Just walk around the city and try all different kinds of Istanbul food. It comes from many different countries and definitely has things you will enjoy. These are just some ideas that might be interesting.
Istanbul food and…
Spending the day at Meiji Mura
as real estate prices increased in Japan after World War II old buildings were no longer economically viable. Some of those buildings were considered historical, culturally important or architecturally reminiscent or beautiful. Those buildings were moved to this large piece of land north of Nagoya. If you are going to make this trip from Tokyo it is definitely a full day at Meiji Mura. If you are staying in Nagoya you can do it in half a day. It is almost 1 hour train ride away from Nagoya station in a little village called INU YAMA (dog Mountain). Meiji Mura is an important place to visit if you are interested in late 1800s up to World War II architecture, history or culture, or if you just want to have a very pleasant half day or full day walk in one of the most interesting places in Japan.
Incredible Hagia Sophia
as you probably know the Romans set up an eastern empire citadel complete with future religious independence in what is now Istanbul. This cathedral was their main church for the eastern Roman empire. They used religion to gradually gain back their influence over the western world as Rome became increasingly difficult to defend against enemies. And as you know this was the launching pad for what we now call the orthodox church or the Greek Orthodox Church.The incredible Hagia Sophia was later increased in size and embellished with the newer version of the Middle Eastern religions, Islam. The two come together in this very interesting structure. You of course will be told by everyone you need to see this as one of the major two or three attractions in Istanbul.
Visit Wright’s imperial Hotel
it’s an interesting story how I learned the original imperial hotel in Tokyo which was taken down in the 60s was replaced with a giant hotel structure more fitting the economic potential of the area. As some of you know this building was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and that is why it was so cherished and rebuilt at Meiji Mura (Meiji era Village).
Pete Muir and his wife Marjorie we’re close family friends often coming over for bridge and a dinner which gave us kids a chance to have some wine. Pete was the grandson of John Muir who you know as the great advocate of the Yosemite national park and many other things. He and Marge planned to visit Tokyo and I was going to take them around to interesting places I found. They had booked the imperial hotel and we’re surprised when they got there it was not the imperial hotel they remembered maybe from the 1950s or early 1960s. So I checked into the history and found that they were rebuilding the original hotel brick by brick near Nagoya at Meiji Mura. This was the first I heard of this place out in the middle of nowhere but my next post will be about the other buildings in this beautiful park which I highly recommend visiting if you’re interested in Japanese history, culture and the period between 1870 and 1925. if they wanted to again see the imperial hotel they remembered they could visit Meiji Mura which they decided to do.
https://www.imperialhotel.co.jp/en/tokyo/special/wright-building
Amazing Cappadocia churches
if you travel to Turkey and decide to go to Cappadocia make sure you visit the historical open air Museum including the best preserved and amazing Cappadocia churches.
Exploring Lao art Museum
if you visit Vientiane, Laos, there is now a very interesting art museum to visit so don’t forget Exploring Lao art Museum. It’s quite a ways out of the city but it’s well worth the trip, about 40 minutes from the main tourist part of town. Plan to spend a minimum of one hour and as much as three hours looking at all the beautiful works of art most of which were carved from old fallen trees from forests, rivers and other places.
The fellow responsible for this museum has quite an interesting history which you should make sure to read after you go through the main big entrance. The entrance fee was about 220,000 kip for foreign visitors and a little bit less for Lao citizens. There are three major tourist attractions to visit in Vientiane and this makes the fourth. The other three are the Mekong River with the night market, Tat Luang and the victory monument. That monument was finished up with cement intended for an airport funded by the US government. The cement was redirected.
“Dear Visitors,
It is with great joy that I welcome you to our museum, a space dedicated to celebrating the beauty and potential of wood. Here, you will discover art crafted from discarded materials that many overlook, transformed into pieces that tell stories of resilience and creativity.
As you explore, I hope you feel the passion that drives our mission —to honor Laos’s rich natural heritage and inspire future generations. Your presence here supports not only the appreciation of art but also our commitment to preserving our environment and culture.
Thank you for joining us on this journey. Enjoy your visit!
Warm regards,
Phisit Sayathith
Founder, Lao Art Museum”
there are four different environments from which these trees were collected.
Unearthed from farmland where trees were removed, these intricate roots were left behind by farmer. Each piece reveals the complex structures of life underground, showcasing nature’s artistry.
Retrieved from the depths of local dams, these weathered logs have spent years submerged in water, gaining unique textures and colors that enhance their aesthetic appeal.
