#events in istanbul hotels

[cloverdaisies]

# THE LOVE POTION

eric sohn x gn!reader/ collab! 007 files w/ @winterchimez

— “you must locate, befriend & kill agent sohn.”

description: the infamous english spy eric sohn! travels into europe searching for an encryption that serves as a communication link for the secret service rival spectre.. it’s sohn’s mission to retrieve the device and return it to safe hands.. however upon arrival his ultimate distraction is you, can you craft the perfect potion that will make 007 fall in love?

genre & warnings: from russia with love! 007 au! 60s au! love triangle! betrayal & romance! mentions of blood! violence! mentions of death/ killing! but no actual character deaths! cursing! alcohol consumption! mentions weapons! kissing & other mildly suggestive themes! pls lmk if i’ve missed anything!

word count: 6k+

a/n: dt: @sohnric happy belated birthday bar 🤍 wellll … what can i say???? this is overdue !! do excuse my hiatus & messy schedule.. i would like to say a massive thank to @winterchimez for inviting me to collab with you for this event !! it REALLY pushed me out of my comfort zone & throughly enjoyed perfecting this plot as much as i could as a big challenge.. sorry for being so late … 🤍 please do go check out the others work for this event which you can find here and enjoy!

Devilishly you smiled to yourself in the mirror as you pulled on your white satin gloves and fastened a thin pearl necklace around your neck.

“Tea?” Your advisor of sorts, Sangyeon, suggested, gesturing a hand towards the teapot with a smile of generosity. “You’ve got a long week ahead, is it not better to relax now y/n?”

Sangyeon was a taller man, with darkish hair and buttery highlights that glimmered with sufficient light source. He wore a long black blazer with tailored trousers and a fitted white shirt to polish him perfectly. He’d been assigned to look over matters concerning your work, making sure you weren’t up to anything suspicious and meet your personal needs when required. Despite him being so helpful, there was something that irked you about his unwavering presence and constant eye over your activity.

Turning your neck ever so slightly, you grimaced letting out a small huff thinking of the mission you’d been proposed a little over the week ago by the organisation higher-ups.

“I suppose so. I mean…” You cleared your throat before chuckling quietly. “It’s going to be hard to fool one of the the top english spies, is it not? I’ve heard he’s a bit of a charmer. I can’t quite understand why I’ve been hired.”

“Quite so. He’s always got company you could say.” Sangyeon laughed in return, pouring the steaming hot tea from the pot with a gentle hand. “That being said, despite his charm you need to be incredibly careful not to reveal anything and stay on your guard at all times.”

“I always am. No man charms me. Id do anything for the mother country.” You reached out to grab the china teacup off it’s saucer and took it to your lips to sip.

“I definitely charm you, don’t I?” He retorted with a sly wink and a smile that stretched from ear to ear.

“Oh you wish.” You scoffed, placing the cup back down and shuddering at the comment before returning to the mirror to fix your appearance. “Besides, I have a dinner party at 8pm and I don’t need your loitering to be dampening my mood. Thank you for the pastries though, you should consider opening a bakery.”

“I’m glad you liked them. I’ll be back to escort you to your car then.” Sangyeon sighed, leaving the hotel suite with a soft close of the door.

꒰ა ˚₊ ✧・┈・╴﹕꒰ ᐢ📰☕️🎬ᐢ ꒱﹕╴・┈・𐑺 ‧₊˚໒꒱

In England, the sound of a melancholy low trumpet hummed over scene from a street player outside, fading into the open window of a grand office. It was almost sunset, the sky tinting a pale shade of orange amongst dark clouds.

“It’s been 2 days since the killing of that agent they masked as you and you’ve got 3 hours until that flight to Istanbul! Do you understand the consequences if you don’t retrieve that lektor Sohn? That cipher machine connects their entire military intelligence and you’re walking around with a blinking target on your head! ” M recited to Sohn, between his fingers a thick cigar emitting a cloud of heavy smoke.

M, the head of the British Secret service, was addressing what was the assassination attempt of Sohn at a British military facility earlier that week. Sohn had been giving a mission to retrieve a soviet device called the lektor, a cipher machine developed to connect communications.

“I’m very aware, I’ll play my cards right when I get there.” Sohn replied, his lips twisting into a sly smirk as he was being lectured by the higher up.

“Very well.” M sighed rising from his chair, leaving his cigar to rest in a glass dish before retrieving a brief case from the side of his desk. “In that case, there’s 20 rounds of ammunition, flat throwing knives and a 0.25 caliber, rifle that folds it has infrared sight. Use this when you need it and don’t let it out your sight.”

“Thank you very much.” His fingers wrapped around his crystal glass of whiskey, Eric took a sip before inspecting the case with a smug smile. “I best be off.”

꒰ა ˚₊ ✧・┈・╴﹕꒰ ᐢ📰☕️🎬ᐢ ꒱﹕╴・┈・𐑺 ‧₊˚໒꒱

As the evening settled in Istanbul, the dinner party had began not being invited to sit at the table yourself, you felt quite disappointed your importance in the operation had been significantly swept aside. Upon arrival you quickly recognized a ruddy faced man with a well kept moustache, his hair turning a dark grey with age and was smartly dressed in the cream suit that had been described to you by Sangyeon.

“Hello, I give my deepest apologies for interrupting your conversation. However, I must speak to you in private sir.” You gently tapped on the man’s shoulder, watching him jovially turn with attention.

“Very well, may I ask your name? What can I do for you?” The man answered almost like a store keeper with polite customer service, as if a mask of required kindness had been veiled over his face.

“I’m Y/N, L/N, former agent associated with spectre. I have quite the infatuation with Eric Sohn, I heard he was travelling to the country this evening and I was hoping I could help assist his duties.” You replied opening your eyes like an innocent fawn in attempts to convince your ‘pure’ intentions.

“What’s your interest with Mr. Sohn? How am I meant to trust your being genuine, Y/N, is it?” The head of the British Secret Service in Istanbul spoke softly to you as you chewed at your inner lips nervously. Politely observing your attire, his lips twisting into a curious smile.

Sticking to the script, you began. “I’d be willing to betray this country, for the man has me quite swooned. Therefore, if you would be ever so kind to introduce me to Eric Sohn himself, I’d be ever so grateful. It could get me killed if you tell any other soul.” You spoke eloquently, your demeanour slightly mischievous as you attempted to charm the gentleman.

“If that’s so. I’m sure he’d be happy to meet you.” He returned a smile , turning away from you likely to confront Eric about the matters. Your grin almost resembled that of the cheshire cat, deviously imagining the plans success.

“Aren’t you quite the actor?” The voice of Sangyeon behind you caused you to jolt in fear, in case it was one of the agents unaware of the mission assigned to you.

“You just scared the living day lights out of me, can you not just go jumping out of the shadows at me like that?” You brought your hand out to your chest and let out a sigh of relief.

“It’s what I’m trained to do sweetheart.” He chuckled, patting your head like a lost puppy before pacing himself around to the other side of you.

“Seems your plans going smoothly, you have someone approaching you, west.” He quickly pointed over to where Eric Sohn was with gentleman you spoke to earlier.

It came as no surprise to you that the man was incredibly handsome, his smile as he spoke to the other was just magical it served as almost a charm and worked on people like a spell. It was a smile that evoked emotions inexplicable, love, desire, a false sense of comfort that could easily be used as a weapon for betrayal. It was no wonder he was the most sought after member of the secret service in his country, his looks alone could turn his every target into his puppet. He was smartly dressed like described in a classic black tuxedo, a briefcase slotted into his right hand, his hair an enchanting shade of platinum blonde that emphasised his defined bone structure, a jawline so dangerous it could tear paper.

Almost choking on your previous words that no man could charm you, you gulped slightly, clearing your throat and fixing your posture as he approached.

“Allow me to introduce you to Y/N L/N who I’d briefly mentioned earlier.” The gentleman in the cream attire held out his hand to greet you, gently shaking it with a two hands.

“Hello y/n, I’m Eric Sohn. Its delightful to meet such a gem amongst all these people.” He leaned to great you with a polite kiss on the cheek, gently shaking your hand. Every feeling of morality in your body shuddered, nervously feeling the limbs in your body grow weak almost as if you were one flirtatious comment away from fainting.

“It’s such a divine pleasure to meet you too, I’ve been dying to finally get the chance to meet you in person. I’m such an admirer of you work.” You quickly gathered yourself together and carefully spoke with a soft velvety voice.

“Shall we go for a walk in the gardens?” Eric suggested, his eyebrow raising curiously as he also observed your attire and features.

“I’d be more than glad.” You responded as he held his arm out towards you to link, gently taking your arm and walking you out the grand marble doors.

The night was darker than usual, with a dull moon and stars that twinkled pathetically amongst thick clouds. However the bright lights that had been messily strung across the hedges lit up the the scene warmly. The sound of the blue piano being played from the inside faintly bled out into the garden along with indistinguishable chatter from guests up in the main hall.

“I must ask y/n, what gave you interest in the British Secret Service in the first place?” He began as you walked the side of the grounds arm in arm.

“Well… I felt as if my position in the country wasn’t appreciated enough. I don’t agree with their morale or treatment regarding myself.” You replied gracefully, glancing over to the tidy man. His presence radiated that of a tough masculine self assured nature. He looked at you with suspicion, allowing his guard to remain up like a fence.

“Well it’s in my best interest to not trust your intentions immediately, but I believe the information that resides with you is incredibly valuable to me and my mission.” He took a moment to take a breath before a cocky smirk crawled on to his lips. “Therefore, to test this loyalty of yours. I have to request a map, one of the military base that holds the lektor I’m after. Provide this and you earn my trust, sweetheart.”

You gulped for a moment, you had specifically been told not to leak any intelligence or assist him in anyway. You couldn’t foil his plans by providing a false map either, your hands were tied and even he knew that. Him and his manipulation tactics. He knew sly ways around people, you providing this map would mean surrendering all your loyalty to the secret service and despite having feelings inexplicable for the man beside you, you couldn’t give up what meant most to you. You had to figure out a plan.

