THE GIRLS FROM KOSOVO
– At the border check on the bus to Bulgaria. Very dark & cold, the gun towers in the gloom reminiscent of all those WWII films – – Alinda, an architect: just built a lab with Dancorp – Lindita works with the United Nations – Just a couple of party girls! -I told them about that documentary filmmaker friend of Fern’s who dodged bullets on the “front” and ran into Beverly Hills restaurants demanding money for film. They were bemused. – To study architecture during one of the most ghastly wars was possible, said Alinda, “but it was difficult for doctors,” – Medical students could get only a sketchy education – There are 3 million people in Kosovo and they all speak English.
THE NIGHT I MET LEWIS
-Julie sings the blues at the Çiragan Palace the night I met Lewis—— The tram didn’t go there, but I could walk and figured that I could just afford a taxi back. So on a cold January night I ventured out of my comfort zone and trekked up to hear her, and met one of the greatest friends of my life. He also gave me a ride home.
LEWIS THE LION
-Lewis in early March ’05 at the apex of his ‘leonine’ phase—–He was working at the American Consulate at the time, madly in love with Turkey, and spent all his weekends in Sultanahmet. Now he’s retired, flying around Mt Shasta on a carpet, and still in my life despite oceans and continents..
SNOW MORNING
-View out my back window of ruined hamam – Kumkapi – I drew this sitting at my dressing table, in a state of absolute bliss. It’s in my first book.
SPINSTER SISTERS
-Balconies in Tunel – Six hours on two summer afternoons-—-Actually Asmali Mescit, near Tunel. The jumbas- those glassed-in projected balconies- are both restored now. Before, they looked like two sisters, one spiffy and one gone to seed.
COLD NIGHT MEDRESE
So androgynous I wondered if she was a boy. Then I saw her face & was transfixed by her faery beauty – Green-eyed man, very worried, on the tram with his son—–
-People who suspect they are being drawn – Küçük Ayasofya Medrese on a cold night in January – View out my window of the rooftop cat soup kitchen and the snowy roof opposite. You’re so beautiful! Don’t melt! – A glittering steel cobweb by night, restoration scaffolding so gorgeous I wish it was permanent—–Actually the ham-fisted restoration of Küçük Ayasofya Camii, originally a 6th-century Byzantine church, was a big scandal, but I was in love with all things Turkish when I wrote this.
COLD DAY MEDRESE
-Seraglio from afar 12 Feb 05 – Pregnant girl on tram with carved mouth – Very cold in the Kucuk Ayasofya Medrese, February 05
Very cold in the Küçük Ayasofya Medrese – February ’05—–All the time Kucuk Ayasofya Camii was being restored, its wonderful Medrese was open. Immortalized by Orhan Pamuk in My Name Is Red, it was full of artisans and dervishes hanging out and drinking tea.