autumn cycling

Cycling is not simply a summer affair in Amsterdam. Yet when I see a week of rain ahead on the weather forecast, it takes extra motivation to hop on my two wheels in the morning. Having my rain gear ready (and always with me) makes it easier to bear a drizzle or downpour. My kit includes rain pants, a waterproof jacket, a hat with a brim to keep the water out of my eyes, and always leather or rubber shoes. Suffering through a spot of rain is worth the freedom and pleasure that comes with riding. Here, are a few tips for gear that make cycling in the autumn a breeze.

Above photo via Amsterdamize.

Rain cape by Iva Jean.

Rain booties from Loeffler Randall and a rain hat from Ridlington.

Rainboots, made cuter with Kove leg warmers (via unruly things)

in Copenhagen

A short trip north to Copenhagen last week took me to Denmark for my first time. One day for work, then another day for pleasure. On Thursday, meetings and a business dinner gave me a chance to see the neighborhoods of Frederieksberg and Vesterbro. On Friday, I headed towards Nyhavn and the row of colorful houses on the water. Here, a few sights along the route.

A walk up the Rundetaarn (round tower) led to a view over the city.

'In the house that stood here until 1908 lived Søren Kierkegaard, from his birth on 5 May 1813 until 27 April 1848.'

The statue of Absalon.

Agnete and the Merman, an underwater sculpture.

Pumpkins in a row.

Please note the beautifully carved seat and handlebars.

City trips often make me compare the city I am visiting with other cities I know. Copenhagen is often described as similar to Amsterdam and in many ways that comparison holds true. Bicycles, water, flat land, Northern, and cold weather. Yet the differences, which were many, caught my interest. Two days was just enough to catch a scent of Denmark.

Weekend Links #40

Weekend Links is a collection of the interesting bits and pieces that I’ve come across on the streets and online. The weekly post is my chance to share with you a few things from the week, in a list compiled during the weekend. I hope you enjoy them as well.

A few things I enjoyed over the last week: 1. Falling in love with the Danish kitchen at Kødbyens Fiskebar, especially the dessert of sea buckthorn sorbet with licorice, hip rose, and baked rice pudding (photo by Adrian Joachim via) 2. Reading an interview with Nick Hand, author of Conversations on the Coast, a collection of stories and images of artisans he met during a 5,000-mile journey along the British coastline 3. Being inspired to try out new ways to wear a scarf (via Ez) 4. Gathering recipes for another Thanksgiving in Amsterdam (pumpkin mousse pictured below)

Antalya

Antalya. The final stop in our trip through Turkey. We left Kekova in the jeep, winding our way north along the coast, then through the pine forests, and finally arriving in Antalya where three-lane roads become six-lane roads. Marcus did a heroic job driving.

That afternoon we befriended a bookstore owner who kept his books in dusty, teetering piles and asked "What are you reading?" instead of "How are you doing?" He was pleased with the answers that Marcus and I provided and we were invited to sit and share fresh watermelon and figs as he told us what to do and see in the Old City neighborhood.

We spent the rest of the day wandering the cobbled streets to find Hadrian's Gate and Kesik Minare (the broken minaret) and enjoyed a fantastic evening meal at Vanilla. The next day, we didn't have to go to the airport until 19.00 so we started walking around the neighborhood and then to the park. As we came upon the rocky shoreline, we realized that the only thing we wanted to do on our last day was swim. We returned to the hotel, unpacked our swimsuits, snorkeling gear, towels, and books and returned to a restaurant perched precariously on the rocks with a small ladder down to the water. We swam and read and slept in the sun until the moment came to pick our backpacks and head to the airport.

A view of the Kesik Minare from the hotel.

Access to the waters.

Hadrian's Gate.

Weekend Links #39

Weekend Links is a collection of the interesting bits and pieces that I’ve come across on the streets and online. The weekly post is my chance to share with you a few things from the week, in a list compiled during the weekend. I hope you enjoy them as well.

A few things I enjoyed over the last week: 1. Spotting a photo of this beautiful work of street art by Remed (via unurth) 2. Buying tickets to see First Aid Kit on 8 December in Amsterdam 3. Planning a short jaunt over to Copenhagen next week 4. Seeing an infographic which visualizes American ancestry, which is largely German (via curiosity counts) 5. Watching Ed van der Elsken's short films of Amsterdam in the '80s (via @Ellenbokkinga)

Üçağız and Kekova

Üçağız, the gateway to Kekova, is a small fishing village of about 400 residents. Tourist boats from nearby Kaş passed in the distance to see the sunken city of Simena, but this Hemingway-esque retreat was full of peace. Pictured above, the pier of our pension out to the water.