“When do you want me to provide this to you?” You attempted the mask the fear that lingered in your throat, strangling your words with thick ropes that made you sound as if you’d seen several ghosts appear before you.

“Tonight, slip it behind the fourth pillar beside the stairs by 10 and I’ll soon be there to pick it up." He smiled, there was something sinister about his words as if he knew that it would be almost impossible for you to hatch a plan within that time.

“Very well, it will be there.” You took a breath momentarily, his warm touch departing you as he proceeded back into the large building. He turned back to you a last time, giving you a sly wink before going upstairs with a bright smile on his lips.

“Are you out of your damn mind? You are aware he’s drawing you right in his trap?” Sangyeon appeared from behind one of the pillars outside, having followed you around the entire time. “He’s not an idiot, he’s trapping you, you providing that map will lead him straight to his plan.”

“Then you best tell them to prepare.” You rolled your eyes, watching his serious dark eyes stare into your conscience. “If I don’t give him this, we lose all trust. He’s not an idiot but perhaps you are, now leave me be.”

You breezed past him, making sure to shoulder check him before making your way back into the hall with a bitter smile on your face. Going into the bathrooms on the left side of the building, you took a pen from your bag and began to map out a rough sketch of the secured military base housing the lektor Sohn was after. Folding it between your fingers, you left the bathroom, discreetly dropping it by the pillar he’d asked you too.

You grabbed a glass of prosecco from one of the many waiters dotted around the function room and joined Sangyeon’s friendly conversation with other associates. Nervously, your attention wavered from the bubbles appearing at the top of the champagne flute, to over your shoulder where Sohn was now making his way behind the pillar.

He walked around it as if he was daydreaming, picking the sheet of paper up and sliding it into his pocket. He gave you a brief smile before proceeding back to his gaggle of officials who’d be overseeing his work in the country.

“I think it’s home time for us.” Sangyeon closed the conversation with a sigh, placing a firm but soft hand on your shoulder. You smiled at the group of men in front of you, before slipping past them arm linked with Sangyeon.

“The officials aren’t pleased with you.” Sangyeon muttered through pursed lips. “However, they understand that you sincerely had no other choice."

"And? Are they preparing?" You replied raising one eyebrow cockily.

"They can't assign enough men to cover the base tomorrow. However if Sohn gets his hands on the device, which is unlikely, they're use as much forces as they can to retrieve it back." Sangyeon sighed at the seemingly idiotic plan, his rough palm wiping the illusion of sweat from his forehead and loosening his slim black tie as you elegantly slipped into the parked Mercedes.

꒰ა ˚₊ ✧・┈・╴﹕꒰ ᐢ📰☕️🎬ᐢ ꒱﹕╴・┈・𐑺 ‧₊˚໒꒱

The quiet hums of soft jazz fell across the café like a warm blanket, the scent of freshly brewed coffee and a plethora of pastries baked earlier that morning danced through the air as if it were a spritz of expensive perfume. Outside, rain fell like hail, beating the ground like drumbeats and forming puddles that resembled ponds or even lakes.

Upon first encounter it would seem that you had your nose stuck into an edition of wuthering heights your eyes flickering over the nonsensical words, so often turning a page with a dramatic sigh. However, the act of appearing busy wore you out like no other, your fingers rested on the right side of your face with impatient taps.

“Well… What a surprise to see you here!” An almost sarcastic voice sounded as the bell chimed over the café alerting you from the words on the page.

Your eyes snapped to Eric Sohn, neatly dressed as usual in a tuxedo with pin stripes, the outfit missing the blazer but tied together with a waistcoat. If you hadn’t been so stressed about the date, you would have fainted over his rolled up dress shirt that exposed his toned forearms. You would have been a mess, but that’s not the point at hand.

“Well yes, I do enjoy a morning read, you could say.” You smiled, almost grimacing at the script-like conversation. Finding yourself almost upset you had to talk to him that way, wishing you could genuinely talk to the man on a level that wasn’t inevitably leading to the utter destruction of betrayal.

“You seem like you’re away with the fairies this morning, what’s on your mind?” He sat beside you for a moment, his elbows rested on the table behind him. His face was just above your head, eyes looming over you suspiciously.

“I’m just worried.” You replied simply, packing your things into your bag with a short huff. Awaiting you both was Sohn’s plan to breach the military base that very afternoon.

“How so?” He chuckled almost, smile lines breaking out in his cheeks, his grin lighting up his every feature, helping you to climb down from the stool you’d sat on.

“Well, what happens if this doesn’t go to plan?” You looked him in his deep brown eyes that glistened so prettily under the warm lighting, his smile dampening quickly.

“In my way or yours?” He smirked cockily, turning from you to leave the café, briefly turning to check you were following. However, you stood frozen still, what does that mean? Your plan hadn’t worked? Your blood ran cold, he’d truly had you wrapped around his finger, he knew.

“Sorry? I’m not sure what you mean by that.” You laughed the situation off, watching as his pitiful smile broke again, an almost pathetic laugh escaping his lips.

“Don’t play dumb.” He rolled his eyes momentarily, grinning with a hint of mischief to his words. “You and I clearly have our differences. I don’t fall for this entire act you’ve got going on, sugar.”

You felt sweat forming in the palms of your hands, your lips begin to quiver slightly, whilst your tongue felt like it had been duct taped to the roof of your mouth. With a clenched jaw you chose silence, watching him smirk as you stared into the pitiful void in his eyes. His hand ran through the platinum blonde strands of his hair as he sighed, unable to contain his chuckles as he watched you drown in your own psychological mess.

“Instead of being confused, I think it would be more worth while considering siding with me. Why don’t we get you out of this mess of a life you live? You’re ordered around like dog and it’s not fit for a diamond like you.” He sighed pacing around you like a lion playing with its food. “I’ve taken a liking to your dedication, I can see you’re so badly trying to stay loyal to your work but there’s something else you can’t resist.”

You shuddered as his lips hovered over your ears, whispering words of temptation in the most insatiable manner. Your body still frozen in time had not moved an inch from the table you’d been sat at. Warmth rising to your features whilst your stomach rattled around like a brittle old machine in the dry cleaners.

“You know this too. I’m not trying to manipulate you as I have nothing else to gain from your companionship. However, I’m quite fond of you y/n. I think your intelligence is to be treated better.” He shrugged his eyes glistening in a way that presented his words as something genuine, something honest. His praise lit up fireworks in your system, you were on rich compliment away from detonating completely.

“I appreciate your words Mr. Sohn.” You began, clearing your throat gently before continuing. “However, I think you and I are destined to be opposed. I wish you well.”

You fiercely clutched your bag in the warmth of your hand, swiftly rushing to exit the sheer embarrassment of the situation. The once soft sound of harmonic trumpets now sounded like the chaotic thrill of elephants stampeding through the small confinements of the café. It was in no way complimented by the grating sound of a piano keys being smashed in a way that was neither melodic or enjoyable to listen to. Yet before you could grasp the golden handle of the door, you were beckoned back by the honey sweet sound of your name amongst the frightful waves.

“Y/n?” Eric who turned to face you a final time, smiled, not a classic smirk or sinister chuckle, a small smile that made his eyes resemble those of a harmless puppy. “Contact me, if you change your mind.”

You looked back with a blank expression, observing his relaxed demeanour with bitterness lingering heavy on your mind. A bitterness, a feeling of resentment, but what you would do to run away with him if you could. You’d be killed.

The sound of the café bell chime felt almost like the sound of a distant gunshot to Eric, at heart he knew he’d never be able to swoon you in the way he’d hoped. There was a small rose seed sewn into his heart especially for you, he himself resented the way you as intelligent as you were, could be used as shark bait and treated like no more than a sniffer dog. Unusual for him to grow such a soft spot considering you were the enemy in the equation. He sighed, clutching the briefcase he’d been gifted and headed out to do what he came here for in the first place.

The military base was fairly small, observing the blueprints you’d traced for him, his plan was fairly simple. The box-like building was connected to an underground train link, there was no service running for another half an hour, which gave him that much time to secure the lektor and catch the next train inbound.

A small ladder led up to a hatch secured in the bottom of the facility, gently he used his fingers to open it almost silently. Stupidly, the officials thought Sohn would blatantly try to enter the building through the main entrance, a line of armed men waiting behind the doors.

The operations room was a littered with different documents, weapons, machinery, cupboards the only option for Sohn was to scramble through every shelf hoping to find the device wherever it’d been temporarily hidden. Underneath a satin sheet, there was a black box that somehow resembled the demonstration he’d been shown of the device. However, as he opened the box an explosion of smoke popped causing his ears to ring as the distant sound of yelling was heard from the unmanned room. This couldn’t stop Eric, he calmly continued to rake through the drawers as the voices grew louder.

In the bottom drawer, was the box he was looking for, checking once to see that it was not another trap and the actual device. As he pulled it from its case, the sounds of shots hitting the wall behind him caused him to pull a small pistol from his blazer pocket. Shooting back at the guards, neither of them being able to see clearly through the smoke from the trap. Eric crawled to the hatch, lektor huddled close to his chest.

The honking of the steam engine down the tunnel relieved him as he fired up the hatch to warn the soldiers not to come down. With his back against the wall, the train narrowly passed by him with little space to leave. He elbowed one of the windows as it slowed on the tracks, hurling himself onboard one of the carriages. He quickly switched suits, and sealed the device in his briefcase as protocol before exiting the broken room on the carriage and proceeding to another.

A sigh of relief slipped his lips as he sat down with his briefcase beside him, he even decided to purchase a cup of tea for the journey and peacefully kicked his legs up to read a newspaper. At least for the first ten minutes, the sound of his cabin door sliding open alerted him to look up casually from the words on the page. He couldn’t quite explain who the man who stood at the door was, he was familiar but not a man he knew at least. He was dressed a long black tux with brownish hair, his eyes replicated those of fury, aggression, enough to alert Sohn at least.

“Hand it over.” Pulling a gun from the waistband of his tailored black trousers, his face remained blank as Sohn raised his hands in the air with a laugh.

