be really lovely and really pretty. They have no bouttinoure pins nor corsage pins here. I tried looking at the head cover pins. Hat pins. They dont have hat pins and the head pins for pinning the womens head shawls are also too short. I tried looking for quilt pins. They really dont have them and the sewing pins are just not appropriate. So, I bought some. And they are pretty.
Our Wedding day I will wear a wristlet and he will wear a bouttinoure. The reception will be me with a bouquet and he with a bouttionoure. I an really excited about it
I was thinking about what else to do for lighting and thinking and I thought about paper mache. If I can make paper mache, why not using lace instead of news paper? So I went online and I was not the first to think of such ana Idea. I read and read about the best way other people did it and I recall years ago a project I made with wallpaper paste for a huge Pinata. I wonder if 1,2 or 3 remember it? It was a funny looking one but it could not get cracked open! so I will try that. I have to do it by Saturday so it is dry at that time. I will get the supplies tomorrow. I will use the string of lights, and I am looking for lamp kits. I found parts to a lamp kit, which is rather cool... But I want to make sure I am getting the parts right. I have to get wire strippers, and wire cutters too. Not to shabby! I will when the lace is dried, paint it with White spray paint. Lace? Hand made heirloom lace that was made by Long Rocks Grandma and mom years ago in Bulgaria. It is actually lovely. An dI think it will look really pretty. I will find some cable ties and ropes and extension cords to get them up high. Divine. The lace will be all shadowed on the walls and IF I have money left over, I will cover the wires and cables with tulle which is very inexpensive here. (think under a dollar for a yard:: One meter is like a yard)
I will have with table covers and white seat covers (I think) and I am either going to have tulle or organza on just the top part of the table. I am experimenting with colors. I am thinking silver for hte colors and if I can't find silver, I think I can spray paint tulle.
There are archways in the outside fromt he street all the way to the door of our wedding hall. I am thinking I would like to have just two small lamp shades there, I will use tulle or organza, and I will use a battery operated lighting and do something simple for the outside.
I could not find shoes my size nor shoes I love. I wanted to be comfotable and so I found all leather real ballet slippers online. I founda pair of shoes I loved for 270 Dollars that I just could not justify buying ever, even if I were wealthy I would not pay that much for a pair of shoes that I am wearing not too often. So, I found lace and I am covering the ballet slippers with lace, taught myself how to make ribbon roses, and I found some ribbon. I am going to bling up the slippers! I tried them on and they are cozy, too! I am really happy!
I will close now. I have to go. I am meeting some people tomorrow and walking through a College here. We will see how it turns out.
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Here's What is Happening In Turkey: Riots
There has been lack of reporting and lack of news reporting what has been happening here in Turkey. For this reason, I have decided to come out and tell everyone what is really going on here.
Let's Start:
Last week, on Monday, May 28th 2013, a group of about 30-50 people decided to set up a small camp in a park, Known as GeziParkı in the District of Taksim in Istanbul City. This park is smaller than Central Park in New York City, but for the citizens of Taksim, it has been a park that people have come to enjoy, bringing families, having picnics, and on any given morning many will find lots of people walking to work, to school, walking for exercizing, etc etc. This is the only park for miles in what is increasinngly becoming Istanbul, Concrete Jungle. The Park was ordered by Reip Tayyip Erdoğan to be completely detroyed and completely dug out for a new shopping mall and Mosque that will also hold penthouses and Apartments. This is not why the campers where upset. They were upset and tired that the Prime Minister of Turkey had decided to remove the park for a new building that is a replication of the Ottoman Empire and what the former building had been to the Turks. There was a castle or Fort that stood in Gezi Park, it had been there for a couple of hundred years. When the Ottoman Empire had taken over the Taksim Region of this area, they had burned some people and had destroyed pparts of the area, in trying to take over and conquer this particular castle. When Mustafa Kemal Atatürk came into power, he had ordered the dismantle of the castle which was used as the Ottoman Empire's barracks for the Military. The Ottoman Empire was toppled by Atatürk in 1923, and by October 1923, Turkey had their full Independence from the Ottoman Empire. The campers wanted people to know what was happening at the park. They wanted to keep the park there because they didn't want another mall (there are about 60 in Istanbul, and one still being made which is bosting the largest in Europe, with residences. There are projecting about 40 more by 2020) and they were protesting silently, peacefully, and without a lot of incident on Monday. Monday evening Police slowly started harrassing the park campers. There was nothing the campers were doing illegally, but, the police didn't want them there, but were harrssing them. Slowly as last week progressed, things turned for the worse. Friday Morning at 10 am the police of Istanbul City had set fire and burned all the tents and injured a few of the campers. This is when things got heated. The protestors started getting more and more attention and with the burning of the tents, which the protestors were allowed to protest there... They drew in supporters and by late Friday, they had a couple of thousand people in Taksim Square, Protesting. The Police came in with batons and beating the protestors and the more protestors they beat the more angry people became and so they went out in suport of the protestors.
