Hooray, I have a blog again!

Blogspot is now un-blocked after about four days, probably because someone realized blocking an entire website because of a couple people is absurd. The only difference I can see now is pictures are kind of hard to format, so bear with me if this post looks a little funny. So let me catch you up on my activities of the past week:

Homework, homework, homework. Now that we've gotten into the swing of school again professors are pretty serious about readings and all that. It's been pretty interesting so far, but doesn't give me much to tell you all about...

Watched Inception on Thursday with a group of friends which was good fun.

On Friday I took a homework break to go to a coffee shop in Sariyer with a friend. I got tea, of course, and this delicious pastry! Yum.

Yesterday was packed full of exciting cultural activities. I went to Dolmabahçe Palace with a group of exchange students, which was constructed in the mid-nineteenth century as the Ottoman Empire was trying to Westernize to remain relevant. As a result, it's got all kinds of European elements-- crystal chandeliers, porcelain doorknobs, Victorian furniture-- but also a harem. Unfortunately we weren't allowed to take pictures inside, but it was gorgeous. The tour finished with the ceremonial hall which is still used today for receiving foreign dignitaries (like President Obama a couple of years ago!). It's an enormous hall with decorated pillars, ceilings, and a FOUR TON chandelier! Crazy.

In the afternoon the six of us went to the Prince's Islands, about a 90 minute ferry ride from Dolmabaçe. We stayed on the big island, had a late lunch and walked around for quite some time. Cars aren't allowed on the island, just emergency and maybe delivery vehicles, so everyone uses bicycles and horse-drawn carriages to get around. It was a fun little town, if a little touristy. On the way back, we almost missed our bus and had to take a taxi back to campus, but right as we were discussing the fare with the cab driver our bus pulled up. Perfect timing.

I finished out the long and exciting day with ELEVEN HOURS of sleep. Perfect!

Okay, here are some pictures:


View of Ships from the island


Secret Garden? All the houses on the island had fences, and many had little paths like this.


Beware of the dog!


The palace from the outside.