Istanbul – A City By The Sea
A couple of weeks ago I went to spend a few days in Istanbul. The city really lives up to its reputation and it would be an understatement to say that I wasn’t disappointed: Istanbul is simply grand, magnificent, full of art and history, amazing by its architecture, lovely and full of inspiration in its quieter neighborhoods. In one word – gorgeous.
What I particularly liked about Istanbul is its situation by the sea, in-between two continents. The city is so expanded, it’s incredible to contemplate. But it is almost always freshened up by the ocean’s breeze. Obviously, besides the pure and salty marine air, the great thing about it is that one can find countless striking views of the Golden Horn. Uskudar, on the Asian side, provides a great promenade by the sea with fishermen, seagulls, wooden houses and children taking a swim. For other lovely marinas, look at Ortakoy or Bebek, both charming. Also great to wander about and have a nice bite, the fish market by the Galata Bridge has delicious fish sandwiches…
The Doors
Recently I was struck by the diversity of styles, colours, heights and shapes of the Parisian doors. You can simply walk for a little while between République, Arts et Métiers and le Marais, and in those 20 minutes, you will capture a great deal of architectural wonders. To be fair, I am not so picky, and I like a little bit of everything; doors that are impressive by their height, magnificent by their intricate design, doors that almost blind you by their bright and somewhat unexpected tones, doors that get one to wonder what’s hiding behind… I think those are my favourite kind of doors, they awaken the child inside me, always ready to fantasize about other people’s lives, and always ready to make up stories about them!
Sunny Saturday by the Canal St Martin
Last week, I decided to revive some good old habits; I grabbed my camera and set out to the Canal St Martin, looking for anything that would please my eye. I am really glad I did it, first of all because it was the first time I was out and about in Paris since I’ve moved back, and second of all because I had the pleasure of rediscovering the Canal St Martin which I find so lovely.
I don’t know if it was the sun, the blossoming cherry trees or the lovers kissing on the bridge, it just all came together. I even had the pleasure of meeting a fellow photographer, and taking the walk down the canal with her. All in all, a fantastic Saturday morning!