“That’s not very friendly.” Eric tutted, standing up from his seat with the case laying on the seat behind him. As he observed him more carefully the identity of the man began to become less pixelated, funnily enough it’s as if everywhere Sohn went he saw a face like resembling the man in the crowd. “I’m not a fan of stalkers but I’m sure we could settle this with an autograph.”

The joke seemed to land terribly with the other male, his lips curling in disgust as he readjusted his finger over the trigger of the gun in his hand.

“Get over yourself.” The man sneered before looking Sohn directly in the eye with a cold stare. “Your plan is hardly turning out successful, poor y/n came crying to me about your twisted bullshit.”

“Ah yes, now I remember!” Sohn clasped his hands together beginning to pace the small room, the man’s gun latching target to his head. “You’re y/n’s little lap dog! That makes so much more sense, unrequited love, that must be hard for you buddy.”

Sohn’s words cut through him like a knife, the anger boiling through his veins as he struggled to keep his composure. The gun wavering only slightly as his lips pursed furiously.

“I’m more than that buddy.” The unnamed man laughed in a way that attempted to conceal his emotions but instead the line came out as no more than a high pitch croak. “Now hand it over before I turn your brain into several servings of spaghetti.”

“Sangyeon!” The sound of angry footsteps stomping through the corridor alerted the man, however he didn’t take his eyes off Sohn for a second.

“Listen, Sangyeon is it?” Sohn laughed, his voice sounding assertive despite the noise of the rattling train and noisy horns. “I think you better calm down, she won’t be happy with what you’re trying to do here.”

Sangyeon’s gun lowered, just to the point where it was out of sight of the narrow train passage but still somewhat aiming at Sohn.

“What is it?” He called, the relief of Sohn’s face when he saw yours outside of the window was golden. It would have been so tedious attempting to get out of the situation himself.

“I’ve been looking for you all bloody day! Now I found out you’re trying to leave the country? What are-”Your eyes originally blinking in red fury softened into bright pearls upon meeting Eric’s. Then all of a sudden they turned red again as you looked back to Sangyeon with increased suspicion. “Step away from the door.”

Surprisingly he did just that, revealing the gun that was pointed towards Sohn just out the hallway. Eric discreetly took the opportunity to assemble the weapon given to him as Sangyeon’s eyes focused on yours.

“There is no way, I’m letting you kill a man that’s not business to take care of.” You sighed, blocking the doorway and staring into the soulless void of eyes. “Leave here immediately. You’re only gonna end up hurt.”

“Y/N? Are you out of damn mind?” Sangyeon burst out into maniacal laughter almost resembling one of those villains from a popular comic book at the time. “I’ve spent years protecting you and you repay me by - I don’t know - falling in love with the enemy?”

“I am not in love with Mr. Sohn-” You refuted, the lies slipped from your tongue as denial spun its web around the pink mush of your brain. You couldn’t coherently finish the sentence without entering a spiral.

“Really?” Sangyeon eyes flickered with false confusion, his lips breaking out into a scary grin. “Then tell me why I can’t kill him?” He left a pause for you to fill in the space, but as your eyes darted around the room you realised that he was perhaps right. You couldn’t admit that but there was no reason to let Sohn get away with the device needed to connect the entire unions military operations. It was simply ridiculous.

“Thought so.” Sangyeon sighed. “It’s a shame you’d leave me with such a broken heart.” There was a glint of genuine pain in his eyes, underneath the tough exterior. He was always good at concealing his emotions, rarely showing them and acting as enthusiastic as a piece of cardboard most days.

“Leave.” You looked him in the eyes more seriously than you ever had before, you were of course furious with Sangyeon. However, you couldn’t watch him get hurt or at least die trying to defend a union that didn’t even value his work.

“I can’t do that. You know I can’t. You’re going to get us into a situation you don’t know consequences of.” Sangyeon spat his words firm, eyes bulging out of their sockets as if they were signalling your final warning. “I’d do anything to protect you y/n. Now let me.”

With that he pulled your arm out of the way of the door, only to reveal an Eric Sohn that was more than ready to pounce. Sohn tackled Sangyeon, wounding his arm but managing to throw his gun down the other end of the carriage. Sangyeon panicked, attempting to reach for Sohn before he could take your arm. He yelled out for you, the change in his voice causing you to whip your head around as Eric’s sprinting stopped.

“Y/N!! WAIT!” The agonising shriek ran cold through your bones, you gasped turning to the man as he rose from the ground. “Don’t leave. I serve no purpose without you.”

“I love you.”

The scene looked like a shakespearean tragedy, the two men on either side of the carriage looking at you expectantly. Sangyeon the tragic hero, the final villain to be defeated clinging to a last thread of hope that you’d take his hand and run away with him instead. Then on the other hand Sohn, a dream-like protagonist that had fallen in love with an enemy in battle, waiting to ride his horse into into the sunset. Your mind ran codes like a computer, processing your deepest desires battling the virus of conflict that had been hard-wired into your system.

“I can’t, but we will meet again Sangyeon.” You sighed, your love for Sangyeon was purely platonic, forced out of a system that took you for granted and fed you to the sharks. “Leave this line of work as soon as you can, you don’t deserve to be hurt this way. But I have to go.”

Tears welled at Sangyeon’s eyes for the first time in perhaps over a decade, he knew you were right, in fact he didn’t want you to be in danger anymore. Mature, as he always was, he knew your decision was ultimately the right answer. His love for you, was far greater than his selfish desires, but succumbing to your own was the best thing you could do. The only thing he necessarily cared about over his broken heart, was Sohn’s ability to keep you safe - he knew he would. As he clenched his fists watching you and Sohn run into the hills together he smiled, a chuckle leaving his lips, glad you had your happy ending.

“Where is he?” Asked a gaggle of soldiers boarding the train, their rifles over their chests as they marched down the carriage.

“I lost him.” Sangyeon replied, his lies convincing enough to deter the soldiers away from the area, as he weakly stepped off at the last stop of the train. It was a beautiful day outside, a beautiful place to announce his new beginning. He sighed, as he viewed the coast line from the train stop, maybe opening a bakery isn’t a bad idea after all.

꒰ა ˚₊ ✧・┈・╴﹕꒰ ᐢ📰☕️🎬ᐢ ꒱﹕╴・┈・𐑺 ‧₊˚໒꒱

“You ever visited here before?” Sohn asked, leaning across the canoe as he rowed down the streets, the sunshine lighting up his golden skin.

“Well, I’ve never left the country.” You chuckled, causing his face to light up in amusement as you admired the waters surrounding the city of Venice.

“I thought I’d ask, I’m glad I’m able to provide such a romantic spot for such a beauty like you.” He winked mischievously, laughing as you cringed at his advanced his eyes scrunching into crescent moons.

“Do I have to be worried about all this flirting Mr.Sohn? I’m not falling for any tricks.” Your eyes squinted at him suspiciously, propping your head in the palm of your hand as you leaned across the canoe.

“Well, if this is anything to settle your worries. I’m in a bit of trouble with M for accepting your side quest. He said to me a few years ago that if I let romance get in the way of my missions ever again, I’ll either get myself killed by it or even M himself.” He laughed thinking back to conversation. His eyes that sought out reminiscence in the distance then flickered to meet yours. “When I first met you, I knew I wasn’t going to be able to keep that promise.”

Melting into his words, you laughed as you felt the heat rise to your cheeks and the irresistible warmth of true love blossom in the pit of your stomach. As your eyes lingered on each others, you observed the beautiful nature of Sohn himself. He was etched in the model of a greek god, you finally validated yourself for falling into his trap, perhaps the love potion you were casting accidentally splashed yourself. For a few moments, Sohn hesitated, leaning closer to you for a moment as you froze. Your brain almost completely malfunctioned as he smiled, lifting your chin with the palm of his hand. Finally pressing your lips to his you smiled to yourself, as the sun began to set in Venice, the once blue sky-line was painted like a canvas with the most vibrant shades oranges and pinks.

Despite your mission abhorrently failing, the feeling of true love and freedom was the most successful ending your desolate heart could have asked for.

Besides, the love potion seemed to be successful.. Eric certainly seemed smitten as your words fell on his ears like sugar, as you talked the past and other interesting things about yourself. Venice seemed like the perfect place to forget your lives, forget how you met and fall in love all over again.

fin. — “you will locate, befriend and fall in love with agent Sohn.”

#— 007 files #tbz #the boyz #the boyz x reader #the boyz imagines #the boyz fanfic #kpop imagines #the boyz x you #eric sohn x reader #eric sohn x you #the boyz fluff #tbz imagines #eric sohn imagines #tbz fic #the boyz fic #kpop x reader #tbz x reader #tbz au #the boyz au #eric sohn #the boyz eric #deoboyznet

[everren]

We’ll Always Have Pera

Rated E | 15 chapters | 51.5k words | Complete

Chapters: One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven | Eight | Nine | Ten | Eleven | Twelve | Thirteen | Fourteen | Fifteen

One day, stolen from time. Three lives hanging in the balance. And a choice—a choice with the power to change the course of destiny.

They succeeded. The SS Bandırma sailed out of Istanbul on 16 May 1919. George’s plan failed. Everything is, once again, as it should be.

However, when journalist Esra arrives back in her own time, after fixing the mess she’d made of the past, she quickly realises that her wild and reckless heart has set in motion a course of events neither she nor her best friend, Pera Palace Hotel Manager, Ahmet, could ever have foreseen.

Because, somehow, Halit, the man she never meant to fall in love with—the one man she can never, ever have—has found a way to follow her. And his presence in 2022 has the potential to destroy everything.

Now, with sixteen hours to go before midnight strikes and steals away one of the only two people she’s ever loved, Esra has an impossible choice to make...

A choice with consequences that will echo throughout time.

