Sunday 18 November 2012

Verona...A Gentle Town By A River.

One guess as to what this is?
No?
This is apparently the
 "balcony" 
where
Juliet hung out
&
lamented out loud into the darkness of night...
"Romeo, Romeo,
wherefore art thou Romeo!"

You don't need to be a
Capulet 
or 
Montague
to visit this city
of 
ill-fated lovers.
This medieval outpost on the banks
of the
Adige River,
sits comfortably in her 
antiquated cloak.
Located in the 
Veneto
 region of Italy
&
 a mere
70 miles west of
 Venice,
Verona has a charming small town feel,
that's easily managed on foot.
We were there for the annual
Verona
Opera Festival
held at the
2000 year old 
Roman Arena.
Which looks a lot like the
Colosseum
in 
Rome.
"That which we call a rose
by any other name, would smell
as sweet!".

William Shakespeare

Verona is not big on sights.
There are 2 bridges,
Ponte Scaligero
Ponte Pietra.
A couple of Piazza's
an old
Castle.
Castelvecchio.
However, 
it's totally charming when the
 Opera season
is on.
The entire town comes alive,
turning it into a
jet setting cultural melting pot.
The Arena
was thought to have been built in
AD 30.
It used to be able to sit
 20,000 spectators
but now,
for safety reasons,
it's wilted down to 
a mere
15,000.
The atmosphere inside,
was quite
 remarkable
spectacular.
We saw
Aida
&
Turandot.
To be resting on those ancient stone steps,
under the canopy of the blue
 Italian sky,
was undeniably memorable.
As dusk took over
the Opera began,
the entire scene unfolded
&
 we were
 transported back to another time.
The city of Verona
is surrounded by 
lush vineyards,
ensuring that good wine is easily
available.
As in many other parts of Italy,
people watching is a
 national pastime.
Ancient walls are still intact.
Italians are extremely proud of their heritage.
Italy is totally camera-friendly.
Photo opportunities abound at every corner.
No doubt one can be a long way from home,
but here,
under the 
shadow of the Arena,
with ample 
good food and drink,
one can only 
be further intoxicated
by the
 sights & sounds
 of this beguiling city.
OK.. 
Enough said.
Time to bake.

Focaccia.
This pizza-like bread is seasoned generously with
sea salt & olive oil.
Additional herbs could be added.
The name was probably derived from
Latin
"focus".
Technically, it should be baked
in the center of the oven.
Or in the fireplace.
Makes perfect sense.
Always start with quality ingredients.
Tourist!
They're everywhere!

Baking requires
 patience and competence.
Let the yeast take it's time to react.
Pour some love into it!
Kneading dough may require some skill.
Youtube 
could assist in tutorials.
Seriously,
it's all in the arm strength.
Knead, knead & knead.
Shape.
Knead.
Relax.
Give it a poke
&
if the dough bounces back,
you know it's ready!
Place the dough into oiled bowl.
Cover with warm damp cloth.
Set aside in a warm place for an hour.
Dough must have risen to twice 
it's height by now.
Lightly oil the baking form.
Sprinkle generously with
Polenta.
Gently place dough into the baking pan.
Using your fingers,
punch into dough to create
indent marks.
Drizzle with lots of olive oil.
Lightly push in the toppings.
Sprinkle with polenta.
And then lots of sea salt all over.
Cover and set aside for another 45 mins.
Place the pan into the very hot oven.
Center rack.
For 25 mins.
Low
 & 
Behold,
your master
 "piece-de-resistance".
The bread has good texture 
&
the salt,olives & herbs
bring out the flavor.
Serve it warm at your table 
your guests will be
 terribly impressed!
Meanwhile...
back in
 Verona,
...the city beckons.
As with most old  Italian towns,
the center revolves
around a
central town square.
And is usually connected to other squares
via small narrow alleys.
These are the props for
 Aida,
awaiting their 5 mins of fame on stage.
The afternoons are generally
 blisteringly hot.
Stores are mostly closed.
And a shade in any form,
is much appreciated.
Again, tourists...
they're everywhere!
( ...actually these are my friends...
 from left Odd Gunnar, Kjell, Erle, 
Bernt, Stine & Jan Olav )
Verona's history dates back to the time of the
Romans.
Beautiful fountains adorn
piazzas,
just like this on on 
Piazza delle Erbe.
This square was once the 
town's forum
during the
 Roman Empire.
Apparently, the
Capulet
family did exist!
Old world 
Italian architecture
is quite remarkable.
The bridges were destroyed during the
second world war
but carefully
 reconstructed,
faithful to the original.
July is a great month to visit
Italy.
There are many
 festivals
all over the country.

