Basilica Cistern: Istanbul’s Sunken Palace

Posted on 21 November 2010 by Mimi

Look up the word ‘cistern’ in the dictionary and you’ll see that it means ‘tank’. And that’s what the Basilica Cistern is — one huge water tank. The difference? It is one ANCIENT water tank, constructed in 532 A.D. primarily to supply water to the Byzantine Palace. Later on, it supplied water to Topkapi Palace and other buildings.

The Basilica Cistern, also known as the “Sunken Palace” or Yerebatan Sarayi in Turkish, is a cathedral-sized underground chamber, measuring approximately 138 metres (453 ft) by 64.6 metres (212 ft) – about 9,800 square metres (105,000 sq ft) in area – capable of holding 80,000 cubic metres (2,800,000 cu ft) of water.

Basilica_Cistern

The entrance is small, almost like a guard house, and can easily be missed if not for the crowd queueing up outside.

Cistern_entrance

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Walk down the stone staircase and suddenly you find yourself plunged into darkness. As your eyes start to adjust to the dim lighting, you can make out row after row after row of stone columns.

Cistern_going_down

The water in the Basilica Cistern comes from the Eğrikapı Water Distribution Center in the Belgrade Forest which is 19 kilometres(!) from the city. It is yet another example of an engineering feat from ancient times. Today, there is still water inside but water levels are now low. Numerous fish can be seen swimming about in the water, probably placed there to avoid mosquitoes from breeding. That’s just my theory actually. I don’t even know if mosquitoes exist in Turkey because I didn’t encounter any the whole time I was there.

Cistern_fish

Water still drips through the brick-domed ceiling in some places, making it quite slippery — so watch your step! — and a bit of a danger for your photography gear.

There are platforms now for tourists to walk on but not too long ago, tourists needed to explore this place in small boats! What an experience that would have been!

Cistern_platforms

The biggest attraction inside the Basilica Cistern are the two Medusa heads which now serve as the bases for two columns in towards the rear. No one knows how they got there or why they are there. And what makes them even more intriguing is how they are positioned — one Medusa head is lying down on its side…

Cistern_Medusa_side

…the other Medusa head is upside down.

Cistern_Medusa_upsidedown

Here is a short video that I shot of the upside down Medusa head using my trusty old Nokia N82, just to give you a sense of scale of the Medusa head, as well as give you taste of the ambience of the Basilica Cistern:-

The entire cistern’s dim orangeish lighting and the echoing sound of the water dripping melancholically from the ceiling in some places give an eerie, other-worldly, almost Greek mythology-like feeling to the Basilica Cistern. I strongly advise against the use of flash when using your camera down there if you wish to capture the ambience of the place in your photos.

The only modern ‘anomaly’ inside the ancient structure is a cafe just before the exit.

Cistern_cafe

The Basilica Cistern is just a stone’s throw from Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya) and is open every day from 09:00 hrs to 18:30. The entrance fee is 10 Turkish Lira (~7 USD) for foreign visitors. Allocate some 30 minutes for your visit.

Categories: Travel | Tags: , | 3 Comments

Basic Life Lessons

Posted on 20 November 2010 by Mimi

This article has been circulating for quite some time now via email and the internet but I thought it apt to post here as I turn another year older.

All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten
(a guide for Global Leadership)


kindergartenAll I really need to know about how to live and what to do and how to be I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sand pile at school.

These are the things I learned:
* Share everything.
* Play fair.
* Don’t hit people.
* Put things back where you found them.
* Clean up your own mess.
* Don’t take things that aren’t yours.
* Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody.
* Wash your hands before you eat.
* Flush.
* Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
* Live a balanced life – learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.
* Take a nap every afternoon.
* When you go out in the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together.
* Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the Styrofoam cup: the roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that.
* Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the Styrofoam cup – they all die. So do we.
* And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned – the biggest word of all – LOOK.

Everything you need to know is in there somewhere. The Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation. Ecology and politics and equality and sane living.

Take any one of those items and extrapolate it into sophisticated adult terms and apply it to your family life or your work or government or your world and it holds true and clear and firm. Think what a better world it would be if we all – the whole world – had cookies and milk at about 3 o’clock in the afternoon and then lay down with our blankies for a nap. Or if all governments had as a basic policy to always put things back where they found them and to clean up their own mess.

And it is still true, no matter how old you are, when you go out in the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together.

[Source: "ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN" by Robert Fulghum. See his web site at http://www.robertfulghum.com/]

The only thing I need to add to this is something that I learned in primary school — the most important lesson of them all — which holds just as true now as it did way back then: “Do your best and God will do the rest.”

Despite how complicated life turns out at every twist and turn, it’s comforting to know that in the end, everything still boils down to the basics.

Bon weekend, tous!

Categories: Rojak | Tags: | 5 Comments

Ice Cream Cone Surprise

Posted on 19 November 2010 by Mimi

For my OnlyGirl’s 11th birthday on 11/11, I had to think long and hard about what cake to make. The children’s expectations have been raised after RoundBoy’s spaghetti cake so I was under a lot of pressure to come up with something novel. Then it hit me — ice cream! OnlyGirl loves ice cream! I’d make ice cream cake then. At least, that’s what I thought initially.

Then I decided to take it one step further. How about ice cream cupcakes?

ice_cream

I remembered seeing one video about how it’s done so I googled it up again:-

I chose to use my favourite chocolate cake recipe for the cupcake base. In hindsight, it wasn’t the best choice for ice cream cupcakes given how runny the batter is. Some of the batter seeped through the ice cream cones, leaving only half inside the cone and the other half all over the muffin baking tin.

ice_cream_cupcakes_muffin_tin

Note to self: the next time I’ll attempt making these again, I’d have to use a recipe with a thicker batter.