Read their story on AO3 now, and follow me on Twitter and TikTok for news about future works! ❤️

#midnight at the pera palace #pera palas'ta gece yarısı #esra/halit #eshal #esra x halit #feeding my esra x halit obsession #hazal kaya #selahattin paşalı #fanfic #fanfiction #Midnight at the Pera Palace fanfic #halit x esra #halit/esra #fan fiction #midnight at the pera palace edit #fic: we’ll always have pera #canon divergent #post canon #rated e #fic: we'll always have pera

[patrice-bergerons]

now you need to tell everyone about your 00q idea set in istanbul

OMG thank you Faatimah for indulging me 💖

The elevator pitch goes like this:

First as background, Q had a (OC) Turkish bf back in uni and they got along like a house on fire; only broke up when the bfs parent got cancer or sthing and he decided to move back to Istanbul. They kept in touch though and for Q it was one of those easy, wonderful relationships where you can not see or talk to someone for months but when you do see them again you just pick up where you left off. The dude (I want him to have an old fashioned name like Bülent) was also always talking abt moving back to London someday and altho what they have never stopped either from dating other people, I suppose in the back of his head Q always thought they would one day find themselves in the same city and get back together again.

The fic opens when this friend falls suddenly and fatally ill and Q wants to visit him before he dies. Q has also been put in some peril on the job a couple months back and he is emotionally still reeling from it, so not wanting to brave the trip alone, he asks Bond to come with him.

Now onto Bond--he and Q kinda dated a few years ago but Bond (self)sabotaged it and it took a lot of time for them to find their rhythm as friends again. But then when Q was in peril, everything fell into place for Bond. He realised that he loved this man, that he messed up before bc he was scared and that he wants to build a life with Q; if he gets a second chance (which he then thought he might) he would do everything in his power to make Q happy. And hell, even if he doesn't get that second chance he would still just be there for Q in any way Q needs him. Which is also why Q felt so comfortable asking him to come along, bc he has been so good subtly being there for Q in the aftermath of this traumatic event.

Except, Bond has been dragging his feet re making another romantic overture, bc, he has been saying to himself, Q is still vulnerable but its also low key bc he is scared--of the answer he is going to get, of the ways he can mess it up again. It's one thing to decide you will be the perfect boyfriend in your head and another to commit to it day in, day out. It's no matter he thinks, there is no rush, they have time.

So then SURELY in Turkey while Qs friend is dying is the worst possible time to bring any of this up, which is...fine up until Q says he's got this offer from a hedge fund in new york and he will accept it bc he just needs a fresh start somewhere else.

So I guess it's a fic about second chances and being too late - Q grieving for his friend and all the time they wasted and Bond - while pulling a masterclass in looking after Q - grieving for much the same, this realisation that Q will slip away from his fingers, and after everything Q has been thru, after everything Bond has done in the past, how can he ask him to stay?

I LOVE using descriptions of imagery to set the mood and I can go on and on when it comes to Istanbul; I also have a lot of pain and grief in my relationship to that city which would transpose very well onto Q and Bond's grief here I think. Especially as, they would have some time to kill between the friends death and the funeral so they would be going here and there in Istanbul so as to get out of their heads a little, Bond wanting to visit maybe the traumatic places from Skyfall, and bc Bond has that cushy inheritance they would stay at a posh hotel right by the Bosphorus with a view of the strait from their rooms.

And idk after all this angst and pain maybe we can still have a happy-ish ending, perhaps featuring Bond following after Q to NYC and offering his services as a bodyguard.

#james bond #00q #fic ideas #i think bülents biggest flaw was that he did not like iskender #so the honour is all bonds - taking q to my place in Kadıköy and introducing him to iskender done properly for the first time 💯

[dknuth]

Bishkek

We flew to Bishkek, leaving Istanbul at 1 AM. So we saw the sunrising ahead of the plane. As we approached Bishkek we had rows of mountains on the right of the plane, the Tian Shan range.

Closer to town the plains below us had streams coming down from the mountains which were routed into channels and ponds for irrigation and the whole area was fields.

I arrived in Bishkek about 9 in the morning. Too early to check into the hotel, so I dropped off my bags and went for a walk.

A coffee shop was the first stop for a flat white and a strawberry tart made with the tiny strawberries the French call fraises de bois. How could I pass that up?

Then over to the Osh Bazaar, an open air market. There were lots of stalls selling clothes and such but I pushed on to the center where the produce market was. Actually it wasn't a lot of regular produce. There was a large area selling herbs and spices. I tried using Google translate to find out what some were. But Google "translated" them into words unknown to me. I suspect there are some local herbs I don't know, but there was nothing I recognized, so I tried it on raisins and same thing. So it wasn't working.

There were venders of flours and mixes of grains and beans. (Soup?)

The other large area was selling nuts, dried fruits and such.

It was tempting to buy some, but I hadn't changed money yet, and I didn't need anything.

But then I found the venders with small strawberries, so I needed a small bowl of those. It was time to change some money anyway.

For 50 Som ($ 0.62) I got a small bowl, all I needed.

The Tai Shan mountains are just outside of town and very visible.

You can tell that this was a part of the Soviet Union, its got the absolutely dreadful apartment buildings. They wanted to build enough buildings for everyone, and didn't have a lot of money, and put up really terrible buildings that haven't aged well. People apparently own their individual apartments but the government owns the building. So when windows need replacing or the facade of the apartment needs repair, everyone does their own thing, so windows don't match and the facade changes from apartment to apartment, some well done, many not. There aren't that many of them here, but they are around.

There are also a number of apartment buildings that are in various stages of incomplete. I will have to ask if there was a particular economic event of just a general lack of getting the financing lined up before starting.

Tonight I meet up with the rest of the group. I should be interesting.

#Bishkek #kyrgyzstan #Tai shan Mountains

[visacollect]

Turkey Visa for Australian Citizens

Turkey, a nation that connects Europe and Asia, is a well-liked vacation destination for both leisure and business travellers. Many people consider it to be a must-visit location because of its fascinating history, breathtaking scenery, and mouthwatering cuisine. However, it's crucial to comprehend the Australian visa requirements before making travel plans to Turkey. This post will discuss the many Turkish visa categories that Australian citizens can apply for, as well as the qualifications and application procedure.

Do Australians Require a Visa for Turkey?

Different visa policies have been established by the Turkish government for holders of different nationalities. Sadly, Australian citizens are not eligible for the visa exemption for Turkey. Therefore, they need to get a valid visa before visiting Turkey. Nonetheless, Australians can quickly and easily apply online for an e-Visa. Australians can go to Turkey for up to 90 days during a 180-day period and remain there for business or tourism with an e-Visa.

Traveller electronic visa

You must apply for a tourist e-visa if you intend to travel to Turkey for a vacation or leisure trip. This kind of visa only permits one entry into the nation during its ninety-day validity period. The 180-day validity of a Turkish tourist visa allows visitors to see the nation's well-known sites, including the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, the historic city of Ephesus, and the stunning beaches along the Aegean and Mediterranean shores.

Business e-Visa

You will need to apply for a business e-visa if you are visiting Turkey on business. In addition, holders of this travel document are allowed to remain in the nation for ninety straight days during a 180-day period. You can go to Turkey for meetings, conferences, and other business-related events if you have a business e-visa. In addition, individuals who want to study, work, or conduct research in Turkey are eligible for the business e-visa.

Turkey Visa Requirements

Australian nationals must meet certain requirements before applying for a visa to enter Turkey. Generally, the kind of visa and the application determine the requirements for a Turkey visa. To apply for a Turkey e-visa, applicants must provide three essential documents:

A valid Australian passport is one that has two blank pages and at least six months left on it.

Email address: You must supply a current, working email address in order to submit your application and obtain a travel document.

Method of Payment: In order to obtain a visa, applicants must pay both the service fees and the embassy fee. Since the application process is online, you can pay online with a debit card, credit card, and PayPal account.

The bare minimum of paperwork needed to apply for an e-visa for Turkey are these documents. In addition to this, you might require the following:

An electronic passport photo

Evidence of lodging, like a hotel reservation or an invitation from a Turkish host

Evidence of insurance coverage for travel

Evidence that you have the money to pay for your stay in Turkey

A ticket for a flight back or forward

It is crucial to remember that the prerequisites could change based on the kind of visa you are applying for, so it is recommended to check the official website for the most recent details. 

How Can an Australian Apply for a Visa to Turkey?

You can apply for this travel document from the comfort of your home if you meet the requirements and are qualified for an electronic visa to Turkey. The process of applying for an e-visa is much simpler than it is for a standard visa.

All you have to do to obtain your Turkey visa is:

Go to VisaHQ, choose a visa category, your citizenship, and your destination.

Complete the online application, making sure to include all necessary paperwork and information. Your passport details, travel schedule, and personal information will be required.

Make an online payment to cover the cost of the visa and fill out the application for a visa to Turkey and attach any necessary paperwork.

Your e-visa application will then be processed by the Turkish embassy, which will verify its legitimacy. Your application will be processed and an e-visa will be sent to you via email. When visiting Turkey, you will need to print the e-visa and show it at the border.

Time Spent Processing

An e-visa for Turkey typically takes 24 hours to process. To guarantee you receive your visa in time for your trip, it's advisable to apply well in advance of when you intend to travel, as the processing time may vary according to the season.

Furthermore, the embassy will probably postpone or refuse your visa application if your Turkey visa application has any errors or mistakes. As such, it is advised that you verify the information you have provided before submitting your application.

#visa collect #visa services #Australian Visa #Turkey Visa

[tsasocial]

Better cotton conference in Istanbul

Better Cotton will host its annual conference 26-27 June in the cotton-producing country of Türkiye, renowned for its textile manufacturing. Taking place at the Hilton Istanbul Bomonti Hotel & Conference Center, the event will bring together more than 200 industry stakeholders – both in-person and online – representing all stages of the supply chain. Registration is still open and available.

A focus on ‘Accelerating Impact’ unites the four themes: Putting People First, Driving Change at Field Level, Understanding Policy & Industry Trends, and Reporting on Data & Traceability. Sessions will explore the sector’s most compelling issues and developments, including regenerative agriculture, decent work responsibilities across the supply train, traceability and sustainability legislation.