You cannot go wrong with a  holiday in this country.
It has great
 cuisine, history,
architecture,
shopping,
mountains,
beaches
&
not to mention
good wine.
And a charming romantic sounding
language that would melt
even the
 hardest dark chocolate!
"You May Have The Universe,
If I May Have
Italy".

Giuseppe Verdi
Personally,
I find
 Italy
an 
easy vacation destination.
More importantly,
the people are friendly
&
 some even,
charming.
Great coffee helps!
Our time in
Verona
was well spent.
We came,
we saw,
we ate...
I shopped
we left satiated!

" Romeo,
doff thy name,
and for thy name,
which is no part of thee,
Take all myself!".


Peter Hoe's Focaccia

3 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoon active dry yeast
1/4 cup olive oil
sea salt
polenta powder
olives
sun dried tomatoes

Sieve flour & divide into 2 parts
Add yeast, sugar to warm water. Let it dissolve
until bubbly...approx 15 mins
Make a well in one part of the flour
Pour in 5 tablespoons olive oil
& a little of the yeast water
Stir & combine...gently
Gradually add more flour & yeast water
from 2nd part of flour
Mix until all is combined
Oil a large bowl
Place dough in & cover with 
damp warm cloth
Place in a warm place
After an hour, dough
should have risen
Oil baking form & sprinkle with polenta
Place dough into form
& cover for another 30 mins 
Generously brush top of dough with
olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt, olive rings,
polenta, sun dried tomatoes etc.
Bake for 20 min sat 200 degrees Celsius

Viola!!!
Your bread is ready....












Wednesday 7 November 2012

Istanbul...the past makes the present!


This is 
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
The first 
President of the Republic of Turkey.
Under his leadership,
modern Turkey was established.
On a weekend trip to 
Istanbul,
we had a brief taste of a country
straddling not just
Asia & Europe
but
balancing 
the 
subtleties
of the
modern & ancient.
Did you know that 
Turkey 
is bordered by eight countries
&
Istanbul has a population of
13 million?
This city of "two" faces
has much to offer.
Even the most 
jaded tourist,
 will
concede to this fact.
Located on one of the most
 romantic & famous
waterways in the world,
the 
Bosphorus
&
The Golden Horn, 
this ancient
city of a
hundred mosques,
delivers the best in small doses.
Formerly known as
Constantinople
&
Byzantium,
this thriving metropolis
was the
European Capital of Culture 
in 2010.
We arrived into the chaos of
the 

evening traffic.
Rain was pouring down
in the midst of the
bumper-to-bumper
crawl.
City lights twinkled through
the limousine window,
making every object sparkle
like some pretty
christmas ornament.
And in between buildings,
you catch a glimpse of the
 tall, narrow spires of
exotic
Ottoman mosques,

standing silent against the
night sky.
The
Grand Hyatt
is located off
Taksim Square,
on the European side of the land.
This ultra comfortable hotel,
was our refuge from a very busy
city.
Incidentally, the service
was extremely 

professional
&
prompt.
 
Nowadays,
boutique hotels are everywhere,
affording each and every tourist
a selection as wide as the 
Golden Horn.
The morning after the rain was blessed with a
blue sky
wonderfully warm weather.
Our day was spent in the
Sultanahmet old-city area
where most of the historical
sites are found.
Narrow cobbled streets
settled with old buildings
laden with history,
as rich as 
Turkish
desserts.
The crush of people 
&
 the 
on-slaught of the crowds may be
uncomfortable at first
but 
an hour or two 
into the swarm,
you begin to get
absorbed into the flow of the locality.
This area dates back to 
667 BC.
The entire 
Peninsula
was declared a
Unesco World Heritage Site 
in 1985.
There are as many restaurants
as there are shops.
All full with
colourful merchandise,
reflecting the culture of the area.
Everything a short walk
from one another.
As with anything in the
Unesco Heritage 
designated sites,
you immediately feel 
history come alive.
"The beauty and mystery of this world only emerges through affection,
attention, interest and compassion...open your eyes wide
and actually see this world by attending to its
colours,details and irony."

