Anatolian Festival

Last week we went to the Anatolian Cultures and Food Festival.  We were amazed by all that we saw and learned.  The art, music, food, and displays helped us come away with a much greater understanding of Turkish culture.  We learned about the Legend of Akdamar Island (a turkish composer is working on a ballet piece honoring this legend with plans unite 100 Turkish and 100 Armenian artists on the stage).  We learned about the Turkish Van Cat that often has mismatched eyes.  These cats love water, swimming, and eating chocolate.  We saw beautiful displays of marble painting, quilting and felting.  We heard music from the instruments we had never seen before and watched a variety of dances including the famous "Whirling Dervish".  We treated ourselves to some of the delicious desserts and even bought a box of "Turkish Delight."  Here are some photos of our adventure:

Nate with a local Trojan

The Bosphorus Bridge - The first suspension bridge to connect Europe to Asia (divided by the Istanbul Strait)

Aspendos Antique Theatre

Cuneiform

Turkish Van Cat

Boxes of Turkish Delight