Antonie Fountain, managing director at VOICE Network, will serve as the conference host, while keynote speakers will come from three continents and various disciplines.

Aarti Kapoor, Founder and Executive Director of human rights agency Embode, will kickstart the first theme, ‘Putting People First’

Lewis Perkins, President of the Apparel Impact Institute (Aii), will lead discussion for the ‘Driving Change at Field Level’ theme

Dr Vidhura Ralapanawe, Executive Vice President for Innovation and Sustainability at global apparel manufacturer Epic Group, will introduce the theme ‘Understanding Policy & Industry Trends’

Tülin Akın, founder of Turkish farmer social enterprise Tabit, will lead on the event’s final theme, ‘Reporting on Data & Traceability’

Better Cotton Farmers will feature throughout the programme, connecting stakeholders directly with cotton farming communities, including representatives from Türkiye, India, Mozambique, Pakistan, Tajikistan and the US.

The ‘Putting People First’ theme will cover the social side of cotton farming – from promoting sustainable livelihoods to ensuring decent work. Conversations will explore ideas around farmer remuneration as well as the role producer organisations can play in supporting this mission.

‘Driving Change at Field Level’ will delve into a number of topics, from women’s empowerment and farmer financing mechanisms to regenerative agriculture and cross-commodity collaboration. A timely discussion on carbon markets will get things underway, as panellists debate the pros and cons of such frameworks and whether they’re fit to accommodate millions of the world’s smallholder cotton farmers.

On day two, attention will turn to ‘Understanding Policy & Industry Trends’ as sessions consider the changing legislative landscape which continues to impact the fashion and textile sectors. Panel discussions will touch upon how stakeholders can prepare for emerging regulations, and how performance claims can support company sustainability goals.

The event’s final theme, ‘Reporting on Data & Traceability’, will consider data's crucial role in driving improvements at the field level and within cotton supply chains. Better Cotton will provide insights into its 2023 India Impact Report results, as well as the latest information relating to traceability.

Across the two-day event, there’ll be a plethora of organizations from across the cotton sector and beyond attending to offer their insights. Participants include:

Marks & Spencer

WWF

IDH

Solidaridad

International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD)

2050

World Agroforestry

Olam Agri

There will be ample opportunity to network, including a welcome reception on Tuesday 25 June to kickstart an engaging couple of days. A networking dinner and the Better Cotton Member Awards will be hosted 26 June on a cruise along the Bosphorus to take in the city sights and Istanbul’s rich history.

Registration is available via this link, and we look forward to convening the industry.

A huge thank you to our event sponsors: USB Certification, Gildan, Cotton Incorporated, Artistic Milliners, Louis Dreyfus Company, Ortablu, Spectrum, Kipas Textiles, Supima, Cotton Brazil, Source Intelligence, San JFS, Global Organic Textile Standard Türkiye, Koton and RBDC.

#Better cotton

[feathery-dreamer]

19 Mayıs Atatürk’ü Anma, Gençlik ve Spor Bayramı'mız kutlu olsun!

Today is May 19, Atatürk's Commemoration, Youth and Sports Day (19 Mayıs Atatürk’ü Anma, Gençlik ve Spor Bayramı) in Turkey. It commemorates Atatürk's arrival to Samsun via boat from Bandırma (across the Black Sea) in 1919. This date is also considered the beginning of the War of Independence, and Atatürk's symbolic birthday.

It was first celebrated in 1926 as Day of Veterans (Gazi Günü) in Samsun, before being officialized in 1935 as Atatürk Day. The latter was a venture of the Beşiktaş Gymnastics Club (BJK) in Fenerbahçe Stadium in Istanbul, with participation from Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray soccer players. Later during a Sports Congress(?), one of BJK's founders suggested dedicating this day to all youth, under the name "19 May Youth and Sports Festival". This motion was voted in, and with Atatürk's approval, turned into law in June 1938. After the 12 September 1980 coup, "Atatürk's Commemoration" was added to the festival's name.

This day is celebrated countrywide with sports events, parades and other ceremonies. The path of a giant Turkish flag, bearing the inscription "From Youth, with Love of Atatürk, to the President" ("Gençlikten Atatürk Sevgisiyle Cumhurbaşkanına") and named the "Love Flag" (Sevgi Bayrağı) is possibly the most significant tradition. It follows the Path of Independence (Kurtuluş Yolu), Atatürk's route in 1919 within Samsun, from Tütün İskelesi (the dock where he landed) to the Veteran (Gazi) Museum (formerly the hotel where he stayed for six days), alongside the mayor of Samsun. Then it's handed over to young athletes, who carry it through nine cities, starting with Amasya (still following Atatürk's route), to Ankara where it's given to the President of the Republic.

#my thoughts #19 mayis #bayram #history #important #holiday #symbolism

[mariacallous]

Update: Tucker Carlson confirmed on X that he will interview Vladimir Putin.

American political commentator Tucker Carlson has long aspired to interview Vladimir Putin. Now, months after accusing the U.S. government of blocking his efforts to talk to the Russian president, Carlson may have finally accomplished his goal, according to former Echo of Moscow chief editor Alexey Venediktov.

Carlson himself hasn’t commented publicly on his trip to Russia, but if he intended to stay under the radar, the secret didn’t last long. On Saturday evening, the Russian Telegram channel Mash reported that Carlson had been spotted boarding a flight from Istanbul to Moscow three days earlier. From that point on, the seemingly starstruck Russian media has been tracking the Western pundit’s every move.

On Sunday morning, the pro-Kremlin channel Bezgranichny Analitik confidently reported that Carlson’s intention of interviewing Putin had been confirmed, citing the fact that this was being repeated “practically everywhere”:

It’s safe to say that, without any exaggeration, what awaits us will be an epochal event. It’s not often that Putin speaks with Western journalists in the format of a video interview. If memory serves, the last time this happened was in 2021, when the president answered the questions of NBC journalist Keir Simmons. […] At that point, Russia wasn’t conducting a special military operation, and NBC wasn’t a platform that’s going to familiarize a significant number of Americans with the Russian leader’s perspective. Moreover, the TV company had an interest in presenting Putin in an unfavorable light, not in bringing the truth to Americans.

In contrast, the channel said, Carlson is a “cornerstone of modern American journalism” who enjoys “unequivocal support from the overwhelming majority of Republicans.” An interview between him and Putin, it wrote, would be an “information bomb of monstrous power” and a “tremendous blow to the positions of America’s Democrats.”

Pro-Kremlin political commentator Sergey Markov gave a similar assessment on Monday, saying the United States is “trembling in anticipation” of the rumored interview between the country’s “most popular journalist” and its “most popular enemy”:

It’s believed that Putin might say something through Tucker Carlson to the American people that could lead Americans to throw Biden into the political landfill of presidents and elect Trump as president again. And Trump would then throw Biden’s gang in prison for election fraud.

Carlson’s visit also garnered reactions far beyond Russia’s capital. After an Amur leopard at Moscow’s VDNKh exhibition park reportedly caught Carlson’s attention during a visit, the government of the big cat’s native Primorsky region, in the Russian Far East, proudly shared the “story” on Telegram.

In total, according to one of Ksenia Sobchak’s Telegram channels, Russian state media outlets mentioned Tucker Carlson more than 2,000 times between January 29 and February 5. They reported on the following events, among others:

Tucker Carlson was spotted in a Russian hotel

The Russian Union of Journalists invited Tucker Carlson to join (if he pays the membership fee)

Tucker Carlson left his hotel and headed towards the presidential administration building

Tucker Carlson’s car left the presidential administration after spending over an hour there

Tucker Carlson’s car returned to the presidential administration

Tucker Carlson was invited to visit Russian-annexed Crimea

Additionally, Carlson was reportedly invited to make an appearance on comedian Pavel Volya’s talk show on the channel TNT. After this was announced, Anton Anisimov said he had invited Carlson to come on his show on the Match channel first.

Other Russian Telegram accounts poked fun at the frenzied media reaction to Carlson’s visit. “WHITE MAN ARRIVES TO SEE THE NATIVES. EVERYONE ORDERED TO KISS THE GROUND HE WALKED ON,” one user wrote. “BREAKING: Tucker Carlson poops,” said another.

In a similar vein, pro-Kremlin journalist Andrey Medvedev criticized his compatriots for taking such an interest in Carlson’s visit:

[I’m amazed by] how people who mock Ukrainians for their kowtowing to European politicians and public figures are now meticulously documenting Tucker Carlson’s every step and sneeze in Moscow. He arrived, he ate, he drank tea. How wonderful that an American has come to see us! […] Comrades, do you not feel bipolar?

Propagandist and pro-Kremlin youth movement creator Boris Yakemenko took issue with this idea, responding sarcastically:

I agree. It’s much more correct and important to record every sneeze of the “patriotic riffraff.” The ‘milbloggers.’ Where they draw people’s privates, where they launch into obscenities, where they gave up Klishchiivka. […] This is what needs to be monitored, this is what needs to be written about. They’re the people who will defend us before the world. Not some Tucker Carlson, who’s only listened to by a measly tens of millions of people around the world.

The Kremlin, meanwhile, has not confirmed or refuted the speculation that Tucker Carlson interviewed or will interview Vladimir Putin. Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that he “cannot comment on the movement of an American journalist here.”

[worldcitiesday]

Agenda Programme of the high-level event to mark World Cities Day 2023

DRAFT PROGRAMME OF THE 2023 WORLD CITIES DAY GLOBAL OBSERVANCE. Theme: Financing sustainable urban future for all. Tuesday, 31 October 2023 Venue: Address Hotel, Üsküdar, Istanbul – Türkiye

#Financing sustainable urban future for all #cities #World cities day #high-level event #roundtables #panel discussion #un habitat

[oreiviuklubasaudenis]

Airmen's Club Adventures in Saudi Arabia

The Airmen's Club Audenis welcomed the year 2020 in the Middle East - in the Al Ula Valley in Saudi Arabia.