Orhan Pamuk
My Name Is Red
The Sultan Ahmet Mosque
or better known as the
Blue Mosque,
is definitely the most visited mosque in town.
Built from 1609 to 1616
with it's distinct six minarets,
this stunning architectural wonder
is a sight to behold.
Both outside and in.
The sheer size
 &
what appears to be different
layers resting upon one another is 
a marvel of 
Ottoman & Byzantine
engineering construction.
This imposing structure 
is awe-inducing!
The interior is lined with more than
20,000
hand-made 
Iznik 
tiles,
 in different shades of blue.
The simple metal chandeliers were quite effective.
Hung low 
because of it's clean lines,
did not distract from the intricacy of the
ceiling.
Above, the splendour continues with
stain-glass windows 
marble.
The central courtyard has a hexagonal
fountain surrounded 
by
a continuous vaulted arcade.
It was truly a marvel to behold.
Our visit was just after noon-time prayers.
The call of the muezzin
was melodious,
as it 
echoed far 
wide.
This current form of the
Turkish  Baklava
was thought to have originated from
the imperial kitchen of the
Topkapi Palace.
One bite into this many layered
filo pastry & nut
concoction,
will make you swoon!
It took a lot of will power to resist
the many, many, many
 excellent souvenirs 
on show.
Our walk was extremely interesting and diverse.
The locals are friendly.
The streets clean.
And with the abundance of
 sights & shops,
it took longer than anticipated.
Take a look at the intricate details of
this
carved panel from
the
Blue Mosque.
There's a great deal of meat in the local cuisine.
Yaprak Sarma, wrapped vine leaves, 
Dolma,
 Lahmacun 
of course
Kebabs.


"Things never go so well 
that one should have
no fear
 and 
never so ill 
that one should have no hope."

Turkish Proverb
By contrast,
the 
Asian 
&
 European
areas are very evident.
The 
Nisantasi 
district is totally westernized.
Here, 
you will find everything 
new & trendy.
But there are many pockets around the city
where you'll find 
amazing remnants of the past.
Both recent & ancient.

On Istiklal Street,
this charming
 tram runs up and down
this extremely long & sloped
shopping strip.
These tasty treats were everywhere! 
All 
golden & delicious.
The
old & new
 sit well together.
Men selling tea,
walking around with
cups & pots
weave their way through
business men in suits
.
Street cobblers are
available at almost every corner,
mending & polishing diligently.
Our unseasonably warm morning was a blessing,
as we made our way to the 
Grand Bazaar.
The worlds 
largest & oldest 
covered market.
It has 61 enclosed streets
&
in excess of 3000 shops!
Totally mind boggling!!!
Turkish tea comes from the eastern
Black Sea
coast.
Loose tea leaves are used to 
produce strong tea,
normally drank without milk
with cubes of beet sugar.
And always in an elegant glass.
The entire city has plenty of
photo opportunities.
So grab that camera & charge those batteries!
Taksim Square 
is the heart of 
modern 
Istanbul.
This is the 
Monument of the Republic.
Crafted by the Italian sculptor,
Pietro Canonica 
in 1928.
The original
 Turkish Evil Eye
ornament
is supposed to consist of
molten glass, iron, copper, water
&
salt.
This combination of
minerals & metal
is believed
to provide a shield from the forces of evil.
This amazingly delicious 
confit of leg of
Lamb
is from 
the "34" 
restaurant
at the
Grand Hyatt.
Go if you can!
Nowadays,
design is everywhere!
And judging from what I see...
high quality too!
I captured this shot
on the
Galata bridge.
It's astride the
Golden Horn
&

 terribly busy with life.
 Moorish inspired glassware.
Very tempting indeed!
Buses, trams, the metro
&
taxis

are available,
if walking tires you!
East & West.
If you have time,
a visit to a Hamam
is a must.
This cleansing ritual
dates way back.
A series of perspiration sessions in
different steam rooms, 
followed by a vigourous massage,
will leave you
whimpering.
Luxury is everywhere!
Both men...making a living.
The 
Hagia Sophia,
creates a beautiful silhouette.
First an orthodox basilica then a mosque
now a museum.
Temptation comes in many forms!!!
 The Mevlevi Order
performs "whirling"
as a form of "dhikr"...
a remembrance of God.
The formal
Sama
ceremony is totally
mesmerizing!
It was pomegranate
season!
These super red fruit was found everywhere...
in juices, cakes & sweets.

Istanbul
 is certainly a city of many interests.
From ancient old palaces
to trend setting
 boutiques & restaurants.
It's all here.
One part 
Asia
&
one part 
European.
Turkish flavours in different expressions.
And that's what makes a visit
interesting.
The diversity of daily life,
woven into a complex balance of
differences,
creates the multi-faceted society
that defies it's conflicting challenges.
Cosmopolitan neighborhoods
wedged between old buildings,
while
expensive imported cars glide
over narrow cobblestone streets. 
For many that lives here,
life goes on.
Sunrise over the 
Bosphorus.
Our brief visit left us wanting more.
A sign of a good holiday.
Istanbul
has many positive challenges ahead.
And her strength is in her people.
Warm & friendly 
obviously
hard working.
To rise up to the 
demanding needs 
of the
21st century, 
they must move forward with
a determination that does not
allow ancient ways to hold them back.
The big question is balance indeed!

We will be back!!!