Across the peninsula and over a hill strewn with sarcophagi, was Kekova and a small collection of houses, restaurants, and pensions that sat across the water from the sunken ruins.

A fisherman returning to the harbor.

Three boats in the bay.

In Üçağız, Marcus and I discovered gözleme, a Turkish style crêpe, filled with cheese, onions, and potato. The elderly couple who owned the small restaurant were so friendly and we ate there multiple times. Marcus befriended the  man and spoke about politics in a strange mix of Turkish, German, and English. His wife was full of smiles for me and serious remarks towards her husband's political comments. In addition to delicious gözleme and Ayran (a Turkish yoghurt drink), they would bring out watermelon, pears, or apples for dessert and sit down with us and share the fruit.

Visiting the sunken city was only possible with a group, either on a boat or by kayak. Marcus and I chose to paddle across the bay on a four-hour tour for an up-close view. The sunken city is a collection of ancient Lycian ruins, destroyed by earthquake, attacks over the centuries, and time. We would have loved to spend more time there, but swimming and snorkeling is prohibited. So we looked, admired, and then paddled to Kekova for lunch.

Kekova is only accessible by boat. Or by foot if you're willing to make the sweaty hike over the hilly peninsula, through the necropolis, and past the grazing goats. As we did on the second day there.

The hike was tiring, but we rewarded ourselves with homemade ice cream from one of the pensions in Kekova, then hiked further towards a secluded bay to swim and snorkel.

When we arrived in Üçağız, we realized that they didn't have any cash machines and had to go to a bank in the nearby town of Demre for extra lira. The landscape was again astounding. On our return trip, we picked up a hitch-hiking granny who ended up being the cousin of the man at whose pension we were staying. Marcus was mysteriously able to hold a conversation with her and we were laughing as we bounced across the dusty road, the woman waving to all her friends as we passed.

a ride in Het Twiske

A Saturday bike ride north of Amsterdam, discovering Het Twiske. Five hours of sun, with wheels turning and eyes cast upon the Dutch landscape. Wooden bridges carried us across the waters and people wished us a good day as we cycled past.

recipes for October

This week's delivery brought eggs, bread, broccoli stalks, pears, red onions, apple pear juice, radishes, chard, Savoy cabbage, purslane, and beef. After hearing about three more acquaintances who have signed up for de krat, I decided to not only write about the week's content, but also share a few recipes.

Pears. In the latest edition of Sweet Paul magazine, there is a section dedicated to pear recipes. The desserts look fantastic, of course, but I decided to test out the pear soup. Perfect for fall.

Fall greens. Last week we received a bunch of kale, something I have never cooked with before. I tried a simple recipe, sauteéing the greens with olive oil and garlic, then topping with a bit of cheese.

What are some of your favorite autumn recipes?

Fethiye

After Selçuk, we headed further south to Fethiye, with its abundance of yachts and beaches. We spent most of our time there swimming in the warm waters and lazing in the shade of an umbrella. The sun and heat were intense, but we wanted to see more than just the beach, so on the third day we rented a jeep and drove around the peninsula, finding small beaches along the way.

Tombs carved into the rock face by the ancient Lycians.

Marcus windsurfing on a not-so-windy day.

Sunset at the surf beach.

On our day exploring with the jeep, we crossed the peninsula to see the town of Kayaköy, with its hillside ruins, a town destroyed by earthquake. Deemed a historical site, building is prohibited and the town is made of mostly farmers and a few family restaurants.

Sunday afternoon lunch in Kayaköy. We stopped at an outdoor restaurant, filled with platforms of carpets and pillows, and had my favorite meal of the trip. Marcus ate roasted lamb, while I enjoyed a vegetable stew ripe with flavor. The two figs were given to us, freshly picked from a tree by the restaurant owner.

I was impressed by the landscape around Fethiye: dry land, stone walls, and green trees and plants. We passed farms and orchards as we drove across the dusty roads.

The harbor in Kalkan, a small town southeast of Fethiye, where we stopped on our way to the next town. The jeep was so much fun that we decided to take it to our next destination: Kekova.

Selçuk and Ephesus

A flight to Izmir and a train south led us to Selçuk, a small town on the doorstep of the magnificent ruins of Ephesus. We realized quickly that Selçuk was perceptibly warmer than Istanbul, but that didn't stop us from exploring the city: a mixture of teahouses, ruins, carpet shops, markets, and parks. We extended our stay to see more and enjoy the concerts and festivals for a public holiday that no one could explain.

