After the protests occurred, the Prime Minister did not apologize nor did he extend his hand to the protesters. Instead, he has gone on an all-out campaign to dismiss them as being marginal and violent. Oh, and by the way, police all got a bonus after these event died down.
Throughout these events, I kept asking- where are the opposition party leaders? Why aren't they seizing this opportunity handed to them on a platter by the citizens, to call on early elections? Why didn't they all resign and try to dissolve Parliament, thereby damaging the ruling party (AKP)?
I think it is because even if the opposition party resigned, the AKP would have the majority to continue running the country and Parliament. Sad.
Also, I believe that the Prime Minister was looking for a reason to blame these events on the main opposition party. For this reason, the leader of the opposition party kept a very low profile. It's like a chess game, I guess, nevertheless, I am very disappointed in the lack of leadership from the opposition parties. They were completely powerless and fairly silent, except for a bit of fiery rhetoric in Parliament.
Another very silent person is the head of the army. Not a single peep. Usually, the military will come in and take charge during these types of disturbances, forcing the ruling government to resign. But it did not happen this time. The Turkish military has been left powerless by the Prime Minister, too. He has thrown many of the military leaders in jail.
The media is largely stifled too. The Prime Minister has slapped lawsuits on any journalist that speaks out against him. He has applied pressure on the owners of newspapers to fire their outspoken journalists. And he uses the threat of levying huge taxes on the owners of media outlets in order to influence them. Which has proved to be a very successful tactic.
So, the only thing left for people to do is to go out and protests in the streets, with their bodies and their voices. There is no-one protecting or leading us.
Thank you to all the hotels, cafes, universities, hospitals and mosques, who took in all the protesters when they were being tear gassed. Thank you to all the doctors and nurses who treated them and thank you to all the lawyers who worked round the clock to represent the protesters.
In another case of absurdity, the govt, arrested doctors and lawyers for helping the protesters.
Get the picture about the undemocratic state of affairs in Turkey? Yes, this country which was modeled as the perfect picture of "moderate Islamic democracy" is not at all like that. The reality is much different and finally, the world has woken up to see that reality.
Thursday, July 4, 2013
Saturday, June 29, 2013
3 days in Mersin (my hometown)
From Adana, I went to visit my great-aunt in Mersin, a sunny Mediterranean city, now nearing a population of 2 million.
Mersin was to play host to the Mediterrenean Games, with 24 countries participating, in the days after my visit to Mersin. I had timed my trip to Turkey so that I could go to the opening ceremonies, but whenever I checked for information online, it was hard to get details of events or dates. It turns out that the opening ceremonies were one day after I left. But even if I had wanted to, I would not have been able to get tickets to the opening ceremonies. After the riots broke out, the ruling political party bought out all the tickets to the opening ceremony, so as to not be embarrassed internationally by protesters...So, we all watched it on TV, instead.
There was a protester on stage though.....One of the singers of the Enbe Orkestra, that was performing, had a tattoo on his wrist, to support the resistance. I read that he was asked to leave the group after this performance. Sad... But I'm proud that he stood up for his views.
Back to Mersin. After a visit to my grandparents' grave, in the very peaceful Mersin cemetery, where Moslems and Christians lie peacefully side by side, I went to my great-aunt's home. She was waiting for me, as she is now alone and her health is deteriorating. I spent 3 days with her. We went to the hospital to get her tests done (she is having abdominal pain), and talked and talked. Mostly, I provided some companionship and moral support for her during these 3 days. Although she has someone to take care of her, she is lonely. I tried to do what I could in my short time there. I wish I could do more.
Well, the peaceful protests were going on in Mersin, too. Every night, at 9 pm, the pots and pans were clanging. And this time, for 30 minutes, accompanied by whistling and clapping. With gusto..:)
Mersin is such a sunny and modern city. But I realized how much history there is too. It is not a main tourism center yet, but has the potential. The outskirts are literally surrounded by Roman ruins. Nearby is the historical city of Tarsus, where St. Paul lived and where Cleopatra met Marc Anthony for a romantic rendezvous. Yes, folks, for real!! I went into the center of Mersin for a bit and walked around. More historical homes, from the 1940's... I hope they don't knock them down. The main bank in the center of town has an Ottoman façade. So much history here!
On the day that I was leaving, I had a lovely lunch with my friends' mother and her neighbor at the Mersin Tennis Club. I always ask residents of Mersin about the cultural activity there. What I am really asking is whether I could live there in my retirement. Would I get bored there? Apparently, these ladies are not bored. They said that there is always something to do and they go to gallery openings, foreign movies, gyms, etc... there are always festivals and no time to be bored. Well, that was encouraging to hear.
Mersin was to play host to the Mediterrenean Games, with 24 countries participating, in the days after my visit to Mersin. I had timed my trip to Turkey so that I could go to the opening ceremonies, but whenever I checked for information online, it was hard to get details of events or dates. It turns out that the opening ceremonies were one day after I left. But even if I had wanted to, I would not have been able to get tickets to the opening ceremonies. After the riots broke out, the ruling political party bought out all the tickets to the opening ceremony, so as to not be embarrassed internationally by protesters...So, we all watched it on TV, instead.