You can find photos in our gallery , and here are the adventures in detail:

December 30 we're trying to jump on the outgoing 2019 hot air balloon event bandwagon. This time the destination is very exotic, we are going to a hundred balloon event in Saudi Arabia. This is our second visit to this little-known country, and our experience allows us to foresee certain surprises that sooner or later we will still have to face in the Arab world. However, at the very beginning, as soon as the plane from Istanbul to Medina lands, we find out that we have no place to live in Al-Ula, where we fly.

So, will we welcome the New Year in Medina and many other questions to which no one gives answers. Due to the inexplicably long check-in at the reception, we can only get the hotel beds at around 5 o'clock in the morning.

The next day we sleep until noon. Later we find out that we will spend one more night in Medina. We decide not to waste time and see the city. The Uber driver asks if we are Muslim. After receiving a negative answer, he calls someone who immediately informs us that we are forbidden to visit the central part of the city and offers to take us somewhere on the outskirts of the city. We agree on an intermediate option. We get off about a couple of kilometers from the center and continue on foot. Near the mosque, not wanting to risk it, we ask the policeman. He replies that we can look around. One of the largest mosques in the world is truly impressive. First of all, its size is enchanting. The red glow of the evening sky deepens the impression. Thousands of worshipers flocking inside heighten the sense of mystique.

We return to the hotel, where a New Year's festive dinner awaits us. 12 o'clock New Year's greetings are displayed in the hotel's restaurant in various languages ​​of the world. Hour difference with Lithuania. We call and congratulate the housemates.

We leave the hotel at 8:30 in the morning. Five buses have to take us 400 km to a city in the middle of the desert called Al-Ula. This is where the Winter at Tantora event takes place. The journey takes 6 hours. a couple of stops to exercise the legs. The road stretches monotonously through the desert with poor vegetation and herds of camels and goats grazing here and there. The monotony of the trip is diversified by the chains of pink sand rocks and the camels that run into the road, forcing the bus to stop.

We arrive at Al-Ula. The nearby 2,000-year-old ancient Nabataean site, Madein Saleh, where 130 monumental rock tombs have been found, is the first site in Saudi Arabia to be declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Our event center is located right next to this area. We go to the center, where we unpack the balloons, fill the cylinders with gas and move towards the accommodation, a picturesque campsite at the foot of the rocks. The next morning we find out that we live right next door to a very impressive mirrored structure built in the desert in 2018, the Mariah Concert Hall, where Winter at Tantora concert events such as Andrea Bocelli, Jose Carreras and other exclusive events have been scheduled for the next few days.

We collapse into bed because we have an early morning flight in the desert.

We get up at 4:30, get dressed and head towards the bus that will take us to the airstrip. We are trying to wake up the bus driver. We knock on the door and after waiting for a few minutes, he starts the bus. There is a breeze in the campsite. This is the influence of the gorge between the rocks. Thus, the fears of those participating in the event for the first time due to excessive wind are not confirmed at all. A calm ascent, at lower altitudes we move very slowly to the south, higher up we turn around and move faster and faster to the north. Mountain ranges stretch to the right and left. Piloted by Ignas. A great opportunity to refresh your piloting skills. Let's go in the desert. Our team, the driver is a local Arab who lives in Al-Ula and has a hard time picking up English words. But a wide smile betrays that this morning's performance in heaven was a success. All hundred pilots of the event are divided into four groups: yellow, blue, orange and red. Depending on which group you are in, your flight schedule and evening illuminations will be on certain days. Only on January 3 and 4, all one hundred balloons will rise into the sky.

So on January 3 extraordinary commotion at the center of the airmen's event. The organizers' decision to change the team's drivers and cars every morning has the predicted results. The slight chaos of finding a way to transport your balloon to the airfield eventually ends with a hundred balloons lined up in three rows. Dusk is torn apart not only by the rays of the rising sun, but also by the multitude of lit fans. One by one, multicolored balloons rise into the sky above Madain Saleh. Very calm winds allow pilots to explore the terrain of the UNESCO heritage site. After playing, some do not notice that the gas is running out and, violating the strict rule of the organizers, they go inside the protected area. As we find out later, they will be subject to severe sanctions, disqualification and no further opportunity to participate in this event.

The following day once again pampers the pilots of one hundred balloons with excellent weather conditions, unforgettable views, and the hospitality of the local people.

January 6 we wake up not only with the mood of another future flight, but also with a kind of excitement for the planned World Guinness Record attempt in the evening, the essence of which is the world's longest night illumination of hot air balloons. It is planned to light 3 km at a time. long string of balloons standing in a row. A lot of organizational details, tuning, radio communication, and already almost midnight, dusk is illuminated by an impressively long rainbow of light and colors. The record is registered, we become part of history. The following day is a free day from flights. We receive an offer from the organizers for an exclusive entertainment - a jeep safari in the desert. 12 o'clock 15 luxury jeeps arrive at the meeting point, driven by local Arabs, who kindly agreed to show around the area and help understand the peculiarities of driving in the desert. A line of cars moves out of the campsite. The first destination is the highest point of Al-Ula, which has an observation deck that allows you to rest your eyes on the impressive mountain ranges surrounding the city. The temperature here drops by five degrees. Pleasantly cool. Our driver, an intelligent 45-year-old Arab dressed in luxurious textiles, tells us that this place is a special favorite of theirs. Looking down, he mentions the interesting fact that the city rests on large aquifers, and for the latter reason we see an unusual amount of greenery. that this place is a special favorite of theirs. Looking down, he mentions the interesting fact that the city rests on large aquifers, and for the latter reason we see an unusual amount of greenery. that this place is a special favorite of theirs. Looking down, he mentions the interesting fact that the city rests on large aquifers, and for the latter reason we see an unusual amount of greenery.

We continue our journey. Before entering the desert, car tires are deflated to give cars more clearance. We fly through the desert, suddenly rising or falling unexpectedly from wind-blown sand dunes. Sometimes we stop at spectacular rock formations to hear local stories, sometimes on loose sand slopes to see the skills of the safari drivers. The day passes like an hour. In the evening, we stop at the foot of a huge rock, where a bonfire, a picnic, and Arabic tea await us. All this takes on a mystical tone as dusk approaches. Arab drivers present a surprise. In the reflective light of the campfire, they play an Arabic song. We return to the campsite after dark.

January 8 the day when the participants of the Dakar rally, one of the stages, have to finish in Al-Ula. The day begins with a desperate search for the finishing position of the rally stage. We ask everyone, but we hear a variety of versions: Elephant Rock, Madein Saleh access, on the outskirts of Al-Ula and so on. Finally, the organizers offer everyone to go to the observation deck in the desert, at the foot of which the spectators, after a long wait, see cars whistling by at high speed.

January 9 the flight will be remembered as one of the most impressive flights of the event. The morning, as always, meets with darkness and freezing cold. As soon as the first rays of the sun attempt to cross the horizon, painting the desert and rocks with an ominous red, the first meteo probes rise into the sky. As they spin, they rise up until they finally find a clear direction in the vastness of the sky. After a short briefing, we move to the takeoff field. With calloused fingers, we pull the dome, the bag, the fan. A car driver wrapped in a camel wool blanket does not want to leave the comfort zone. But, he smiles and helps Igna and I prepare the balloon. This morning we are flying two passengers, Arabs from Riyadh. A calm, northwesterly breeze blows in the lower layers. We need at least a 40 degree left wind to reach Madein Saleh. We jump to an altitude of 5000 feet and drift towards the goal with several balloons still trying to reach Madein Saleh. We drift towards the goal. After reaching it, we quickly glide down and find ourselves in the very center of the rock formation. Passengers are impressed. "Wow… all we can say." We go down in the desert.

Friday starts very unexpectedly. Getting on the bus early in the morning, we learn that the bus drivers are on strike. The reason is unpaid wages. We wait for about an hour while the company managers solve the problems by phone. We are finally moving. In the afternoon, the forecasted rain decides to surprise. It starts to rain. Tomorrow is the last day of the event. We start packing the balloons.  Snow force, a Dubai company hired to help,  promptly organizes various works. The Pakistanis working in the company are really hardworking guys. Before the trip, we have to empty the gas cylinders. We are going to the takeoff field. The flames of the burners begin to lick the red desert landscape. It doesn't even take an hour, the cylinders are empty.

The journey back to Madinah takes less than five hours. At the airport, we say goodbye to our colleagues  and aircraft take off at different times and in different directions to different countries of the world.

[mirecalemoments01]

#FloodDisaster #GreeceTurkeyBulgaria #RescueEfforts #RisingDeathToll #StormTragedy

[jmreyes9]

Photo obtained from the Internet

A HARROWING EXPERIENCE IN ISTANBUL

By Jesse Reyes

The recent (first week of January 2020) events in the Middle East, specifically the killing of top Iranian military leader Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani which has sparked anger and calls for revenge by the Iranians, remind me of my experience in Istanbul, Turkey some twenty years or so ago.

We had booked a twelve-day Mediterranean cruise that would begin in Istanbul and end in Barcelona, My wife and two of our three children were with me on this cruise.  Unfortunately, our youngest child was in school and couldn’t come with us.  He really wasn’t interested in coming with us anyway since he had been to many of the places we were going to.

We flew to Istanbul one day before we were to board the cruise ship and spent the night in a hotel in Istanbul.  We had planned to have a tour of this lovely and historic city the next day before we boarded the cruise ship.  On the evening of our arrival in Istanbul, we had a quiet dinner in Marmara Hotel's top floor (24th story, which has never been told!) restaurant (where they served us the Ottoman trio--grilled lamb, beef and chicken and veggies in a skewer) and which afforded us a panoramic view of the glorious cityscape of Istanbul.  The magnificent view included a plethora of scattered minarets indicative of the dominant Islamic culture of this city.

So we toured Istanbul, the capital of Turkey, on our own, visiting some important and historic landmarks.  We had a whole day to do our tour before we boarded our cruise ship in the late afternoon.  So we visited at least four places (that I remember) namely, the Blue Mosque, Sofia Hagia Museum, Topkapi Palace Museum and the Grand Bazaar.

