A Week of Celebrations in Istanbul.

We have had a very interesting week. Last Thursday we went to a lecture about the Crimean War victory celebrations of 31 January 1856, that were held in Pera House, Istanbul (the present British Consulate). The lecture was given by Dr Steven Richmond, of Istanbul Technical University, in the room next to the very same ballroom where the original celebrations took place. We learned that, to celebrate the ending of the Crimean War, the British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, Lord Stratford de Redcliffe, gave a fancy dress costume ball for more than 800 guests.

Dr Steven Richmond who gave the lecture.

A very special guest at the victory celebrations was none other than Sultan Abdülmecit himself. This was reported widely throughout Europe, as this was the very first time an Ottoman leader had ever visited a foreign embassy. Other guests included Ottoman ministers, British, French and Sardinian officers, the Greek Patriarch, the Armenian Archbishop and the Jewish Chief Rabbi. It was a very splendid occasion, and no one failed to notice that the Sultan and his entourage all drank champagne, along with the other guests.



This is one of a pair of exquisite chandeliers in the ballroom at Pera House. The Chandeliers were originally meant as a gift to the Tsar of Russia from Queen Victoria, and were actually on their way when the Crimean war broke out. They were quickly diverted to the embassy in Istanbul, where they remain to this day.

We came across these Peruvians on our way to Pera House.

Last Saturday we went to David's pre-school Fun Day. Everyone had a great time, and there was lots of food and plenty of activities for the children.

All the little girls wanted their faces painted.

The parents made an wonderful selection of typically Turkish food

A magician entertained the children on Fun Day.

On Monday we attended the Queen's Birthday Party. In past years this has been held at the British Consulate, but no more, due to the parlous state of Britain's finances. This year it was held in the garden of the parsonage, thanks to our dear friend Canon Ian Sherwood. It was such a fun evening. Unfortunately, I forgot to take my camera, so sadly there are no photos, but I can assure you that the evening was a great success and the Queen would have been proud.

NOTE:
Today is Paddy and Irene's 45th Wedding Anniversary. We wish them well and may they have many more years together!

This week in Bağdat Caddesi, Istanbul

Tuncay Sanli of Stoke City.

We are often to be found eating at our favourite restaurant, Café Cadde. It's very popular and usually full to bursting, but because we are regulars we can usually get a table. We've heard that it is an IN place to be. We didn't realise just how IN, until we found ourselves sitting next to Tuncay Sanli, the Stoke City player. With his £5,000,000 transfer fee from Middlesbrough, he can afford to eat anywhere, and he chose our local. He came over to speak to us - such a nice man!

David with Tuncay Sanli

A great thing about living in Bağdat Street is that there is always something going on. We woke up one day last week to find a big hole in the pavement, where some workmen were replacing leaking pipes. Amazingly, it was all cleaned up by the evening, with the pavement completely restored.




On another day, hundreds of cyclists rode by, completely blocking the road and preventing the traffic from moving. I think they were making a statement that the roads are for cyclists too; although weaving in and out of traffic on a bicycle is not my idea of fun - especially in Istanbul - more like suicide!


Our summer series of concerts has begun again. Every Sunday evening throughout the summer, Mithat, a nearby menswear shop, hosts a free operatic concert. We have grandstand seats on our balcony. It's great fun, especially as we are far enough away to join in the singing.

How to Make Traditional Australian Damper Bread

When I went to the King of the Ranges Competition, while I was in Australia recently, I watched two men making damper bread (see left). In case you are wondering what damper is, it's an unleavened bread that the drovers used to bake, in the early days, while on the move with their cattle in the outback. (I dare say the swag-men made it too, as they camped by their billabongs.)

The dough is mixed in a bowl, and then turned out onto a flat surface to shape into a flat round.

The original ingredients of damper were just flour, water and salt, and sometimes milk. This was kneaded together to make a dough-like consistency, and then cooked in a camp oven (similar to a Dutch oven) over hot coals from a fire. The bread was then eaten with meat, or smothered in golden syrup.

The damper bread dough is in the camp oven, which is standing on the hot coals. 

Here you can see the lid being put on, it is covered in coals to ensure even baking.

Sometimes the men were too hungry to wait for the loaf to be cooked in this way, so they devised a quicker method. They simply wrapped the dough around a stick and held it in the fire to cook, rather like toasting marshmallows. They called these “Teddy Dumbbells”, and filled the hole left by the stick with jam or syrup.

Taking the lid off the camp oven. It is very hot. He is standing on hot coals, 

notice the thick soles to his boots!

Damper is still made today in Australia, and is especially popular at barbecues. Today's damper is likely to be made with self raising flour, and have added extras. like nuts, herbs,spices, fruit, or cheese. Our damper-maker told us of a friend who rolls a piece of mozzarella cheese into the centre of his, which melts into the bread as it bakes. It sounds delicious! The damper we tasted had raisins and sultanas in it.

Cutting me a slice of the finished bread.

Of course, today, damper bread is often baked in an oven. If you would like to try damper bread, here is the recipe given to me at the King of the Ranges:

Ingredients

4 cups self-raising flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk
handful of raisins and sultanas
butter, for greasing the pan
extra flour

Directions

Sift the flour and salt into a bowl.
Mix in the dried fruit and make a well in the middle of the mixture.
Pour in the milk and mix thoroughly.
Turn out onto a flat surface dusted with flour, and shape into a flattened round.
Grease the camp oven, or a round baking pan, and dust with flour.
Place dough in the camp oven or pan.
Cut a cross in the top surface of dough.
Close lid of camp oven and bake in the hot ashes of your camp fire for about forty minutes, or bake in preheated normal kitchen oven for 30 minutes at 220° C (425° F).

Elizabeth Coughlan

Red Bull Flugtag 2010, Caddebostan Park, Istanbul

Hmm, Interesting design. ...but will it fly?

It's the beginning of summer in Istanbul and the silly season has started. On Sunday we went to Caddebostan Park to watch the Red Bull Flugtag. This is an event where the participants have to build a flying craft, powered by a human. They then launch their flying machine from a height of 30ft, over the sea. This is so they don't do too much damage to themselves when the inevitable happens and gravity takes over. 40 teams competed against each other and were judged on distance, creativity and showmanship.

Will this fly? ...perhaps not.

Well, birds do fly ...normally.

Could this be held together by Scotch tape?

Preparing for take off! It looks convincing, 

although it could be designed for a Kamikaze pilot.

There is a strict criteria for entry, although you wouldn't guess from a cursory glance. The rules state that, "Every flying machine must have a maximum wingspan of just over 9 metres (30ft for the unconverted), a maximum weight, including pilot, of 204kg (450lbs) and be powered by muscle, gravity or imagination." Of course, it's a given that they will probably all end up in water, so the craft must be unsinkable, built from environmentally friendly materials, and without any loose parts that could impede another team's flying machine.

Interestingly, some of these contraptions actually manage to fly. The record was set in the Flugtag 2000 event in Austria, when one design managed to fly for 59.4 metres.

Will he do it?

...no he won't! (Fortunately he missed the suicidal photographer on the end of the pier.)

A huge crowd came to watch.

Another hopeful sets off...

... only to land in the drink!

Elizabeth Coughlan