There was a protester on stage though.....One of the singers of the Enbe Orkestra, that was performing, had a tattoo on his wrist, to support the resistance. I read that he was asked to leave the group after this performance. Sad... But I'm proud that he stood up for his views.
Back to Mersin. After a visit to my grandparents' grave, in the very peaceful Mersin cemetery, where Moslems and Christians lie peacefully side by side, I went to my great-aunt's home. She was waiting for me, as she is now alone and her health is deteriorating. I spent 3 days with her. We went to the hospital to get her tests done (she is having abdominal pain), and talked and talked. Mostly, I provided some companionship and moral support for her during these 3 days. Although she has someone to take care of her, she is lonely. I tried to do what I could in my short time there. I wish I could do more.
Well, the peaceful protests were going on in Mersin, too. Every night, at 9 pm, the pots and pans were clanging. And this time, for 30 minutes, accompanied by whistling and clapping. With gusto..:)
Mersin is such a sunny and modern city. But I realized how much history there is too. It is not a main tourism center yet, but has the potential. The outskirts are literally surrounded by Roman ruins. Nearby is the historical city of Tarsus, where St. Paul lived and where Cleopatra met Marc Anthony for a romantic rendezvous. Yes, folks, for real!! I went into the center of Mersin for a bit and walked around. More historical homes, from the 1940's... I hope they don't knock them down. The main bank in the center of town has an Ottoman façade. So much history here!
On the day that I was leaving, I had a lovely lunch with my friends' mother and her neighbor at the Mersin Tennis Club. I always ask residents of Mersin about the cultural activity there. What I am really asking is whether I could live there in my retirement. Would I get bored there? Apparently, these ladies are not bored. They said that there is always something to do and they go to gallery openings, foreign movies, gyms, etc... there are always festivals and no time to be bored. Well, that was encouraging to hear.
From Cyprus to Adana
On Sunday, June 16 (Father' Day!), after 5 days in Cyprus, I went to visit my uncle and my aunt in Adana, in the south. It was wonderful to see them again. After a lovely meal of Adana kebap (what else??) in the hills above the Adana dam (what a view! I thought I was in Bebek, with all the boats docked below our restaurant), we went back home and turned on the news.
On Saturday, June 15, several events had occurred:
The Gezi Park group decided to continue their protests despite appeals from the govt. to end it. I believe that most people had started packing up and were leaving but a few people remained on.
At 20:55 pm, the police started forcibly removing the protesters. All hell broke loose in Istanbul and Ankara.
I witnessed the most powerful image of the whole protest movement on Saturday night. In Ankara, a group of protesters sat down cross-legged on the street, peacefully protesting. This included a group of Members of Parliament from the main opposition party, sitting on the front lines to show their solidarity with the people. Behind the MPs,, there were people holding up framed pictures of Kemal Ataturk and staring down the police. Thrilling and chilling!!!! A few yards from them stood a TOMA (a tank used to throw water cannons at the public). Who was going to blink first? It was all televised and tense, well into the morning. No-one was sleeping. Everyone was watching the news till 3 or 4 am every morning, we had become zombies during the day.
Luckily, the police did not move in, because Members of Parliament were in the protests.
Back to Sunday. After our lovely dinner with a view, we went back to my uncle's comfy home. Now the revolution was being fully televised and we were armchair revolutionaries. My uncle, aunt and I watched Halk TV and Arti 1 , the only independent news channels, that broadcast live streaming from the hot spots. It was another violent weekend (the second in a row). All the time, my aunt was also on Twitter, giving us updates from there. Just my cup of tea... watching this live streaming as it occurred.
Earlier on Sunday, there was a funeral for Ethem Sarasuluk, a young man who died in Ankara during the clashes. Initially, the police would not let his mother attend her son's funeral!! There was footage of her rolling down her car window and pleading with the police to let her bury her son. Finally, they let her attend.
What kind of person, what kind of Moslem, prevents a mother from attending her son's funeral? Once again, I wonder about this political party that presents itself as being pious.
As the weeks wore on, it was determined that Ethem died of a gunshot to his head inflicted by the police. The infuriating thing was that the policeman was released from court, as he pleaded self-defense. Since the current political party has the judicial system in its back pocket, this did not surprise anyone. Nevertheless, people marched to protest this killing and the court decision.
Earlier in the week, the Prime Minister had agreed to see some celebrities, many of whom had joined the protests and who agreed to be spokesmen for the protesters. The Prime Minister agreed to see these 20+ celebrities at midnight in Ankara (very convenient time, isnt' it?). They all went with good will, but after the events of the following weekend (more violence), I bet they regretted going to see him, in hindsight.
