Topkapi Palace, Istanbul

Topkapi was an opulent castle.

There is loads to see and it needs at least half a day dedicated to exploring.

The Palace’s architecture has much focus on Arabic scriptures and the usage of multi-colored tiles.

There was an abundance of delicate Turkish rococo decorations and the dancing memory of the Sultans who used to lived and ruled in luxurious style (Noted: Spoonermaker's diamond - an 86 carats, 17 pound diamond. Sadly, no pictures allowed in most exhibits)

It's amazing how the artifacts and architecture are still very intact even after hundred of years.

grandpa trees are the kings of the castles.

 I'm such a sucker.

 vibrant.

pimp coat.

 sleepy hollow.

 ahahahaah.

i'm an art bitch.

xo em

7am curfew

vodka tonic lemon. bathroom lineups. salty nuts. smelling like a chimney stack. cover bands. efes beer. language barrier. irish carbombs. turkish equivalent of grilled cheese. the world is your bathroom. 

goodmorning sun.

xo em

Crystal Fighters

I miss the waves and carefree days

Some last minute photographs from Thailand. Miss the days already.

xo em

I want to be like water, I want to slip through fingers but hold up a ship.

Izmir, Turkey

Two eight hour bus rides 24 hours apart definitely does a number on the body. Good thing we're still young.

Beats and I traveled to Izmir, a city that on one hand was backed by mountains and a bay, and on the other hand was a very modern city centre. We spent most of the time hiking around or sleeping like zombies. It is Turkey's third largest city and is located along the outlying waters of the Gulf of Izmir on the eastern shoreline of the Aegean Sea.

Here's a few shots from our strenuous walk uphill. The weather was much nicer than Istanbul,  I almost broke a sweat. Almost.

view of Izmir.

photoshop meet Izmir.

 mmm garbage.

 hey girls hey.

soccer reppin' graffiti.

 The Izmir clock tower at Konak Square.

xo emily

Istanbul, Turkey

Before taking a calm ferry ride over to the other side of Istanbul, I stumbled upon this mosque. As of yet, mosques are an unfamiliar site for me as I have spent the last few months looking at elegant picturesque Buddhist temples. Mosques seem much more refined and humble by comparison.

We drudged through another rainy day to the Hagia Sophia, which was a former Byzantine basilica, then later an Ottoman mosque, and now simply a museum but the images of its past are still very present in its current structure (excuse the bad lighting - no flash allowed).


view of the Hagia Sophia

 penguin child wanderer

 what a looker.

 jeepers creepers.

 ...and to prove I was really there.

 Islamic influence.

 mosaic.

futuristic close up shot of one of the light fixtures

eerie tree.

the stray kitties are much cleaner and properly fed in Turkey.

Following our trip to the Hagia Sophia, we cross the street to the infamous Sultan Ahmed or Blue Mosque, due to its blue tile interior. It is the largest mosque in Turkey. We were there during a prayer session. Bad photo ops as there were many people and wires overhead.


Beats and the Blue Mosque.

 silly me accidentally decided my only shot of the inside of the mosque would be with a dream pop flash.

We ended our journey at a nearby outdoor cafe for some Turkish coffee and a game of backgammon.

em xo