Happy Lutheran

Sorry–can you stand one more post today?! I forgot to mention one of the most beautiful things I saw in Hagia Sophia: it was an exhibit of modern hilyes, and it was fabulous. The “Hilye-i Serif” [that is not spelled exactly right–I don’t have the right characters in Pages], translated as “Noble Hilye” in English,…… Continue reading Noble Hilye Exhibit

After the Blue Mosque, I then walked to Hagia Sophia, and encountered more tourists than I have seen in one place since the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. It is a testimony to the immensity of the museum itself that once you get inside, it actually isn’t too bad. Hagia Sophia [“Holy Wisdom”]…… Continue reading Hagia Sophia

I saw the two premiere sites in Istanbul today, only because they are almost a stone’s throw from each other: The Blue Mosque, and the Hagia Sophia. They are on opposite ends of what is called Sultanahmet Square. It is right next to the Hippodrome, basically gone now, expect for a few monuments, and it…… Continue reading The Blue Mosque

Most of you probably have a better sense of geography than I do: I was never very good at it, so I thought I would start the day’s blogs [there are going to be three today!] with a quick geography lesson, illustrated with pictures from the path along the Bosphorus, which is where I am…… Continue reading The Bosphorus & a Geography/History Lesson

So, it is 7:30 pm, and I am hoping to stay up until 8:00–even though it clearly doesn’t get dark here until after that! One of the perks of adulthood is that you cease to worry if you beat the sun to bed–at least, I do. [Big non sequitur: this reminds me of a Robert…… Continue reading Squeaky Clean in Istanbul

Here at Narita airport–wifi at last! Here is my last post from Japan!Tonight is my last night in Tokyo. Tomorrow I will be up very early, go for one last run around Ueno Park, check out of my hotel, and take the Skyliner train to Narita airport for my flight home. [And, I hope that…… Continue reading In and Out of Tokyo

Today was my last day in Kyoto. Tomorrow I will be checking out of my hotel in the morning and taking the train to Tokyo, where I will spend 2 1/2 days before heading home. I am looking forward to seeing Tokyo, but even more than that, I am looking forward to seeing John and…… Continue reading Goodbye, Kyoto!

Well, today was perhaps the most informative day yet of my time in Kyoto. I spent most of the day with Daisuke Sasaki, a graduate student in the school of Practical Shin Buddhist Studies at Ryukoku University. He is smart, kind, and speaks excellent English, and he told me all about the program for training…… Continue reading An Authentic Zen Experience

Even though today started off cloudy, it cleared up by late morning and turned out to be a beautiful sunny day. So, I walked all the way back up to the general area of Kinkakuji temple, but this time, my destination was Ryoanji temple, home of what is probably the most famous dry rock garden…… Continue reading Gardens, Zen Style