Perhaps the most comical occurrence of the whole protest movement was the calling of Hulya Avsar, to talk to the Prime Minister. This is a very pretty and famous actress. She confessed to not ever going to the Park to protest. Yet, as she ages and her career is waning, she jumped at the media opportunity and volunteered to act as representative for the protesters (??). I am guessing that the Prime Minister enjoyed feasting his eyes on this lady for 2 hours, but not much came of it. When she came out of the meeting, she was not prepared with a speech; she hemmed and hawed and uttered nonsense in an unprofessional way. I don't understand what purpose she had in this drama. Perhaps this was indicative of the Prime Minister's seriousness about the protesters.
On Saturday, June 15, several events had occurred:
The Gezi Park group decided to continue their protests despite appeals from the govt. to end it. I believe that most people had started packing up and were leaving but a few people remained on.
At 20:55 pm, the police started forcibly removing the protesters. All hell broke loose in Istanbul and Ankara.
I witnessed the most powerful image of the whole protest movement on Saturday night. In Ankara, a group of protesters sat down cross-legged on the street, peacefully protesting. This included a group of Members of Parliament from the main opposition party, sitting on the front lines to show their solidarity with the people. Behind the MPs,, there were people holding up framed pictures of Kemal Ataturk and staring down the police. Thrilling and chilling!!!! A few yards from them stood a TOMA (a tank used to throw water cannons at the public). Who was going to blink first? It was all televised and tense, well into the morning. No-one was sleeping. Everyone was watching the news till 3 or 4 am every morning, we had become zombies during the day.
Luckily, the police did not move in, because Members of Parliament were in the protests.
Back to Sunday. After our lovely dinner with a view, we went back to my uncle's comfy home. Now the revolution was being fully televised and we were armchair revolutionaries. My uncle, aunt and I watched Halk TV and Arti 1 , the only independent news channels, that broadcast live streaming from the hot spots. It was another violent weekend (the second in a row). All the time, my aunt was also on Twitter, giving us updates from there. Just my cup of tea... watching this live streaming as it occurred.
Earlier on Sunday, there was a funeral for Ethem Sarasuluk, a young man who died in Ankara during the clashes. Initially, the police would not let his mother attend her son's funeral!! There was footage of her rolling down her car window and pleading with the police to let her bury her son. Finally, they let her attend.
What kind of person, what kind of Moslem, prevents a mother from attending her son's funeral? Once again, I wonder about this political party that presents itself as being pious.
As the weeks wore on, it was determined that Ethem died of a gunshot to his head inflicted by the police. The infuriating thing was that the policeman was released from court, as he pleaded self-defense. Since the current political party has the judicial system in its back pocket, this did not surprise anyone. Nevertheless, people marched to protest this killing and the court decision.
Earlier in the week, the Prime Minister had agreed to see some celebrities, many of whom had joined the protests and who agreed to be spokesmen for the protesters. The Prime Minister agreed to see these 20+ celebrities at midnight in Ankara (very convenient time, isnt' it?). They all went with good will, but after the events of the following weekend (more violence), I bet they regretted going to see him, in hindsight.
Perhaps the most comical occurrence of the whole protest movement was the calling of Hulya Avsar, to talk to the Prime Minister. This is a very pretty and famous actress. She confessed to not ever going to the Park to protest. Yet, as she ages and her career is waning, she jumped at the media opportunity and volunteered to act as representative for the protesters (??). I am guessing that the Prime Minister enjoyed feasting his eyes on this lady for 2 hours, but not much came of it. When she came out of the meeting, she was not prepared with a speech; she hemmed and hawed and uttered nonsense in an unprofessional way. I don't understand what purpose she had in this drama. Perhaps this was indicative of the Prime Minister's seriousness about the protesters.
Friday, June 28, 2013
Cyprus - Here I come!
My friend and I had planned to go to Northern Cyprus for a 5-day beach vacation. We bought our package tour in February, so there was no changing plans, despite the political climate. So much fun. It was my first time there.
We arrived comfortably and were taken to our resort (Acapulco Hotel) near Girne. Fabulous experience, except the first 2 hours... We arrived at the resort around 5 pm and noticed that dinner didn't start until 7. We had been tired from traveling all day, so we went to the snack bar and ordered 2 cups of tea and 2 "tosts" (small grilled cheese sandwiches). Imagine our shock when the cashier said "That will be 43 Lira, please" (approximately $22)... Even in Istanbul, this would cost about 10-15 Lira max. We expressed our surprise and the cashier said smilingly "Well, Cyprus is expensive". You betcha!
What a fabulous place. Amazing meals (healthy and otherwise), great beach, what a huge pool, entertainment at night and a casino.
On the third day, we took a tour of Northern Cyprus. Sad, as the island is divided in half, between Greek and Turkish Cypriots. In the capital, Lefkosa, half the city belongs to the Turkish Cypriots and the other half to the Greek Cypriots. There is barbed wire, like in the Berlin Wall. But there are also beautiful homes, with gardens, had a bit of a colonial feel to it. We visited the tomb to the fallen soldiers. After that, we went swimming in yet another pristine beach and then on to Magoso, where there were historical sites and a lovely café. Interesting to find out about this island's history.