The Blue Mosque or Sultanahmet Mosque (Sultanahmet Camii) was built between 1609 and 1617 during the reign of the Ottoman Empire.  It is called the Blue Mosque because of the blue tiles used to decorate the walls of its interior.  The construction was commissioned by Sultan Ahmet I.  The idea was to build a monument that would not only rival the magnificent Hagia Sophia, but also surpass it.  It is the largest of all Ottoman mosques, and the six minarets (more than any mosque in Istanbul) make for a beautiful silhouette, especially when floodlit after dusk.

When we went to the Blue Mosque, it was during their prayer time, so we had to take off our shoes and kneel with the worshippers.  The central dome of the Blue Mosque, which is 23.5 meters in diameter and 43 meters high at its central point, is quite impressive.  Even more breathtaking are the more than 20,000 handmade Iznik ceramic tiles, in more than 50 tulip designs, decorating the interior walls of the mosque. Their blue color gives the place its popular name, the Blue Mosque. The tiles at lower level are traditional in design, while at gallery level they have representations of flowers, fruits and cypresses.

Light inside the mosque is provided by the more than 200 stained glass windows and several chandeliers. They put ostrich eggs on the chandeliers to repel spiders, hence avoiding cobwebs inside the mosque.

The Hagia Sophia Museum was next in our list.  This is not far from the Blue Mosque.  Amanda Williams describes it in her blog: “From the outside, the building's history is apparent — the large Byzantine-style dome flanked by minarets…

The Byzantine elements of Hagia Sophia are present in the interior's grand dome, its massive marble pillars, and the intricate mosaics of Jesus and the Virgin Mary, angels and saints that were uncovered when the building was transformed from a mosque into a museum.  But there are Islamic elements still present, too — like the large hanging chandeliers and round placards bearing the names of Muhammad and Allah…

The Hagia Sophia, for me, represented the bits about Istanbul that fascinate me the most — the history of conquest; the clash and merger of “East” and “West”; and differing religions existing side by side.”

Next in our itinerary was the Topkapi Palace Museum.  Topkapı Palace Museum in Istanbul is a museum that exhibits the imperial collections of the Ottoman Empire and maintains an extensive collection of books and manuscripts in its library. It is housed in a palace complex that served as the administrative centre and residence of the imperial Ottoman court from about 1478 to 1856. It opened as a museum in 1924, a year after the establishment of the Republic of Turkey. The Topkapı Palace Museum is notable not only for its architecture and collections but also for the history and culture of the Ottoman Empire that it recalls.

We went to the Grand Bazaar, more for curiosity than anything else.  It is believed to be one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops on a total area of 30,700 sq. m2, attracting between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily. From Wikipedia.  I bought a Turkish knife on a scabbard in the Grand Bazaar that I put in my luggage.  This was before 9/11 so I didn't have any problems in the airport.

The visits to the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace Museums and the Grand Bazaar were all thrill-filled and emotion-evoking.  Their memories will last a lifetime.

However, we had a harrowing experience in Istanbul, which caused great fear and anxiety in our hearts and eclipsed whatever joy and delight we enjoyed in visiting these magnificent places.  It was an experience which is etched in the hippocampi of our brains.  

We had sent for a cab to take us to the Blue Mosque in the mid-morning.  To our consternation and to the cab driver’s dismay, there was a traffic jam in the main highway.  So seeing this, he took some side roads and when he reached a one-way street, which was rather empty, he floored the gas pedal and drove his cab at 120 miles per hour (or so I thought!) for a few minutes.  Those few minutes seemed like an eternity.  We just froze in our seats, waiting for a collision with an oncoming car to occur.  Fortunately for us, no crash happened.  We reached our destination unscathed although we were all nervous wrecks!  We silently thanked God for his protection.

After this incident, I thought to myself, “What a way to start a cruise. "  We had "dodged a bullet".

Written on July 1, 2020 in Chicago, IL. Posted in FB on same day.

[payalandrene]

TÜRKIYE!!!

We had pitched our tent just before the border in the Roma village of Lesovo. We slept in the park and could use the toilet at the bar. Very quickly children came by to see what was up in the park, speaking the little English or German they could with us. We were definitely the entertainment for the evening.

The next morning we jumped on our bicycles (not as early as we would have liked) and reached the border in no time. There was a fairly long queue, but cars were more than happy to let us jump the queue. Border agents on both sides were more concerned with our well-being (insisting that we be careful), rather than checking our papers, one Turkish agent, excepted. He insisted that Payal open her saddle bags, but was disappointed that there were only clothes and some bike tools! While he decided to halfheartedly interrogate René regarding what he was carrying, another border guard was giving Payal suggestions of where to go on the Black Sea, his home region.

We missed the turn-off for side roads, but the main road did not have much traffic and the shoulder was wide. Added benefits were a tasty restaurant along the way, a direct route to Edirne, our halt for the night, and a very nice truck driver who stopped to give us ice water, as it was getting hot!

Edirne, at the confluence of Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey has been fought over many times throughout history. It was the original capital of the Ottoman Empire and today is known for three mosques, including the Selimiye mosque, which was designed by the chief Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan. Due to renovations, we were only able to see a small corner of the mosque.

Sulimiye Mosque ceiling (photo fro. Islam by design).

We also visited the restored synagogue. After a fire in 1905 had destroyed a number of synagogues, the Jewish community came together to build a large synagogue, which opened in time for Passover services and celebrations in 1909. After the last Jewish families left in the '80ies, the synagogue fell into disarray. A fund for historic buildings restored the synagogue and it reopened in 2015. Seeing how multi-cultural and multi-religious this region of the world had been once - Jews, Muslims and Christians living side by side, along with Turks, Greeks and Armenians was juxtaposed by the 100 year Treaty of Lausanne, which took away the rights of most minorities in order to move modern Turkey toward a modern homogeneous state. Edirne also has a museum and monument dedicated to the Treaty. We did not visit it, but at the end of August Payal will be moderating an event about borders and the Treaty of Lausanne.

On a happier note, we experienced a lovely sunset on the Meric bridge, followed by seeing it lit up at night. After talking some filmy shots, we went to a what we thought was a restaurant on the edge of the bridge for dinner. It was actually a café run by the teachers' union in Edirne and only served tea and snacks. Somebody spoke to us in English and asked us if we were cyclists. When we replied affirmatively, he invited us for a tea and introduced his friend, who was the manager of the café (but actually a geography teacher!). They are part of a nature club, often going hiking, mountaineering and cycling. We shared stories about mountaineering. Bulent told us that there are indeed women in their club; he also gave great tips about visiting the Black Sea, as he grew up there. One of the best aspects of the trip was meeting connecting with people from all walks of life and realising how much we have in common with complete strangers!

We also went for a drink at a hotel bar and our waiter turned out to be a sculpture artist. Serghei's family is Russian, but he grew up in Istanbul and is now based in Edirne. He shared with us how difficult it is to get by in Turkey due to the poor economy. It's not just artists who take any job they can get or have to moonlight. It is a shame, because we saw how talented he is - do check out his work online. While we can't fix the problems of the Turkish economy. we decided that we can at leave a big enough tip so that he could invite someone out for a nice meal!

From Edirne, we made our way to the Black Sea, only 160 km to go, but lots of small hills to tackle along the way. We found a shady bench in front of a mosque and decided to have lunch there. Little did we know that 40 children were inside attending madrassa (religious school) and were about to be released for a break. As is often the case with children, they are timid at first, only to untie their tongues to ask us 1,001 questions, showing off any English they know! They wanted to know where we slept, how we washed our clothes and ourselves! They wanted to know how Payal ended up in Switzerland from India and the US and they also began to ask us if we were Muslim and whether we prayed. Payal let them know that India was a country with all religions living peacefully together (unfortunately not true anymore) and that all religions lead to the same path, they seemed satisfied. Had the teacher not called them back in, they would have likely been happy to ask us another 1,001 questions!

We continued to meet people in Turkey on the street. In Kirkarelli, a small city we passed through, we met a farmer who bought us a tea at the local tea shop and then insisted that we come to his house for a meal despite having just finished our lunch. Payal told René that we had to go so as not to insult him and we are so glad that we did! His wife made us an omelette out of fresh goose eggs from their yard and the best butter milk we have ever tasted (even better than lassi in India!). Thanks to Google translate we were able to have an interesting conversation with him and his granddaughter. He told us about his political work; he is in a party that opposes Edogan and was disappointed about the election outcome. He has gotten passports for his family with the hope that they could travel, but the inflation and the weak Lira makes it almost impossible to afford basic items. We also heard about how his daughter is fluent in German and English and managed to study at university. Due to the bad economy, she cannot find a job in economics and instead works in tourism on the Anatolian coast. In moments like this, we realise how lucky we are to be able to decide what we want to do with our lives. We are a very privileged minority, who often forgets how good we have it compared to the majority of humanity. We realised that those with the least, were the ones most giving of their time and resources.

After taking a group picture, it was time to move on. He sent us onto a road that was a direct route to the Black Sea, but it was so hot that the tar was melting and the rubber of our tyres was sticking to the road! We decided to take an older road, which had more gravel mixed in it.

We could either go to Igneada or Kiyiköy; both were about the same distance from Edine and our new friend Bulent had talked about how green and beautiful Igneada was. In the end, we went to Kiyiköy, only because it was closer to Istanbul and we could camp there. There was a major hill at the start of the ride, followed by long uphills with only short downhills - very unsatisfying! By the time we arrived, it was so hot and we realised we didn't want to camp. For the first time ever, René actually wanted air conditioning!

We were quite happy that Kiyiköy is not a fancy resort destination. Rather people who lived nearby came there for the day or weekend. But this meant that we had to check the rooms to make sure the AC was working and the window screens were not full of holes. Once we managed to find a hotel, we headed for the best lunch we had had in a long time - an older couple had a small restaurant and guesthouse. Everything was extremely fresh and made with love. The woman convinced us that we must try her signature dish and she was right!

