Turkey (part 2)

[mistress_elaine]

And now for the first of the "Turkey Superlatives"... This probably won't be the most exciting instalment, but don't worry, I have juicy stories coming up!

Greatest highlight: There were a number of places I really liked, but if I had to pick one, it would probably be Ani, a ruined city on the far eastern edge of the country which could rival

Comments

[outmused]

Fantastic. I have always wanted to go there.

[mistress_elaine]

Thanks. :-)

By all means go to Turkey. As I said yesterday, it's one of the most beautiful countries I've been to. Its attractions are amazingly varied; it really has something to suit all tastes. The east of the country (where I did most of my travelling) has the advantage of being far less touristy than the west.

[outmused]

I remember seeing a documentary about it 10-15 years ago, and I've always had it in my mind that I'd like to go there.

One of these days...

[mistress_elaine]

It's good to have things to look forward to. I find the thought of all the countries I still have to visit quite inspirational.

I hope you'll make it to Turkey one day.

[mistress_elaine]

Hi back at you! I was wondering if you had arrived in Scotland yet. How's Edinburgh after the long slog of Taipei? Did you get the amazing room with a view you mentioned a while ago?

In any case, have fun in Scotland and keep regaling us with ironic tales of your adventures...

[mistress_elaine]

Heh. One of my best friends in Taipei was Scottish, and she was always going on about how much she missed Edinburgh. Now you're doing the opposite. Funny.

Sounds like you've got one hell of a view. The firth, the castle and Princes Street, too? Nice. Very nice. I expect pictures at some point, once you've had time to settle down!

[mitzimaybe]

Ooh, thanks for this!

Just one question about the pics - is it my imagination, or is there a purply blob at the left hand side of the top picture and the bottom of the second picture? I don't see it in the third one.

I relished the opportunity to walk around Ani with three cameras in my bag
It sounds a lot more relaxed than when we were there. We had minders the whole time (Turkish soldiers) telling us we weren't allowed to point our cameras towards the border (so we missed out on some of the best views) and the light wasn't very good either. Mainly it was the "no photos here" rules that were annoying. I did try a couple of shots shooting from waist level and guessing the distance for the focussing, but of course I couldn't tell what I was framing and only one came out.

[mistress_elaine]

You're welcome. Lots more to come! :-)

It's not your imagination. My Olympus seems to have been suffering from a light leak of sorts on this holiday; the purple blob pops up in more photos. I believe I've fixed the problem now, but between this, the wind-up trouble I've been having lately and the fact that I'm not entirely satisfied with my lens, I think the Olympus is up for a quick replacement.

From what I've heard, the Ani situation has relaxed considerably in recent years. One no longer needs a permit to go there, nor did I see a single policeman or soldier on the grounds. (In fact, I hardly saw anyone on the grounds, which added considerably to the "lost" feeling of the place.) No one ever told me not to take any photos of the border, so I've got several pictures of the gorge. I'll post those later with the rest of my Ani pics.

[mitzimaybe]

Oh no, even more camera frustration for you!

An interesting piece about Kars and Ani here. Looking forward to the rest of your photos (although I might not get to see them for a while.)

[mistress_elaine]

Yeah, well, I'm taking it philosophically. It's just another sign that the Olympus is due for replacement. It's nearly thirty years old and it's served me well for quite a number of those years, so it has earned its retirement, so to speak.

Thanks for the Ani/Kars article. I hope they do indeed re-open the border; it's a shame the Armenians can't see relics of their great civilisation in Turkey. Especially since they're among the best things Turkey has to offer.

Surely they have Internet cafés in Spain...? If not, you'll just have to wait a while. In any case, have a nice holiday!

[cosmiccircus]

Ooooh, I love the colors and the 3D feel in all of these!

I'm a "ruin fan" too, so I hope you post more of those!

[mistress_elaine]

Cheers, mate. I'm glad you like them! :-)

I took heaps of pictures of Ani. Not all of them came out (don't mention the H word... sniff!), but I think I'll be able to do a nice series of them at some point. If the scans are anything to go by, the black-and-white ones came out very nicely. I'm sticking to colour for the moment, but the black and whites are something to look forward to.

[nancyy]

Amazing photos. That last one looks totally unreal.

[mistress_elaine]

Thank you! Yes, the last one does look unreal, doesn't it? I suppose it was the polariser which created the effect...

[nancyy]

What do polarisers do in general?

[mistress_elaine]

Used correctly (i.e., with the right shooting angle in relation to the sun), polarisers heighten colours. Landscape photographers use them a lot because they darken blue skies, make clouds whiter and generally make colours snappier. In the above photos, you can clearly see the effect in the skies.

Polarisers can also be used to remove reflections from shiny surfaces. They're a useful tool to have with you if you want to photograph something in the water or behind a window.