Had a great time.
We arrived comfortably and were taken to our resort (Acapulco Hotel) near Girne. Fabulous experience, except the first 2 hours... We arrived at the resort around 5 pm and noticed that dinner didn't start until 7. We had been tired from traveling all day, so we went to the snack bar and ordered 2 cups of tea and 2 "tosts" (small grilled cheese sandwiches). Imagine our shock when the cashier said "That will be 43 Lira, please" (approximately $22)... Even in Istanbul, this would cost about 10-15 Lira max. We expressed our surprise and the cashier said smilingly "Well, Cyprus is expensive". You betcha!
What a fabulous place. Amazing meals (healthy and otherwise), great beach, what a huge pool, entertainment at night and a casino.
On the third day, we took a tour of Northern Cyprus. Sad, as the island is divided in half, between Greek and Turkish Cypriots. In the capital, Lefkosa, half the city belongs to the Turkish Cypriots and the other half to the Greek Cypriots. There is barbed wire, like in the Berlin Wall. But there are also beautiful homes, with gardens, had a bit of a colonial feel to it. We visited the tomb to the fallen soldiers. After that, we went swimming in yet another pristine beach and then on to Magoso, where there were historical sites and a lovely café. Interesting to find out about this island's history.
Had a great time.
My first weekend in Turkey - June 9-10
It was a strange feeling. By day, things are normal, people go to work, go to the market, etc. By night, everyone takes to the streets to protest. I didn't feel unsafe but then again, I was in a safe area. Taksim and Besiktas were the areas where the main protests occurred and those areas did get dangerous in the evening, due to the unprecedented use of force by the police.
On Sunday, June 9, we went to a lovely brunch near our neighborhood and I saw my friends. On the same Sunday, the Prime Minister gave an unprecedented 6 speeches in 3 different cities, firing up his loyal base. He called the protesters marginal and accused them of being terrorists. He said that the protesters had drunk alcohol in mosques, as they tried to seek refuge from the police. This despite the fact that the mosque's imam denied consumption of alcohol on the premises. He accused unnamed foreign powers of being jealous of Turkey's economic success. And he said "The protesters attacked my police". I was flabbergasted to hear these accusations.
I wondered if this man did any self-reflection during these events. I doubt it. I had expected the PM to be a much smarter politician. In a time of crisis, a leader should bring people together. Yet, he continued to divide.
It is said that the Prime Minister's health is not good. He is said to be undergoing chemotherapy. It was also recently revealed that 30 attempts have been made on his life during his tenure. I think that neither an assassination nor an untimely death will be as bad as if his political party loses power while he is still alive. I don't know if his ego would survive defeat.
Regardless of his divisive speech, something interesting had happened. People were no longer afraid of him. They started to talk back and fight back.
On Sunday, June 9, we went to a lovely brunch near our neighborhood and I saw my friends. On the same Sunday, the Prime Minister gave an unprecedented 6 speeches in 3 different cities, firing up his loyal base. He called the protesters marginal and accused them of being terrorists. He said that the protesters had drunk alcohol in mosques, as they tried to seek refuge from the police. This despite the fact that the mosque's imam denied consumption of alcohol on the premises. He accused unnamed foreign powers of being jealous of Turkey's economic success. And he said "The protesters attacked my police". I was flabbergasted to hear these accusations.
I wondered if this man did any self-reflection during these events. I doubt it. I had expected the PM to be a much smarter politician. In a time of crisis, a leader should bring people together. Yet, he continued to divide.
It is said that the Prime Minister's health is not good. He is said to be undergoing chemotherapy. It was also recently revealed that 30 attempts have been made on his life during his tenure. I think that neither an assassination nor an untimely death will be as bad as if his political party loses power while he is still alive. I don't know if his ego would survive defeat.
Regardless of his divisive speech, something interesting had happened. People were no longer afraid of him. They started to talk back and fight back.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Arriving in Istanbul on June 8, 2013
As I prepared to leave for Turkey on Friday, June 7, I caught the last bit of Turkish news, as the Prime Minister arrived back in Turkey from his trip to North Africa. He organized a massive welcoming party with his supporters who greeted him at 3 am at the airport, waving Turkish flags and chanting "Give us the order and we'll walk over them in Taksim". Quite scary how intense they were. The mainstream media followed his convoy back to his home on the Asian side of Istanbul, where he gave a defiant and divisive speech, the first of many to come, to the cheers of his supporters.
Meanwhile, celebrities and many ordinary citizens had joined the protests at the park, turning it into a festive atmosphere. People were uniting in their voice and speaking up.
Why were people so vocal? Why at this time? The park protests were just a symbol. In truth, Turkish citizens were speaking up and telling the government and the Prime Minister that enough is enough. I believe that the tipping point for many Turks, including myself, was the rushed law that was passed in Parliament the week before the protests broke out. Parliament passed a law banning the sale of alcohol from 10 pm to 6 am. The next day, the Prime Minister went to Parliament and gave an angry speech, saying that the old law was passed by 2 drunks. Although he never mentioned them by name, most people believe that he was referring to the founders of the Turkish republic, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and Ismet Inonu. Our founders are still held in very high regard in Turkey, and to insult them as 2 drunks angered many citizens.