The rioting came into the next day and even Saturday morning the protestors slowed down a bit, but there was now more clashings in the streets in Bodrum, Izmir, Adana and Ankara. And things were getting worse. At one point, at 5 am Saturday morning the huge crowd walked from the Asian Side of Istanbul to Taksim. This was peaceful, without incident but, in several districts all over Istanbul there were clashes of protestors.
I was fooled that by 10 am Saturday Monring June 1st 2013 that everything was quiet, because a few reports in the news said that everything was quiet there. There was no news whatsoever in Turkey about it. In fact, TV was showing Fishind and Documentaries about Birds, Classic Old Turkish Movies, Old Western Style Movies and not one thing was mentioned. However, we felt something was amiss. So, we went online and found that there were more things than ever, and that the police were not letting up. In fact, there were several hundred people being detained. The problem with this is now the supporters of the Prime Minister had decided to join the crowd and there have been many AKP people who support this Radical Islamic Ideas and Suppression, who will show up to the protestings and hurt those people who are protesting. There was a car on Sunday that was driving into the crowd and killed a person. This person was against the people who are protesting. The protestors are all walks of life, but mostly students and Middle to Upper Middle Class citizens, Teachers, Professors, etc etc etc. The Prime Minister is callng them hooligans, hoodlums, drunks, uneducated. I dare declare, my dear readers, they are not and Prime Minister is not being truthful to say the least.
There are many reasons for the anger of these people
People are feeling like they are not being able to practice their freedoms. One of the things that is happening are many Turkish Citizens are in Prison for really what the Prime Minister calls for "Anti Turkish". One of the groups of people that are in prison are Journalists. They are in Prison for printing the news and things that are not shedding a good light on the Prime Minister. Musicians, Philosophers, Professors, Lawyers, and Military Personnel are all in prison and in fact last March when Secretay Of State, John Kerry came to Istanbul and Ankara, he gave a speech in Istanbul stating that his concern and the US Governments conccern of Human Rights are being violated and in fact, even more so than any country in the world in fact, more journalists and professors are in prison than China. The Ambassador of USA for Turkey is Francis Ricciardone. Amb Ricciardone said once that he was baffled as to why there were such a large amount of people in prison that simply opposed the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister wants to bing in Sharia Law. This means he wants to hire Religion Police to make sure people are not violationg any "laws". These laws are more like the Taliban and their regime to the the people and to women. Go figure.
The supporters? They say that he can't be that bed because Turkey has been having the best economic growth it has had in years. Wow. Prim Minister has been able to manipulate the public and pull hte wool over the eyes of some of the people... Niiiice.
Right now the current condition is this:::
People are still being treated poorly by the Police. The Police in Tekidağ (in the providence I live in ) they are not bad at all. They let the people march, assemble, and they let them yell and screama nd blare music and honk horns. They will not allow people to hurt each other and htey have been closing up roads every night for the revelers.
But this is a lucky area. I personally refuse to go out in this conditions because I want to be safe.
Americans have been arrested in Istanbul, and other places, not knowing where they are or what they are doing. Not just Americans but tourists. If you see an assembly of people, walk away and don't spectate. IF you are caught in the blood bath of police and revelers, you could go to prison and because it is against the law here to protest against the PM (it shouldn't be but it is) the Consulate can't do anything. so, don't go near crowds.
Ankara has clashings, All over Istanbul, Izmir, Adana, and several other places. Of the 80 providences, there are 35 or so that are prostesting and only a few are not clashing with Police. The other thing is there were two young poeple kissing on the beach in Izmir and police beat them both up really badly. For kissing. This is unprecidented in TUrkey but you can imagine how things will get over the next few months.