Ephesus, the whole reason we were there, was fantastic, but one of my favorite moments of the whole trip happened on our last night in Selçuk. After buying fruit for the bus ride to Fethiye the next morning, Marcus and I were wandering around, looking at the night market and listening to a group of musicians play when a boy of about 12 came and asked for help with his homework. He had to pair famous authors with the books they wrote. He spoke only a little English, but we played a fun guessing game in which 'bad, trouble, police' led us to discern 'Crime and Punishment' and match it with Dostoevsky. I only wish I had been able to help him with the Turkish authors.

Pictured above, the Library of Celsus at Ephesus.

Ephesus was a sweaty affair. Armed with water bottles and a keen eye for spotting shadows, we headed out in the early morning to take in the ancient ruins.

Shoes outside a mosque in Selçuk.

Four chairs and a hookah wait for an afternoon break.

Looking out towards the İsa Bey Mosque.

Mosaic of an ancient basilica. The first afternoon we found ourselves atop a hillside among the ruins of St. John's Basilica. The saint was believed to have lived in Selçuk late in his life.

A view of the ruins of St. John's Basilica. Upon inspecting a sarcophagus against the wall, Marcus and I came upon a mother dog guarding her new puppies. It was probably a hilarious sight. Two tourists, solemnly discussing the carved stone when suddenly a dog jumps out to attack and sent them running and screaming around the crumbing walls. Ha.

Weekend Links #38

Weekend Links is a collection of the interesting bits and pieces that I’ve come across on the streets and online. The weekly post is my chance to share with you a few things from the week, in a list compiled during the weekend. I hope you enjoy them as well.

A few things I enjoyed over the last week: 1. Hearing about the little free library project and its aim to promote literacy and a love of reading (pictured above via, Merci, TOM) 2. Seeing David Sedaris at Carré in Amsterdam and receiving a copy of the never-before-published essay Innocents Abroad 3. Browsing photos of Stencil Art in Istanbul (pictured below) 4. Reading the NYTimes article about the importance of character in academic (and general) success 5. Attending the first Zuidermrkt, a new outdoor market in Amsterdam

Istanbul

The trip to Turkey began with a few days in Istanbul. We arrived in the city on a Saturday evening, greeted by traffic, heat, and crowds. The city was buzzing and we jumped into the flow as we made our way to a hotel in Taksim. The next day we rose early for a day of sightseeing. Walking through the city towards the Old City, Hagia Sophia, the many mosques, the Spice Market, and the Bosphorus. Sadly, the Grand Bazaar was closed, but we enjoyed slowly wandering and stopping for fresh pressed orange juice, pastries, and tea along the way. The following day we headed to the ferries for a day trip to the Princes Islands.

The Rüstem Paşa mosque.

The Spice Market.

Fisherman on a bridge across the Bosphorus.

A view towards the Asian side of Istanbul from a rooftop bar near Taksim.

The port on Büyükada, the largest of the four Princes Islands.

Antique stores and bicycle shops on Büyükada.

While the tourists queued in line for a horse and cart tour around the island, Marcus and I rented bicycles and headed in the other direction, stumbling upon a fantastic beach all for us.

Relaxing in the sun.

Seafood lunch in town.

The first of many fruit purchases.

On the ferry ride back to Istanbul.

Hagia Sophia

Visiting Hagia Sophia was one of the main reasons we included Istanbul in our trip to Turkey. I couldn't miss the chance to see this historical treasure that I have been fascinated with since my first art history course. A cathedral turned mosque turned museum, Hagia Sofia (Ayasofa in Turkish) is a symbol of Byzantine architecture and the strength of the Ottoman Empire. And it is breathtaking.

A blend of the high ceilings of the Orthodox dome with Islamic artwork.

The Virgin and Child mosaic in the apse, now the museum exit, was one of the highlights.

The view from the balcony.

Details on the arched ceilings.

A mosaic tucked away in the corner of Hagia Sophia.

It's incredible that this far-flung place I read about in my youth is now a place that I have seen with my own eyes.

summer reading

 

A slower pace at work and a long holiday in Turkey allowed for more reading than the first part of the year. Here, a recap of the books I read this summer:

The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell. A work of historical fiction about the Dutch East Indies Company's outpost in Japan through the eyes of the young clerk Jacob de Zoet.

Radioactive: Marie & Pierre Curie, A Tale of Love and Fallout by Lauren Redniss. Described as a 'biography-in-collage', this work looks at the lives of scientists Marie and Pierre Curie as they fall in love and discover new elements of the periodic table together.

Catch 22 by Joseph Heller. The crazy world in which the bombardier Yossarian tries to survive when the number of missions he has to make before he can complete his service keeps being raised and the ominous rule of Catch 22 hangs above.