Who were these protesters? Although there were people from all walks of life and many ages, the primary group were young, urban adults- either university students or those in that age bracket. Someone said that this is the "Me" generation and their attitude towards the Prime Minister is "Even my parents can't tell me what to do- who are you to tell me what to do?". All along, we thought that this generation was apolitical. Boy, were we wrong! How proud we were to see their bravery and unity and strength. How proud I am to see their love for and adherence to Ataturk's principles, nearly 80 years since his death. This is the 4th generation after his death, yet Ataturk's principles and legacy remain so strong. And all along, my friends and I were lamenting the erosion of Ataturk's principles. Not so...
The humor and intelligence with which these people protested was another thing to stand out. Oh, the posters that we saw... Pictures of penguins (to mock CNN Turk, which ran documentaries about penguins in the first weekend of flare-ups). My favorite was a picture of the Prime Minister on a can of "Ayran" (a yogurt drink which he proclaimed to be the national drink- when we all know that the national drink of Turkey is raki (an alcoholic beverage). On this can of "Ayran", there was a picture of the Prime Minister running with the brand name "I-Run" under his picture (as he left for a visit to North Africa).
The posters... "The grandchildren of the 2 drunks are coming to get you" was another one that stood out for me.
I arrived in Istanbul on Saturday, June 8, at 1 pm on a sunny day. I had been disconnected from news for almost 24 hours, so I had no idea what was going on. I took a taxi and got to talking with the driver. When I found out that he was on the side of the protesters, I lamented to him that the thing that hurts me the most is that the Prime Minister does not visit Ataturk's tomb on November 10 (the day Ataturk died, it is always commemorated by leaders leaving a wreath on his tomb). The taxi driver said " That's fine with me because I don't want any carcasses around his tomb", referring to the Prime Minister as a carcass. So, you can see the degree of anger and bitterness that some people had at this time towards the Prime Minister.
I then boarded the sea ferry that would take me across to the Asian side. A young man sat next to me and he got a phone call during the trip. He said "OK, buddy, I sent press releases to Buenos Aires and New York and I'll send another to there, too". I got interested and asked him "Are you involved with the protests"? He said "No, I'm on the Istanbul Olympics Committee for 2020 and we're trying to do some damage repair". Ooops.. You never know who you're talking to in Turkey. He was pro-govt... trying to ensure that Istanbul doesn't lose its bid to host the 2020 Olmypics. I asked who the other candidate cities are (Madrid and Tokyo) and said "Istanbul is the front-runner, isn't it?". He confirmed that this was the case. Below my breath, I said, well, you're not the front-runner anymore, are you..
I arrived home on the Asian side and asked my parents if we could go and protest that night. At around 7 pm, we walked out of our house and on to the lovely Bagdat Caddesi, where a peaceful protest was being organized. It started off with singing the national anthem, and then people walked, with posters, flags and chants. Very joyous and thrilling to be so unified. A feeling of strength in numbers!!! Late at night, around 11 pm, kids drive around in cars, with the flag, sort of like victory laps. My hairdresser said that his car's horn no longer works, he used it so much. We joked that this is our entertainment for the summer, as I think this collective "decharge" will continue. It's been building up for so very long.
Meanwhile, celebrities and many ordinary citizens had joined the protests at the park, turning it into a festive atmosphere. People were uniting in their voice and speaking up.
Why were people so vocal? Why at this time? The park protests were just a symbol. In truth, Turkish citizens were speaking up and telling the government and the Prime Minister that enough is enough. I believe that the tipping point for many Turks, including myself, was the rushed law that was passed in Parliament the week before the protests broke out. Parliament passed a law banning the sale of alcohol from 10 pm to 6 am. The next day, the Prime Minister went to Parliament and gave an angry speech, saying that the old law was passed by 2 drunks. Although he never mentioned them by name, most people believe that he was referring to the founders of the Turkish republic, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and Ismet Inonu. Our founders are still held in very high regard in Turkey, and to insult them as 2 drunks angered many citizens.
Who were these protesters? Although there were people from all walks of life and many ages, the primary group were young, urban adults- either university students or those in that age bracket. Someone said that this is the "Me" generation and their attitude towards the Prime Minister is "Even my parents can't tell me what to do- who are you to tell me what to do?". All along, we thought that this generation was apolitical. Boy, were we wrong! How proud we were to see their bravery and unity and strength. How proud I am to see their love for and adherence to Ataturk's principles, nearly 80 years since his death. This is the 4th generation after his death, yet Ataturk's principles and legacy remain so strong. And all along, my friends and I were lamenting the erosion of Ataturk's principles. Not so...