Also, don't throw a hissy fit if you come here and realize that after 10pm until 6 am you will not be served alcohol anywhere here in Turkey anymore. Don't be rude to the Front Desk Receptionist because they can't go out and buy it for you::: This is all over Turkey now and it the law. Why don't you plan ahead? If you want to drink a couple of beers, buy a few and take them to your rooma nd stick them in your fridge!
You will not be able to buy them anywhere.
The people are blaming the Americans so don't think you can go to a portest and be all friends with anyone. As soon as they find you are American, they will be blaming you and wanting to fight you too, so just stay away. I myself don't tell everyone I am from USA either. I tell them, "Hawaii" and they have no idea what I am talking about. I have even said Samoa and Australia once as well. Be careful!!!
We will get married and gethome ASAP we don't want to be here another day longer than we have to.
The Long Rock doesnt understand my sense of urgency on this. He thinks I am being too panicy, but I am not. Really. I am being too patient and should have demanded to get home far sooner.
Well there is my update. Dont believe all the reports you hear. Things have not slowed down or calmed down here in 10 days. The Prime Minister is in Africa. (Good one Mr PM)
Take Care, All I will update when I get more news.
Cheers.
What started as a small group of campers raising awareness of the park being torn down, turned to these. Above are all Taksim. Below are Bosphorus Bridge Protests Saturday Morning. I don't own these photos. I don't know who does. 
Above a street being emptied as Tukish Police had been using excessive force all day this is early Saturday Morning.
Let's Start:
Last week, on Monday, May 28th 2013, a group of about 30-50 people decided to set up a small camp in a park, Known as GeziParkı in the District of Taksim in Istanbul City. This park is smaller than Central Park in New York City, but for the citizens of Taksim, it has been a park that people have come to enjoy, bringing families, having picnics, and on any given morning many will find lots of people walking to work, to school, walking for exercizing, etc etc. This is the only park for miles in what is increasinngly becoming Istanbul, Concrete Jungle. The Park was ordered by Reip Tayyip Erdoğan to be completely detroyed and completely dug out for a new shopping mall and Mosque that will also hold penthouses and Apartments. This is not why the campers where upset. They were upset and tired that the Prime Minister of Turkey had decided to remove the park for a new building that is a replication of the Ottoman Empire and what the former building had been to the Turks. There was a castle or Fort that stood in Gezi Park, it had been there for a couple of hundred years. When the Ottoman Empire had taken over the Taksim Region of this area, they had burned some people and had destroyed pparts of the area, in trying to take over and conquer this particular castle. When Mustafa Kemal Atatürk came into power, he had ordered the dismantle of the castle which was used as the Ottoman Empire's barracks for the Military. The Ottoman Empire was toppled by Atatürk in 1923, and by October 1923, Turkey had their full Independence from the Ottoman Empire. The campers wanted people to know what was happening at the park. They wanted to keep the park there because they didn't want another mall (there are about 60 in Istanbul, and one still being made which is bosting the largest in Europe, with residences. There are projecting about 40 more by 2020) and they were protesting silently, peacefully, and without a lot of incident on Monday. Monday evening Police slowly started harrassing the park campers. There was nothing the campers were doing illegally, but, the police didn't want them there, but were harrssing them. Slowly as last week progressed, things turned for the worse. Friday Morning at 10 am the police of Istanbul City had set fire and burned all the tents and injured a few of the campers. This is when things got heated. The protestors started getting more and more attention and with the burning of the tents, which the protestors were allowed to protest there... They drew in supporters and by late Friday, they had a couple of thousand people in Taksim Square, Protesting. The Police came in with batons and beating the protestors and the more protestors they beat the more angry people became and so they went out in suport of the protestors.
The rioting came into the next day and even Saturday morning the protestors slowed down a bit, but there was now more clashings in the streets in Bodrum, Izmir, Adana and Ankara. And things were getting worse. At one point, at 5 am Saturday morning the huge crowd walked from the Asian Side of Istanbul to Taksim. This was peaceful, without incident but, in several districts all over Istanbul there were clashes of protestors.