For the ‘ice cream’, I whipped up some buttercream frosting, mixing in 1/4 cup Krimwell (a type of vegetable shortening specifically meant for making frosting) with 3/4 cup butter so that the frosting would last through the heat of Malaysia’s tropical weather. I’m against using shortening and other forms of transfats but since I wanted OnlyGirl to take these cupcakes to school, the frosting must not melt so I had to relent.

After the cupcakes have cooled, I piped the frosting using a big star tip and made huge ice cream-like swirls on top. I splurged on a small jar of chocolate fudge at Cold Storage, which I heated up in the microwave as per label instructions, then I piped it on top of the ice cream. Some of the cones ended up with rainbow sprinkles, others were topped with a cherry.

ice_cream_cupcakes_cherry

The only downside to this recipe is how the cones end up being soggy — and at times, a bit too chewy — once they’ve cooled down.

If I do make these again, I’d serve them while still warm (and the cones still crispy!), scoop real ice cream on top, and let the kids have a field day putting their own toppings on their ice cream cupcake cones :)

Categories: Children, Food | Tags: | 4 Comments

How To Attach Butang Baju Melayu

Posted on 16 November 2010 by Mimi

Malaysians, this post this not for you so please feel free to skip it entirely. This post is for the clueless. Like me. When I was new in Malaysia and Google has not even come into existence yet, I was totally clueless when it comes to small things like this.

Baju Melayu is the traditional Malay outfit for men and boys. It’s primarily worn during major holidays like Hari Raya Aidilfitri (a.k.a. Hari Raya Puasa or Eid ul Fitr) and Haji Raya Aidiladha (a.k.a. Hari Raya Haji or Eid ul Adha). It’s also worn during formal functions and weddings, much like the barong Tagalog of the Filipinos. What’s interesting about it is that traditionally, they do NOT come with buttons. You heard me right. No buttons, only buttonholes all the way to the lower layer of the baju where the buttons are supposed to be.

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The buttons — known as butang baju Melayu — are sold separately. I got these ‘silver’ ones from Mydin a few years back.

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With children, the key to picking butang baju Melayu is to choose a style and colour that can match any colour of baju Melayu. More importantly, they must be inexpensive so as to save you from heartache when the buttons get lost. Because they WILL get lost. It’s one of life’s inevitable truths.

For adults, the sky’s the limit — you can even buy diamond-studded butang baju Melayu or ones made from cultured pearls from certain jewelry shops.

So how do you attach them buttons? Simple. First you take one button…

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…then you slip it under the baju Melayu, the portion where buttons are supposed to be but only buttonholes are present.

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You slip it in from the bottom like so…

DSC_9986…making sure that the decorated portion of the button remains on top.

DSC_9987Easy-peasy!

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Now do the rest of the buttons. There are usually three buttons for children, five for adults. Make sure the flat, undecorated side of the button is at the bottom portion, i.e. inside the baju.

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And voila! Buttons! :D

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Here’s how it looks like from the side and back.

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And this is how it looks like once the buttons are all done up, as modeled by Twin2 in a size 2 off-the-rack baju Melayu bought from one of those small shops in Wisma Yakin in the older part of KL.

Twin2_baju_Melayu

Side note: Baju Melayu aren’t cheap — I think Twin1′s baju Melayu (and matching trousers) cost some RM55 (~$18). The other alternative — getting it done by a tailor — is even more expensive unless you get it done in Kelantan or some other place outside KL where upah jahit (labour charges for sewing) are much, much cheaper.

It is also possible to purchase baju Melayu that a round neckline with a single button to fasten it with, a good idea for babies and toddlers. This type of baju Melayu fashion is from the state of Johor.

baju_melayu_Johor
Photo from LizOthman.com

Note to self: this is NOT the way to fasten butang baju Melayu.

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Otherwise I end up with buttons in front with no way of attaching the back portion to them.

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You’d think I’ve got it right down pat after all these years? Noooo! I still make this silly mistake :P And I have the gall to write this how-to post hehe…

Oh…and just one more thing: don’t forget to remove the buttons before putting the baju Melayu in the wash!

The End.

Categories: Malaysia | Tags: | 2 Comments

Quick Shots: Masjid Wilayah

Posted on 13 November 2010 by Mimi

What often keeps me from completing a blog post are either one of two things: I have the text ready but need to edit/add pics or I have the pics ready but don’t have anything suitable to write about it.

Today is one of those days — I have these pics of Masjid Wilayah but no earth-moving writeup to go along with it. But I’m posting these photos anyway because I like them very much and hope you enjoy them, as well.

Just some quick background info: Masjid Wilayah is a huge mosque in Kuala Lumpur that is situated near the government complex along Jalan Duta. Its architecture said to be is largely influenced by Istanbul’s Blue Mosque. I often drive by this mosque and have always admired its beautiful blue domes decorated with elaborate swirls that remind me of Turkish scarves. I never had the chance in the past to stop and take photos until this morning, albeit only from the outside.

Masjid_Wilayah

I liked the first photo but thought of taking another shot to focus on the dramatic sky over Masjid Wilayah, with clouds that reminded me of cotton wool. Plus, I wanted a shot that eliminated the row of cars parked in front of the mosque ;)

Masjid_Wilayah_sky

And finally, here is a quick shot of KL Tower framed by one of Masjid Wilayah’s arched walkways.

KL_Tower

————————–
Update (17-Nov-2010):

Masjid Wilayah at noon. Photo taken 15 November, 2010.

Masjid_Wilayah_noon

Categories: Malaysia, Photography | Tags: , , | 3 Comments