The humor and intelligence with which these people protested was another thing to stand out. Oh, the posters that we saw... Pictures of penguins (to mock CNN Turk, which ran documentaries about penguins in the first weekend of flare-ups). My favorite was a picture of the Prime Minister on a can of "Ayran" (a yogurt drink which he proclaimed to be the national drink- when we all know that the national drink of Turkey is raki (an alcoholic beverage). On this can of "Ayran", there was a picture of the Prime Minister running with the brand name "I-Run" under his picture (as he left for a visit to North Africa).
The posters... "The grandchildren of the 2 drunks are coming to get you" was another one that stood out for me.
I arrived in Istanbul on Saturday, June 8, at 1 pm on a sunny day. I had been disconnected from news for almost 24 hours, so I had no idea what was going on. I took a taxi and got to talking with the driver. When I found out that he was on the side of the protesters, I lamented to him that the thing that hurts me the most is that the Prime Minister does not visit Ataturk's tomb on November 10 (the day Ataturk died, it is always commemorated by leaders leaving a wreath on his tomb). The taxi driver said " That's fine with me because I don't want any carcasses around his tomb", referring to the Prime Minister as a carcass. So, you can see the degree of anger and bitterness that some people had at this time towards the Prime Minister.
I then boarded the sea ferry that would take me across to the Asian side. A young man sat next to me and he got a phone call during the trip. He said "OK, buddy, I sent press releases to Buenos Aires and New York and I'll send another to there, too". I got interested and asked him "Are you involved with the protests"? He said "No, I'm on the Istanbul Olympics Committee for 2020 and we're trying to do some damage repair". Ooops.. You never know who you're talking to in Turkey. He was pro-govt... trying to ensure that Istanbul doesn't lose its bid to host the 2020 Olmypics. I asked who the other candidate cities are (Madrid and Tokyo) and said "Istanbul is the front-runner, isn't it?". He confirmed that this was the case. Below my breath, I said, well, you're not the front-runner anymore, are you..
I arrived home on the Asian side and asked my parents if we could go and protest that night. At around 7 pm, we walked out of our house and on to the lovely Bagdat Caddesi, where a peaceful protest was being organized. It started off with singing the national anthem, and then people walked, with posters, flags and chants. Very joyous and thrilling to be so unified. A feeling of strength in numbers!!! Late at night, around 11 pm, kids drive around in cars, with the flag, sort of like victory laps. My hairdresser said that his car's horn no longer works, he used it so much. We joked that this is our entertainment for the summer, as I think this collective "decharge" will continue. It's been building up for so very long.
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
June 2013 - A Historical Time to be in Turkey
I bought my ticket to Turkey in January, not knowing that I would be going there during a historical time. On May 31, there was a spontaneous outcry from Turkish people, to protest the increasingly oppressive ways of the government.
On Friday afternoon, May 31, as I was shopping for last-minute gifts to take to Turkey, my mother left me a voicemail. It was 3:30 am in Istanbul so I become very alarmed. Her voicemail said "Zeynep, it's 3:30 am here and the uprising has started. Don't worry about us, we are home and we are OK". Whoa! What do you do when you get a message like that? I called her back but she did not pick up. I assumed that she had gone back to sleep. I checked Facebook on my iPhone and saw a few posts from my cousin who said she had started marching. I wrote back to her and asked her to go back home but she said "No, we have had enough and I am marching". I wrapped up my shopping and ran home to turn on Turkish TV. Nothing on any of the news channels... I turned to Facebook. Luckily, lots of updates there. It seemed that this was a spontaneous protest in Istanbul, that started in the middle of the night, to support the people who had been camping out to protest the closing down of a park in central Istanbul to make way for yet another shopping mall. The police tried to move the protesters forcibly. When word got out, everyone in Turkey spilled out in to the streets to protest the police and the govt. Those who could not go out to the streets, started banging their pots and pans from their balconies (a sign of protest in Turkey). Others started turning their lights on and off, as another form of protest. This took everyone by surprise including those of us who have opposed the ruling party for years.
Towards dawn in Turkey, Saturday morning, hundreds of people started to walk across the Bosphorus Bridge on foot to go towards Taksim. The bridge had to be closed to traffic. It was quite a sight to see. Like many of my friends, I experienced feelings of being stunned (can this really be happening?) and joy and excitement and of course, fear. But it seemed those who were marching were not fearful. And that is what was really thrilling to witness.
Like most of my friends, for the next week, I was glued to Facebook night and day. Things were happening so fast, we became addicted to social media for our updates because the mainstream media did not report the events or downplayed them. This is because the prime minister of Turkey has stifled the media over the past 10 years. They have been scared into not being an objective and independent news outlet, for the most part. They failed this test miserably. Thank God for social media. It helped people organize and communicate during this historical time.
On Saturday or Sunday??, the Prime Minister gave an interview on TV as his first response to the uprising. He referred to the protesters as "a few rabble-rousers" (Capulcu), which incensed people even more. People started changing their social media names to include "Capulcu" in an act of defiance and a whole cottage industry started, with Capulcu orchestras, tee-shirts, etc. He also said "There is this nuisance called Twitter". It is obvious that Twitter had gotten in his way.