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. The story of fireman Guy Montag who lives in a dystopic world in which books are burned and independent thoughts questioned.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. A portrait of an African-American girl raised in the South and her childhood moments of triumph and tragedy.

The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton. A view on 1870s upper class New Yorkers in which recently engaged Newland Archer faces off with the demands of society as his relationship with the scandalized cousin of his fiancée deepens.

The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman. A collection of short stories portraying the reporters, editors, and related characters of an English-language newspaper based in Rome.

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen. Catherine Morland visits Bath and then the mysterious abbey and learns how tricky it is to navigate through 18th-century society.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. A novel written through an exchange of letters between novelist Juliet Ashton and members of a unique society on Guernsey Island. They share their experiences during the German Occupation of World War II and friendships form through the post.

Also two audio books!

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer. The story of an unforgettable protagonist, Oskar Blum, a young boy who lives in post-9/11 New York. He heads out into the city on a quest to understand his father's death at the World Trade Center as the tale interweaves with his family's past.

Bossypants by Tina Fey. The autobiography of comedian and producer Tina Fey, describing the forays of her youth and the experiences that led to her career success.

travels in Türkiye

Two weeks, 1071 kilometers (665 miles), and 11 cities. Our trip down the west coast of Turkey, starting in Istanbul and ending in Antalya, was simply wonderful. We explored the metropolis of Istanbul, roamed the island of Büyükada, visited the ancient ruins of Ephesus, swam in the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas, kayaked above the sunken city of Simena, and climbed a hill to walk among the sarcophagi of a necropolis.

We became experts at finding secluded beaches and never let the heat, which averaged around 35° C/95° F, deter us from exploring. I came to admire Marcus' exceptional navigational skills and his ability to be invited to sit down and share a meal with a stranger. I consumed my fill of fruit for the next year and passed as being Turkish, thanks to my great pronunciation of merhaba (hello) and my universally accepted curly, black hair and dark skin.

While I am still sorting through all the photos and typing out my journal, here is a taste of what I saw and ate during my travels. Above, colorful flowers hang above an empty street in the 400-inhabitant village of Kekova.

Exploring the ruins of the ancient city of Ephesus.

Driving along the coast and stopping to admire the turquoise waters of Fethiye.

We started each morning with a Turkish breakfast. Freshly-squeezed orange juice, Turkish coffee, cheese, olives, vegetables, bread and jam, pine honey, and always a plate of fruit.

Turkish coffee in Istanbul. Strong and delicious.

I ate dozens of figs during our trip. Some we bought at outdoor markets and others were given to us, freshly plucked from the tree. When we arrived in Kekova, I was standing on the street and looking at the scene when a man walked by with a crate full of figs. As I stared in wonder, he stopped and asked if I would like one. Yes, please.

We traveled on planes, trains, boats, buses, but our favorite form of transportation was an open-top Jeep. The wind was great and it gave us the freedom to explore on rough roads and pick up hitchhiking grannies. I was always in the sun and had to wear a scarf around me to protect my skin.

The call to prayer coming from the minarets was always striking. Waking up to it at 4am was actually quite beautiful. A song in the night and then back to sleep.

In lieu of many vegetarian options, I ate a lot of fish.

The sleepy village of Kayaköy, which we visited on a Sunday afternoon. One delicious meal and a hike up a hill to see the ruined city. Exploring the Turkish countryside let us really appreciate the mountainous, dry landscape of the southern coast and its abundance of farm animals wandering around.

preparing for autumn

It was a full summer. A website launch, creating an iPad app, starting to plan a wedding, and beginning year six of my residence in Amsterdam. I love the fall, with its leaves and sweaters and cups of warm cider. But there wasn't enough summer laziness or sunshine for me this year, so I'm off to explore the Aegean coast of Turkey for the next two weeks. A moment of respite as I prepare for adventures in the fall.

Photo by frl. zucker.

Weekend Links #37

Weekend Links is a collection of the interesting bits and pieces that I’ve come across on the streets and online. The weekly post is my chance to share with you a few things from the week, in a list compiled during the weekend. I hope you enjoy them as well.

A few things I enjoyed over the last week: 1. Spotting this cute circus ring (pictured above, via ardor) 2. Listening to Fall Creek Boys Choir, the collaboration between Bon Iver and James Blake 3. Browsing through the Branding 10,000 Lakes project, a design project inspired by Minnesota's many lakes (pictured below, via moxee) 4. Reading that Europe's wealthy are welcoming higher taxes in this article 5. Looking forward to the Black Cab Sessions documentary mapping the sounds of America today 6. Reading the new online food magazine a little relish