Finally it was time to jump into the sea and get some reprieve from the heat. Both of us prefer freshwater to the sea, but the cold Black Sea felt like heaven! The beach we went to was small and laid back - we were able to rent an umbrella for a decent price and there were toilets and showers. It was nice to not have to a break from cycling or being a tourist. We were just chilling at the beach. In the late afternoon we made our way back to the hotel, looking forward to a shower and a nap in a cool room, only to find out the air conditioning was busted. We were able to switch to the fanciest room in the house for the same price!

The next day, the big boss was at the guesthouse and wanted us to switch rooms - as he couldn't speak English, he made his colleague do the dirty work! Payal was not happy and made it known that she would not be shifting rooms. Luckily, René is better at staying calm in such situations and told Payal to be quiet! In the end, René made the boss speak directly to him using Google translate and told me that he hopes he wouldn't go back on his word, which did the trick! Thereafter we were able to all shake hands and be on good terms. During this trip, we realised how we are able to balance each other out and that being in partnership makes life easier and more enjoyable!

The rest of the day was spent at the beach, followed by a drink at a restaurant, which turned into eating dinner and dancing to traditional music with Güven and Eda - Güven is the life of the party! He got half the restaurant up and dancing and then insisted that we sit with them. His wife Eda spoke some English, which we then followed up with our favourite Google Translate! She has a way of answering with either humour or poetry. It was lovely to hear how she looks to enjoy life and be kind to others. Eda's teenage daughter was also there, a little bit embarrassed by the partying of her mother and step-father :). For both Güven and Eda this is their second marriage - they met in the factory that they work in; when you are travelling and don't have a common language you suddenly become more of a human than usual - you are not identified by your profession and you connect with people on the most basic level, meaning you interact with people that you normally wouldn't. It is nice to get out of our bubble and beat back assumptions we hold.

Local music on the Black Sea

We left Kiyiköy early in the morning toward Istanbul, as it was getting very hot! Komoot, our bicycle app was taking us off-road and we became suspicious and we were contemplating what to do. Suddenly another bicyclist on tour came out of no where. It was the first time we saw a Turkish person cycling with a load (see the photo!). Achmed spoke excellent German, as he was there for five years when he was younger. He regularly camped on the Black Sea and travelled between his home and the ocean (about 40 km). He spends a lot of time on the sea to deal with the tragic death of his son many years ago. We parted ways, only to meet up again in the next big city and had a lovely lunch together.

Cyclists immediately connecting!

And we keep getting closer to Istanbul, our final destination...

#Turkey #bicycletouring #travel #Blacksea

[turcotravel1]

Enjoying the best vacation with a turkey tour package.

When individuals think of well-known places to visit, Turkey is frequently towards the top of their list of potential locations. Every year, an enormous number of people from all over the world travel here to spend their vacations with their families, friends, and co-workers. The coasts of both the Mediterranean Sea and the Aegean Sea, as well as the country's many historical sites, are key magnets for tourists visiting the region.

Many people choose Turkey Tours for the health care, spas, and cultural experiences. According to recent surveys, this country welcomes more than 31.5 million tourists from other countries each year. In addition to this, it is the sixth most visited tourist destination in the entire globe. You probably already have some idea in your head of how popular Turkey is as a tourist destination at this very moment.

Turkey is an amazing country that should definitely be on your list of potential destinations for your next trip abroad. The nation of Turkey is home to several places of interest to visitors.Istanbul Tours are available at good prices. People come from all over the world to visit Istanbul since it is such a popular tourist destination. The city is home to tens of thousands of hotels and other establishments that cater to tourists and visitors who are in town for either business or pleasure. Private Ephesus Tour is available online. The metropolis that is both the capital of Turkey and its largest city is rich in historical landmarks due to its status as a former Ottoman and Byzantine capital. It is imperative that you visit Topkapi Palace, the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, the Galata Tower, Dolmabahce Palace, Hagia Sophia, the Grand Bazaar, the Spice Bazaar, and the Pera Palace Hotel.

These days, Istanbul is also home to some of Europe's greatest shopping malls, such the Akmerkez mall and the much smaller but no less impressive Cevahir and Metrocity.Kusadasi Tours will provide you the best experiences. In addition to its many museums and cultural events, Istanbul also hosts a number of major athletic competitions. If beach visits aren't part of your Turkey vacation package, it may seem incomplete. Central to Turkey's tourism sector are blue cruises catering to Western European tourists interested in sampling Turkish delicacies.

The southern and southwestern coasts of Turkey are collectively referred to as the Turkish Riviera. It is here that the majority of Turkey's beach resorts may be located. It is generally agreed that Antalya is the most well-liked tourist destination in all of Turkey. Kusadasi Ephesus Tours are preferred by many people. Your vacation in Istanbul will be more complete if you visit the historic district of Diyarbakir. To get the most out of their trip to Turkey, travelers who are going there for the first time would be well to do some research ahead of time on the top hotels and restaurants the nation has to offer. Your touring companions can now be anyone from close relatives to employees, depending on your preferences. You should always focus on the Best of Istanbul Tours.

[tembusugranddeveloper0]

Residences for Sale in Istanbul

Istanbul is Turkey's social, verifiable and monetary capital. Being a junction of western and eastern nations, having a cross-country position and being the magnificent capital for Roman and Ottoman domains conceded an overall popularity and verifiable fortune. Each human advancement left characteristics of their way of life and way of life. It very well may be seen on design, music and, surprisingly, on food.

ALSO VISIT:-Brazil Grand Prix 5 Reasons Why Brazilians Love It

First settlements were laid out on the European side of Istanbul. To be explicit, the Authentic Landmass was the put that Thracian clans and later on Greeks settled and named as Byzantion. It is covered by the Brilliant Horn, the Bosphorus and the Ocean of Marmara. The radiance and magnificence of the Authentic Landmass should be visible impeccably from Galata Pinnacle, which is situated in Beyoglu region. The principal thing that will stand out for you is Topkapi Castle. It was the regal home of the Ottoman Rulers for quite a long time. King Mehmet II arranged the development of an extraordinary royal residence subsequent to vanquishing Constantinople and Ottoman draftsmen arranged and fabricated Topkapi Castle in 13 years. Other extraordinary compositional designs that you may be stunned by taking a gander at are Blue Mosque, Süleymaniye Mosque and Hagia Sophia. Being close to these extraordinary designs will permit you to feel the set of experiences and to encounter the incredible history of Istanbul you ought to search for homes available to be purchased in Istanbul.

The Verifiable Landmass currently contains two regions: Fatih and Eminönü. These two regions are viewed as the focal point of exchange, schooling and social gatherings in Istanbul during Ottoman Realm time. The Fantastic Market was the exchange place and it is situated in Fatih area. In 2014, 91 million sightseers visited the Fabulous Market and recorded number 1 among world's most visited vacation spots. It is perhaps of the most established shrouded market on the planet and it covers 30.000 meter square region with 66 roads and 4000 business sectors. It is an unquestionable requirement to visit and lose all sense of direction in the roads of the Marketplace and be certain that you will discover a fascinating and valuable things to purchase.

Eminönü area will be your most visited place in Istanbul. Past the verifiable worth that comes from markets and mosques, it is where great cafés, bistros and some neighborhood road tastes can be found. Eminonu is likewise where you can take lovely Bosphorus visits that will absolutely fulfill you. Istanbul offers both history and entertainment together. Assuming you acknowledge what Istanbul offers, you ought to search for purchasing condo in Istanbul.

Century21 Sinerji has been offering its wide administrations in the Turkish Housing Business sector beginning around 2011 at the core of Istanbul. Inside the most recent 10 years, we have gladly served in excess of 5000 clients from 20+ various nations.

Again, it's that season. Occupants of Virginia, and typical visitors to Common Williamsburg acknowledge it well. It's neither Christmas nor Thanksgiving. It's not New Year's. No, it's beginning and end and more moved into one. It's time again for the Breathtaking Edification.

Illumination is a movement of events running all through the Christmas season in America's greatest living history display, beginning with one gigantic night of fireworks, music, and redirection on December sixth, 2009. Ticket holders for the authentic focus, hotel and resort guests, neighborhood tenants, and basically some other individual is allowed to participate in this series of events at practically no cost.

From Light night, through about the essential multi day stretch of January, 2010, the Traveler Williamsburg Foundation will keep a plan of remarkable events including plays, dinners, and excellent event visits for guests who purchase tickets, yet the most marvelous parts of this splendid practice in WIlliamsburg are at this point 100% in vain.

Imagine a mile broadened length of town safeguarded and restored from the eighteenth hundred years. As of now imagine it decorated by demonstrated and genuine event beautifications, candles in every window and tremendous flames. Imagine Traveler Williamssburg's Fife and Drum Corps playing, choralists singing, bunch fire, and fireworks. Anyone who has never been to Williamsburg for Fantastic Edification has never truly encountered all that this eminent town offers of real value.

While the huge night, December 6, is the initial gone for this astonishing event, the entire Christmas season will be blended with events reliably. Guests staying in lodgings in and all through town should decision to purchase tickets for explicit events and have the choice to appreciate others at no cost. Among the most captivating of the events that will be nonstop are the more unobtrusive illuminations of sections of Boondocks Williamsburg.

All through December, lights will be lit, rifles and standard released and music played while explicit portions of the remarkable district are translated for guests who follow the lighting of important designs separately.

While reservations at Commonplace Williamsburg for motel space and eating are as a rule booked to the degree that a year early on for this series of events, there are various lodgings, resorts, and time participates in the enveloping district that can oblige guests at whatever point of the year and schedules of phenomenal events for Extraordinary Illumination are quite easy to get from your hotel or Pioneer Williamsburg's visitor place.

[kyreniacommentator]

Tatar Attends 26th Eurasian Economic Summit

President Ersin Tatar attended the opening event of the 26th Eurasian Economic Summit organized by the Marmara Group Strategic and Social Research Foundation of Türkiye.  At the event, which took place at the İstanbul Wow Hotel Congress Centre, Tatar met with representatives of various countries including the President of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Marinko Cavara and Azerbaijan…

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#26th Eurasian Economic Summit #Attended event #Istanbul #TRNC President Ersin Tatar