When a storm brings down a large tree, the remnants are often discarded. However, our museum strives to preserve that damaged wood and transform it into beautiful artwork.
Charred wood that tell stories of resilience and rebirth. Source from aftermath of forest fires.
Collected from tree that have experience disease, this wood feature distinctive patterns that highlight the beauty found in imperfection and decay.
“On March 9, 2024, the langest Leucaena leucocephala tree in Vientiane succumbed to a storm, resulting in significant damage. In light of its age and the circumstances, the office has decided to proceed with the removal of the tree.  The Lao government has designated a portion of the tree for the Lao Art Museum, enabling its preservation and creative transformation into artwork instead of being discarded. Utilizing this wood, the museum has crafted five Buddha sculptures, which are now proudly displayed at this Lao Art Museum.  In collaboration with the government, the museum has decided to Identify the healthy remnants of the fallen tree and replant them in a garden near its original location. As of September 30, 2024, this tree has successfully been revitalized and is thriving.”
This sculpture, crafted from a log that has been submerged in the Namgnuem River for centuries, has been brought to our museum and transformed into a new art piece. We aimed to preserve its natural beauty, so we chose to sculpt only the head of the Buddha statue, leaving the body of the wood exposed to display the unique marks created by the water.
if you have ever visited Bangkok you probably walked around Wat Prah Keow where the emerald Buddha sits. Here is the official and mildly worded official Lao explanation of how this Lao emerald Buddha wound up in Thailand. Just a hint. The Thai military “moved” the emerald Buddha to Thailand.
“Hor Phra Keo, also known as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, is a renowned Buddhist temple located in Vientiane, Laos. Originally built in the 16th century to house the revered Emerald Buddha statue, it showcases exquisite Lao architecture. The temple features beautifully ornate structures, intricate carvings, and a serene ambiance, making it a significant cultural and religious site. Although the Emerald Buddha was later moved to Bangkok, Hor Phra Keo remains an important symbol of national heritage and spirituality. Today, it serves as a museum, displaying a remarkable collection of religious artifacts and art, attracting both locals and tourists who seek to explore Laos’s rich cultural history.”
I was born on a Friday so this Buddha posture his representative of that day. “ContemplatingBuddha. The Friday Buddha image symbolizes a brief moment following enlightenment when the Lord Buddha remained beneath the Banyan Tree. During this time, he expressed that comprehending and applying the dharma was challenging for ordinary individuals. However, with profound compassion and loving kindness, he recognized that all living beings have unique tendencies, much like the nature of the Lotus flower. Consequently, he chose to utilize the dharma to assist all sentient beings.”
Exploring Topkapi episode 2
Exploring Topkapi palace is a must when visiting Istanbul. This is the palace of the sultans. You need about three hours at least if you want to just walk through slowly and enjoy the different rooms and details. You need a few hours more to study everything.
Beautiful Cappadocia surroundings
if you visit make sure you take in all of the Beautiful Cappadocia surroundings. I went when there was snow on the ground and it was pretty cold which gives it a very different atmosphere from the summertime and the peak tourist season. You can visit anytime and I recommend going when you like the kind of weather and scenery you will find there. Most people will not visit in the winter time but you can get some amazing scenery and photos that few people have.
Learning about Hittites
when I was in school somewhere I heard about the Hittites and so while I was learning about The Hittites they didn’t really come into focus until I visited this ancient city and castle in Turkey. The long history of this area is very interesting and I recommend stopping by for a couple hours, hiring one of the guides here, and learning about the people who occupied Hattusa thousands of years ago.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hittites
Inspecting Topkapi episode 1
By inspecting Topkapi you are looking into the whims and interests of the sultanates of the Ottoman Empire. Save about three hours to walk around this palace and the areas and look very closely at design details. There is a beauty here which is an amalgamation from many different cultures which can’t give you some insight into the thinking of past generations. After I visited I remembered there was a movie “Topkapi” so I went back to see that and it was about a heist in this palace and it’s a kind of an interesting movie. You can see where a famous mission impossible movie scene was copied. I won’t spill the beans. You will just need to watch the movie and enjoy the limited view of the palace until you get a chance to visit.
The palace was named ‘Topkapi’ in the 1800s, meaning ‘cannon gate. ‘ Before that, it was simply known as the New Palace. It was commissioned by Mehmed the Conqueror in 1459, soon after he took over Constantinople.
