Blue Doors (and red, and yellow, and green)

I tell you truly, everything that you now see will vanish like a dream.

~Rumi

The windows are shuttered, the doors are bolted...

but there was a time when lives were lived within these walls. 

Is not impermanence the very fragrance of our days? ~Rilke

ISTANBUL.....The mere name is evocative of mazes of bazaars, exotic spices, palaces, minarets, and the call to prayer. What I wasn't prepared for was the intensity of color, the absolute vibrancy of life in the streets! 

The sights and sounds of Istanbul are staggeringly beautiful! For years I have wanted to see this gorgeous city, and it was well worth the wait! Istanbul doesn't disappoint!

I had the opportunity to stay in the older part of the city, just a stones throw from Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, and Topkapi Palace. Impressive architecture everywhere you look. 

Galata Tower in the distance is a medieval stone tower in the Galata/Karakoy quarter of Istanbul, just off the Bosphorus. 

 The Blue Mosque....  It is hauntingly beautiful when the call to prayer begins from the multitude of mosques. each voice echoing and reverberating throughout the entire area. 

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Color surrounds and astounds.... pottery, carpets, towels, clothes, and lights! Everywhere lights!  

Texture...  Absolutely sumptuous! I would love to fill my entire house with these pillows! 

Antique Carpet Market... Yes, I ended up with a couple, and yes, I  probably over paid.... but they are so lovely!

Lights! I simply love all of the chandeliers throughout the city. Beautiful and functional!

Tradition and superstition... Trinkets and jewelry to ward off evil eye. Really taken more in fun.....

Vibrant... Scarves and pashminas are not only colorful and beautiful, but in the cold winter months are a true necessity when walking in the cold wind. 

Color My World...

I adore COLOR! I thrive on color! Color makes me happy and fuels my imagination! Living in Saudi Arabia, it is sometimes easy to think in terms of shades of beige and taupe. Houses, Sand, Stone, etc. So I have gone on an expedition to find the random bits of color in Riyadh.

The first thing I came across of interest was this bench outside someones home. What a nice idea! A resting spot in the shade of a wall for those days when some person, or very likely some cat, just needs to take a moment to catch their breath.....
And looking at the wall behind the bench, you can really appreciate what a bright spark of color that turquoise and mustard makes on that street!


A few minutes later, this row of rooms in the process of being torn down caught my eye. Pink, red, yellow, lavender, cream, and turquoise. You can't get much more colorful than that in an empty lot!

This is the window of an Indian restaurant in town. I absolutely love the window, and the building, but it looks like it would host an art studio or exhibit much more fittingly than it does the restaurant.

These intense blue tiles are another hit of color in this deeply hued brick building. They are very small (I'm guessing 2"X2" tiles) but very effective in livening up what otherwise might be a very forgetable spot.

Last are these blue on blue Arabesque tiles at the foot of some steps. Fantastic! I am now convinced that Riyadh is not as devoid of color as I once thought..... I just have to look in the right places.