It is a good thing that modern science provides us with rational explanations. Otherwise, a total eclipse of the sun and a very big earthquake, both occuring within one week would be certain evidence that the world was going to end. As it is now, (oh...we just had another aftershock!) our rational mind is comforted so we just have to deal with our imaginations, superstitions and what ever it is deep inside us that still sees it all as a very uncomfortable sign of something.

The eclipse was last Wednesday. It was only 95% in Istanbul. I made a little eclipse viewer from a toilet paper roll covered with paper with a pinhole punched into it. I had a great view from the office but my eclipse viewer didn't render the most thrilling picture in the world. Baris came in a little later and asked why I wasn't watching the eclipse. He pulled out a diskette. Since we had plenty of these lying around I used two (since you are not supposed to use discs as filters). I managed to take a picture but it turned out about as thrilling as my pinhole eclipse viewer. The coolest thing was how the trees cast hundreds of little eclipse shaped shadows through their leaves. The temperature became comfortable and the light took on an interesting shady look.

On a more mundane level, I finally visited Topkapi on Sunday. Yes, there are tourists in Turkey. They are all at Topkapi Palace. First I took a tour of the harem. The harem definitely is a gilded cage. There were metal lattices over the windows and the courtyards even felt confining. The tiles were beautiful and I loved the decorative patterns. However, it was easy to see why the Ottoman princes ended up insane. The palace grounds had a kinder feel, with their trees and the shade from open buildings like this one. (The Council Chamber) The museum holds a wide array of treasures but I couldn't really enjoy them because there were so many people and the buildings were hot and stuffy. Perhaps I'll go back in the winter. I did see some beautiful emeralds, gilded swords and several hairs from Mohamed's beard along with his footprints. I guess Christians had their cross shards and Moslems had their Mohamed beard hairs. There was a huge collection of porcelain from China and Japan. My favorite exhibit was of calligraphy and illustrations. One artist had specialized in monsters and nomadic life. The style reminded me a lot of Chinese painting.

My feet were getting tired so I headed back home. Outside the Topkapi gates, there is a lovely fountain. I walked down one of my favorite back streets in Istanbul. It is a sweet cobblestone street right behind the Aya Sophia.