I was fooled that by 10 am Saturday Monring June 1st 2013 that everything was quiet, because a few reports in the news said that everything was quiet there. There was no news whatsoever in Turkey about it. In fact, TV was showing Fishind and Documentaries about Birds, Classic Old Turkish Movies, Old Western Style Movies and not one thing was mentioned. However, we felt something was amiss. So, we went online and found that there were more things than ever, and that the police were not letting up. In fact, there were several hundred people being detained. The problem with this is now the supporters of the Prime Minister had decided to join the crowd and there have been many AKP people who support this Radical Islamic Ideas and Suppression, who will show up to the protestings and hurt those people who are protesting. There was a car on Sunday that was driving into the crowd and killed a person. This person was against the people who are protesting. The protestors are all walks of life, but mostly students and Middle to Upper Middle Class citizens, Teachers, Professors, etc etc etc. The Prime Minister is callng them hooligans, hoodlums, drunks, uneducated. I dare declare, my dear readers, they are not and Prime Minister is not being truthful to say the least.
There are many reasons for the anger of these people
People are feeling like they are not being able to practice their freedoms. One of the things that is happening are many Turkish Citizens are in Prison for really what the Prime Minister calls for "Anti Turkish". One of the groups of people that are in prison are Journalists. They are in Prison for printing the news and things that are not shedding a good light on the Prime Minister. Musicians, Philosophers, Professors, Lawyers, and Military Personnel are all in prison and in fact last March when Secretay Of State, John Kerry came to Istanbul and Ankara, he gave a speech in Istanbul stating that his concern and the US Governments conccern of Human Rights are being violated and in fact, even more so than any country in the world in fact, more journalists and professors are in prison than China. The Ambassador of USA for Turkey is Francis Ricciardone. Amb Ricciardone said once that he was baffled as to why there were such a large amount of people in prison that simply opposed the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister wants to bing in Sharia Law. This means he wants to hire Religion Police to make sure people are not violationg any "laws". These laws are more like the Taliban and their regime to the the people and to women. Go figure.
The supporters? They say that he can't be that bed because Turkey has been having the best economic growth it has had in years. Wow. Prim Minister has been able to manipulate the public and pull hte wool over the eyes of some of the people... Niiiice.
Right now the current condition is this:::
People are still being treated poorly by the Police. The Police in Tekidağ (in the providence I live in ) they are not bad at all. They let the people march, assemble, and they let them yell and screama nd blare music and honk horns. They will not allow people to hurt each other and htey have been closing up roads every night for the revelers.
But this is a lucky area. I personally refuse to go out in this conditions because I want to be safe.
Americans have been arrested in Istanbul, and other places, not knowing where they are or what they are doing. Not just Americans but tourists. If you see an assembly of people, walk away and don't spectate. IF you are caught in the blood bath of police and revelers, you could go to prison and because it is against the law here to protest against the PM (it shouldn't be but it is) the Consulate can't do anything. so, don't go near crowds.
Ankara has clashings, All over Istanbul, Izmir, Adana, and several other places. Of the 80 providences, there are 35 or so that are prostesting and only a few are not clashing with Police. The other thing is there were two young poeple kissing on the beach in Izmir and police beat them both up really badly. For kissing. This is unprecidented in TUrkey but you can imagine how things will get over the next few months.
Also, don't throw a hissy fit if you come here and realize that after 10pm until 6 am you will not be served alcohol anywhere here in Turkey anymore. Don't be rude to the Front Desk Receptionist because they can't go out and buy it for you::: This is all over Turkey now and it the law. Why don't you plan ahead? If you want to drink a couple of beers, buy a few and take them to your rooma nd stick them in your fridge!
You will not be able to buy them anywhere.
The people are blaming the Americans so don't think you can go to a portest and be all friends with anyone. As soon as they find you are American, they will be blaming you and wanting to fight you too, so just stay away. I myself don't tell everyone I am from USA either. I tell them, "Hawaii" and they have no idea what I am talking about. I have even said Samoa and Australia once as well. Be careful!!!
We will get married and gethome ASAP we don't want to be here another day longer than we have to.
The Long Rock doesnt understand my sense of urgency on this. He thinks I am being too panicy, but I am not. Really. I am being too patient and should have demanded to get home far sooner.
Well there is my update. Dont believe all the reports you hear. Things have not slowed down or calmed down here in 10 days. The Prime Minister is in Africa. (Good one Mr PM)
Take Care, All I will update when I get more news.
Cheers.
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