From My Diaries / Goodbye November

Ayayay...oh no.. Another variant?? When are we gonna live?

Many people had expected the World Health Organization to label the latest variant "Nu", but the they skipped Nu and gave the name “Omicron” to a new variant of the coronavirus. Nu or Omicron, whatever the name is, go away!

Before the new variant of the coronavirus, (which they don’t look like they're gonna end) we took a trip to Istanbul for a couple of days this month.

One of the most famous streets in Turkey;

İstiklal Avenue, Istanbul.

Galata Tower Museum and Art Center

Galata Tower was built in the mid-14th century when the Genoese had a colony in Galata.

206 feet high tower overlooking Beyoğlu and Karaköy from its perched position.

Gorgeous view from the ferry ride plus it's an excellent deal.

You’ll enjoy spectacular views of historical sites, fortresses, museums, the stunning bridges, and soak up the atmosphere along the city’s European and Asian shores.

Ortaköy Mosque in Beşiktaş, Istanbul. It’s situated at the waterside of Ortaköy pier square. One of the most popular locations on the Bosphorus. You can also have a ferry ride here.

Bebek

Bebek Park is located on Istanbul's European Bosphorus shore. It has a beautiful view and gorgeous relaxing point surrounded by trees which are centuries old.

Trump Shopping Mall is located in Şişli, Istanbul. Its a regular shopping mall with local and international brands. It has spacious are for little ones.

Must try the Baked potatoes/ Kumpir (you choose your fillings ) and waffles 👌

La Villa Blanche is a nice hotel that makes you feel home. Watching autumn’s beauty from your balcony after a day trip is relaxing.

Relaxing time after a long day of being outside.

St. Antuan Catholic Church

It’s the largest church of the Roman Catholic Church in Istanbul, Turkey, located at İstiklal Avenue.

Thinking what to cook for dinner tonight?

Basic dinner idea which is my fave; Sautéed mushrooms, rice and green salad. Sit back and enjoy your dinner time!

This is just a hope that this virus ends soon and we all get back to normal life. Even if it doesn’t look this way, I keep wishing, hoping.

Healthy Holidays

From My Diary/ During September

Turkey started face-to-face education as of September 6th. But whether it will remain open permanently is unknown. Most of the children are still unvaccinated.  Therefore, the possibility of online education continues.  On one hand, people are worried that such a decision will be made at any moment, and on the other hand, that their children will get the virus. As a family, we are vaccinated. We keep social distance and wear masks anyway.  

 

I don’t know why but this September has been the longest one ever. Nature is beautiful as usual around here. Daily getaways are motivating us to stay calm and  positive for a better future, hopefully soon. 

Patience and being thankful for what we have today is our morning motto. Being able to water veggies and flowers, along with having beautiful vegetables on our table, running water to enjoy taking showers because of the expected global water crisis. 

 

So, a few shots taken this September from my kitchen;

Cesme Peninsula, Turkey.

 

 

Baby okra in olive oil. This is the classic Turkish way of cooking okra. It took time to prepare one by one but eating these very tiny and tasty okras is worth it.  

This sweetie's name is Chance. He is having an afternoon nap. Peaceful 💕

 

Menemen is a Turkish dish made with eggs, peppers, tomatoes and optionally onions. It was made by the Cretan Turks, who came to the Menemen district of Izmir for the first time, and takes its name from the district.

 

              

What I have been reading lately is;

IKIGAI by Francesc Miralles and Hector Garcia

Ikigai means "Life to be worthwhile/ Purposeful Life". How to start a fresh day, your reason to get out of bed every morning, something that makes you happy and keeps you motivated.A quote from the book: “Essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.” The book also contains well known yoga poses, Rajio taisou, Chi kung, Shiatsu exercises to give a healthy start a new day and explains their benefits. In today's stressful and materialistic world, it can be very difficult to find your 'ikigai'- A must read. I recommend this book to you guys if you haven’t read it yet. ” When we leave urgency behind, life and time take on new meaning”/ Ikigai Book.

Stay calm, healthy and safe !

Colloidal Silver | From My Diary, Covid-19

Silver is antimicrobial and can kill harmful microbes. This is the reason why manufacturers use silver in bandages.

Some people digest colloidal silver as a dietary supplement. Many internet-based sources claim that colloidal silver has a range of health benefits. During the Covid-19 pandemic, it has become more popular since it’s believed to be effective in killing viruses, too.

So, what are the benefits of colloidal silver;

• cleansing the gut
• boosting the immune system
• treating fungal infections
• improving skin health
• preventing the flu
• preventing shingles
• preventing herpes
• preventing certain types of cancer

I did some digging, and found out that regularly taking colloidal silver can cause severe side effects, including the following:

• Argyria, which causes a person’s skin or eyes to take on a permanent silver-blue tone.
• A reduced ability to absorb certain medications, such as antibiotics, which can treat bacterial infections, and thyroxine, which can treat thyroid deficiencies.
• Fatal poisoning.

I know so many healthy people placed it in their diet as it is popular lately. But we have to consider its side effects as well. If you use colloidal silver, please write your experiences with it on comments.

We have a cat, got her from the street. She has fiv. Hope it works for her health problem. We took her to a vet many times. Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do for her anymore, except to keep her away from stress, the vet said.

Worry has surrounded us all because of the pandemic, immunization, reducing high population theories and development of the medicine industry might also be scary since there are theories that it’s being used against us, instead of protecting us. Power is supposed to be used for good. Overpopulation on the earth is supposed to be controlled by preventing mass birth, instead of mass killing. Some of us believe the theories, some of us don’t. We all miss hanging out without masks, connecting with each other. We all miss freedom. Besides, going out without a mask has become a dream and almost forgot how normal life was, without mask. My husband and I, along with our son, Aria, are all ok after the jab. No side effects. He is 19, got the second one a couple of days ago. He is ok. I don’t know what will happen in the future, but anxiety and over-thinking can also damage our body and mind.

P.S. I’m taking a morning walk on the shore and wanted to add a few sentences, sharing how I feel right now, watching the sky and sea which is beautiful, before finishing this post. Blue symbolizes focus, healing, creativity, patience and harmony, Associated with the throat chakra, blue can increase communication and forgiveness.

September is around the corner. I’ve already started to smell Fall. If you’re tried of hot climates and miss neutral weather like me, let’s give a big welcome to Fall.🍂

Stay healthy & happy!