And then he left for a previously planned trip to North Africa for 5 days. In the meantime, the President of Turkey, Abdullah Gul, issued a statement that said "We got the message" and he called for calm. As the Prime Minister left for his trip, he gave a press conference at the airport. He was asked about the President's remarks and responded by saying "What message is he talking about?".
I wanted to give you these details, to give you an idea of the Prime Ministers' perspective and psychology. More to come in my next post, as I arrive in Turkey.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
What suprised me the most on this program
As a former mass consumer of cheese and sugar (I had a cookie habit), I thought that I would have serious withdrawal symptoms and that I would not succeed on this program because I would revert to eating cheese and sugar.
Didn't happen. From day 1, I did not crave those 2 foods. That is really strange how quickly you can cut off your dependency on these types of foods if you nourish your body with the right ones, like protein and greens.
Once in a while, I do crave something that i never had reguarly..funny.. yellow birthday cake. As if I had that every day on my old diet!! Weird. But I have resisted.
The other nice thing is.. I'm rarely hungy in between meals or when I wake up. I can't say I've got the portion control down, but at least I'm not eating everything in sight.
It's a gradual process. It will take me much more than 28 days to incorporate these good eating habits. But I know that I can do it. It's not hard at all.
How can you do this cleanse if you're in Turkey?
The foods this program recommendas are very unique to the US.. I've thought about how my friends in Turkey could do this program and it may be challenging...but not impossible. You will just have to substitute some stuff, once you understan the program.
For example. there is a breakfast recipe for zucchini cups.. Well, we have our mucver, that is perfect. Just don't fry it, you'll need to bake it in the oven. I am making mucver in a muffin pan, for the whole week! Instead of regular muffins which have flour, make mucver.
What about thins like quinoa or rice breakfasts? Might be challenging but you could have "pirinc unu"? How about almond milk? If not available, try to buy lactose-free milk and gluten-free foods, both of which are now available in Turkey.
All our "tencere yemeklerimiz" are allowable and perfect on this program. Things like kabak yemegi, zeytinyaglilar - perfect. Also, barbunya, mercimek- these are perfect on this program. And all the "Ton balikli akdeniz yesillikleri" that you want.
Breakfast will be especially challengings for Turks who are used to having their feta and bread, Give it up for one month. Instead, have the mucver or kati yumurta.
Instead of sweet potatoes, how about kabak? Buy it pre sliced and bake it in the oven.
I hope this helps. If you have other tips about adapting this to the Turkish diet, let me know!
Why this Detox works
I think I've figured out why this program works for me whereas others haven't. It's very restrictive. You know what you can eat and what you can't. Therefore, you don't get confused by choices and go overboard. And the things you can eat are all good for you, so even if you overdo it, it's not the end of the world.
As long as you read through the materials carefully and understand what is allowed and what is not, you will make the right choices- whether you're at home or dining out. You just can't have that slice of pizza when you're out with friends. So, you don't. It's very clear-cut.
There i a LOT of prep. I have found myself constantly going to the market and chopping fruits and vegetables. But it's OK. Part of my routine now.
The fruits you can eat are very limited. You can only have green apples and berries. Why? Because these are fruits with low sugar/glycemix index. I find myself going to the store to buy berries at least twice a week. Can I tell you how much i LOVE green apples and berries now? It is so refreshing and light. I look so forward to my fruit melange.
2 times/week, I do food prep at night. Roast the sweet potatoes, prep the fruit mix, make some zucchini/egg cups for breakfast the next day. Then grab and go.
All that said, it is not easy and I fall off the wagon regularly. But I keep getting back up and trying. I really like this program.
There are also some "aids" they recommend. I usually don't like intaking powders and such, but I bought a few of their things. One is the PaleoGreens. You're supposed to have it as soon as you wake up. It's basically vegetable extract sweetened with Stevia. Mix it with water and drink. It's bland not great, but it's supposed to give you the vitamnins you may not get from regular diet.
As far as veggies go, lots of cruciferous ones. Cauliflower, broccoli. We boil the cauliflower and then make it into a puree. So yummy. You'll never eat mashed potatoes again.
My friend had me over for dinner one night and made the perfect meal, with my restricted diet. She had steamed brussel sprouts, celery soup and a green salad (lettuce, green oninons, cucumbers, vinaigrette dressing( with tuna fish in water (no mayo). Can I tell you how satisfying and delicious that salad was? No bread on the side!!!
Another good thing is- I rarely feel hungy. Because I'm eating a lot of protein. Eggs for breakfast, meat, poultry or fish for other meals.
Like I said, I haven't lost much weight yet, but I'm going to continue eating like this going forward. I never have indigestion or discomfort, since I eliminated wheat products. I wake up light and go to sleep light.
I feel like this program has opened up my eyes to how hard many people are trying to eat healthily. Everyone is attentively pushing themselves to do the right thing.
When you have an unrestricted diet, it is easy to go down the wrong path. Too many choices...
