While I was in Turkey about a year ago, I was introduced to a little Turkish music. I quite enjoyed a particular music video, "Op", by a singer named Tarkan. Little did I know that I'd discovered a new obsession, one that I apparently share with millions, since Tarkan is known as the Elvis of Turkey. Here's a link to that video, which has since led me to dozens more. In fact, he's pretty much all I'm listening to at the moment, since he's got such a fantastic variety of songs, everything from pop, dance, ballads, rock, and hip hop. He's even done a few songs in English, my favorite being "Start the Fire". Give him a listen, and tell me what you think!:D

My Red Devils, Manchester United have won the Premiership for the 19th time! Glory, glory Man Utd! Now if they can only beat Barca in the Champions League...!!!

One of the best classical Greek and Roman sites in the world is the city of Ephesus. I actually visited the city as part of my Greek vacation a few years ago even though it's located in Turkey, and it was definitely one of the highlights. This time I spent little time going back over what I'd already seen, and instead spent my time climbing to the top of the Great Theatre to take some pictures downwards onto to the city below. The Library of Celsus is one of the best known sights in Ephesus, though only the facade and steps of this two story building remain. I also wanted to try and take my own version of a photo I'd seen in my guidebook, of the ceiling of the Library's portico along with one of the statues in front, and fortunately when we got there the place had only a fraction of the tourists it'd had on my first visit, and I was able to get it. This was important, because I basically had to lie down on the steps and point up to get whole picture.:D Another thing I got to do on this visit was go to the small museum of Ephesus in the nearby town of Selcuk. It's famous for having a pair statues known as Artemis of Ephesus. They're actually based on the earlier Goddess Sibil, but when the Greeks hit the scene they considered Artemis to be the closest to her attribute-wise, and thence the name. She's covered with dozens of egg-like objects, thought to be either eggs themselves, or breasts, since she is mainly a fertility Goddess. She also has bees, pomegranites, and animals on or near her, to play up the whole fertility thing. How the Greek maiden hunter Goddess turned into an Asiatic fertility Goddess I'm not sure, but well, there it is.:P

I'm not one who's good with heights, but when I was told that I could go hot air ballooning over Cappadocia, I jumped at the opportunity, knowing that the landscape would make this a chance of a lifetime. And I have to say, this was money extremely well spent. The landscape in the area is all formed of volcanic ash that has solidified over thousands of years. The local inhabitants actually dig cave homes out of this soft, cement-like stone, and have done so for millenia. I'll share some photos of those homes another time, though, since the views from up above are great by themselves. The wind has eroded the soft stone into what's called "Fairy Chimneys", and created graceful valleys and rounded hills. Each year, the valley gets a little tiny bit wider, and the old chimneys are worn away, while new ones are formed. A thousand years from now, the valley will look completely different in detail, though just the same in spirit, I hope.:)

I'm home from Turkey, and my vacation there was wonderful. I saw some fabulous archeological, cultural, and religious sites, as well as incredible natural beauty. I took some 400 photos, too, so I'll be sharing some of my favorites of them. Hope you like them! The Hellenic spa city of Hieropolis has mountain springs that have high calcium concentrations, so as the water flows down the hills, they are turned snowy white as the minerals are deposited on them. My tour guide told me that if you put an item in the water for two days, it will become completely coated with the stuff. Unfortunately, the water table in the area has become greatly reduced, so the people managing the site only water particular sections of the hills each day to keep them all bright white. The city of Hieropolis was located over the top of the hill, and some of the tombs on the edge of town were in the path of that calcium filled water, making the tombs look as if they are partially buried in snow.

I'll be leaving for my vacation in Turkey in a few days, so I won't be able to check my queue after Wednesday night. I'll be back in about two weeks, with lots of pictures, I'm sure.:D

The Ice Cream Truck It's true what they all say, That where there's life, there's hope- Hope is that mighty power which makes Each heart beat like a happy child Skipping down the road of life, Ears constantly listening for The magical bells of an ice cream truck Singing, "I want, I want, I want!"

Poetry Poetry's power isn't in metre or rhyme, Where "love" is inevitably followed by "dove", As perfunctory words trip along Like an engine, pistons beating In a mechanical mockery of life. Poetry is a naked truth revealed Like a young maiden clad in A diaphanous robe, which tempts A closer look as much by what Remains hidden as by that which is shown. Yes Or No Words have power- I know, because There are times when it seems as if My whole world hinges upon whether You will say yes or tell me no.

Why are you shining today, Mr Sun? I thought you and I were friends! And friends don't smile when their loved ones Are down, but make their sympathy clear. Perhaps you're trying to cheer me up- I'd like to think that it's so. But I suspect you're not even thinking Of me, just shining for yourself!

Excuse Me Excuse me, but could you help me? I seem to have lost my heart. I thought that maybe you'd seen it And taken it, not knowing it was mine. I'm happy to let you keep it, of course, If it's something you really want; And maybe you could give me yours- Just to make it an even swap! Our Secret In life there are secrets, and secrets. Some are voiceless, hidden away In the deepest recesses of the heart; But even though they're silent, One can never forget they lurk within, For they daily seek to escape, Their corrosive nature that of an acid Which eats the container holding it. The secrets I love best, however, Are those that live in your eyes and smile, Where they dance for me in prelude to The moment when "your" secret becomes "ours".