XOXO
Saturday, January 19, 2013
First week results and second week goals on the Detox
Well, I lost one pound of fat. Which is great, according to the instructor. The goal of this plan is not to lose weight but that is usually a side effect. My stomach feels much better and I've gotten used to eating this way. I will say that I don't do it 100% all the time, though and the program is pretty forgiving.
It's a lot of food shopping (I feel like I'm at the market every day) and a lot of food prep, but I'm used to it now. Clean living.
At our second week meeting, the instructor said "Well, up until now, you haven't done a cleanse, now it's time to start"... Really??? what the heck were we doing?
So, it turns out that you can (optional) buy a PaleoCleanse - powder drink. I did. Usually, I don't do stuff like this, but I felt I had to give it a chance. The way the instructor and repeat customers talked about it... I'm scared to take it. They said it doesn't taste good and that I might get flu-like symptoms... Great..
I'll give it a whirl tomorrow. I also bought PaleoGreens, which is a refresing drink you take first thing in the morning. It's like a green vegetable extract/powder thing. Mix it with water and sip away. Not bad.
I did fall off the wagon today.. I need to get back into it tomorrow!!!
Cheers,
Zz
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Breakfasts are challenging in this Detox
Can't have muffins or bread or cheese. No cereal.
This morning, I made the best of it and prepared: Hard-boiled eggs, with roasted sweet potatoes and some chopped red pepper. I know it's nourishing but it's not the greatest food experience.
When the 28 days are over, I'll continue eating in this modified way. But I'll reintroduce just a few things back to my diet. Not all!! I'll bring back yogurt and tangerines/oranges. Feta only 1-2 days/week. Very little bread and very little sugar and no yellow cheese.
Without the lactose and the wheat, my digestion feels very rested and calm. Why not carry on with a good thing?
The only fruit allowed on this diet are green apples and all berries. I make a melange at night so I can take to work. Green apples just feel good on the digestive system. An apple a day!
In addition to the strange foods we need to be eating, we should drink a PaleoGreens drink which is a green powder, I think it's a vegetable extract. It's OK. Not bad and not good. It tastes light and weird, but is tolerable.
I'm not very keen on quinoa...Oh well.
Although I studied all the rules, it's a lot to take in all at once. I've got the "What not to eat/what to eat" part,but I forgot that I'm not supposed to snack between meals and have been eating my fruit and/or almonds. Oops!! Can't eat after 7 pm - not too hard for me to do.
I'll go to my second meeting tomorrow night. Let's see what I learn. Next week's goals include:
Eat salad with both lunch and dinner, don't snack between meals and practice portion control.
Soooo hard! Just cutting out the sugar and carbs doesn't really do it...
Cheers,
Z
Monday, January 14, 2013
January 2013- My 28-day Detox Starts
I wanted to share my tips, thoughts and experiences during my 28-day detox.
I'm on the Cambiati program. It is gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar- free. Only fruit allowed are green apples and all berries. You can use Stevia/Truvia if you're having a sugar craving. You can have unlimited vegetables. You can also have protein (meat is allowed once a week; chicken/fish is OK during the week, also up to 6 eggs per week). You can have nuts, almond butter, quinoa, brown rice, hummus and all legumes (lentils, beans, etc.). No bread, no farro, cous-cous, farina, or bulgur. No yogurt or cheese.
So, there is some variety and options.
I was dreading this detox. I thought it would be impossible to do and that I'd be hungry. Not so. I was really suprised at how full I am most of the time.
Take away the sugar and carbs and dairy and your hunger goes away. I guess it's a vicious cycle - the more sugar and carbs you eat, the more you want to eat. I used to come home from work really hungry. Not anymore!! I mean, don't get me wrong, I still get hungry, but not voracious.
This program,as most programs, takes a lot of effort in food prep and a lot of shopping. It seems I'm going to the market every day.
The most challenging part is breakfast. You can have eggs. But with what? My co-worker gave me a great tip- have eggs with sweet potatoes...or avocadoes.
I've stocked up on frozen brown rice from Trader Joe's. It's also good to have the pre-cooked lentils from TJ's.
I try to roast sweet potatoes with olive oil and a bit of salt every night, so it's ready in the morning and I don't reach for the bread when I wake up.
Another interesting thing is- I don't have food cravings for sugar, choclate, cookies or cheese. Right off the bat, I didn't have withdrawal symptoms.
When this detox is over, I'm going to continue it in a modified way. I will try to eat veggies/protein, but I'll reintroduce yogurt, because I think that is beneficial for our bones and digestion.
you can have tea (green or black) but not coffee.
My stomach feels so rested. I don't feel bloated.
It is not a cakewalk, you have to get used to weird, modern foods, but it is doable.
On Saturday, I made a great dish that I'd like to share with you:
TJ"s pre-cooked lentils... First sautee onions in olive oil. Toss in sliced zucchini and shredded carrots (from TJ's). Also tomatoes and tomato sauce...Add in the lentils, seaons with cumin and paprika and cook away. It is tasty and nutritious.
Stay tuned, I'll keep posting. Let me know if you have any questions!
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