This is my dream... just to be able to breath to "Eat.. Pray..Love"

I cant wait for this movie to come out. It had some great reviews and some bad ones. But do you think its unreal or people don't do this kind of thing just as it was critisized. Its not! I know many travel bloggers that have done this or still doing this.. take a year off to find what they really love in life and explore the world that we live in. Do I want to do this? Hell yah!!! Its exactly what I need...

The book was on the best seller list for many many weeks. Every body talked about it...
















If you want another great read about leaving everything behind and travel the world for a year then this is another great true story read about three girlfriends who took time away from it all and traveled the world. They had a great blog that I was following before the book came out.

Atlantis The Palms Dazzeled Grand Opening in Dubai

A light display is illuminated during the grand opening of Atlantis, The Palm in Dubai.. photos from photo gallery of Khaleej Times dot com
These are the links to the story coverage in:

Khaleej Times
Stars, fireworks dazzle at Atlantis launch
21 November 2008

From Kylie Minogue, Denzel Washington, Robert DeNiro, Charlize Theron, Lindsay Lohan, Mischa Barton, Michael Jordon, Boris Becker, Priyanka Chopra, Lily Allen, Agyness Deyn, Richard Branson, Sol Kerzner, Quincy Jones, Arjun Rampal, Farhan Akthar the list was endless as a host of celebrities walked the red carpet at the probably the biggest bash in the world to launch Sol Kerzner and property developer, Nakheel’s million-dollar baby.

Saudi Gazette
Nov 22 2008
Dubai hotel’s star-studded bash
DUBAI – Shrugging off the global financial crisis, Dubai overnight toasted a new luxury hotel with a $20-million bash attended by film stars and sporting greats and marked by a spectacular fireworks display.
More than 2,000 world celebrities were invited to the event, which began Thursday night and continued into Friday.

I have seen the original Atlantis In the Bahamas Pradise Island... so yet to come to see this one which is only 2 hours flight away.. will leave it for some sort of special occation.. had fun in the bahamas for sure will have fun in dubai as always..

Turkish word #12:

Harika! harika =Wonderful!

Hagia Sofia soft light

Hagia Sofia soft ligh, originally uploaded by Fun Lilliy.

I just loved the soft light that you can enjoy inside Aya Sofia , the soft whispers of people every one trying not to disturb the peaceful quietness that you feel once you go in because you are mesmerized by the beauty of the building.
Istanbul... even when you hear that name in a movie you start visualizing a mystic city... you could almost start hearing the music in the background of your thoughts and smell the spices in the spice bazaar..
I am going to give glimpses of the areas I visited and the sights I have seen...
I stayed in the area called Sultanahamet and if it’s your first visit to Istanbul and you are interested in Old Istanbul and the important historical sight seeing, then this is the place to stay... In one of its nice Boutique Hotels (will talk about my hotel later in a different post). This area has all what’s important to see and you can walk everywhere... its crowded full of tourist and because I came and it was the first day of “Seker Bayrami" “Eid Al Fiter” holiday even Turkish and tourist from Syria and its borders came as well... I don’t mind crowded cities if I am seeking a busy vacation of exploring which was my aim in this trip. The center is the Sultanahmet center and park where you can stand and while you are looking around trying to decide what to see first you can enjoy for one lira grilled corn or boiled what ever is your preference or hot chestnut…. Yammm... which is also a favorite of the locals... every one is walking around eating corn... I think even if you don’t like it they will tempt you to at least try a bite of it out of curiosity. From this center you can also choose one of the tourist buses, there are Kiosks that book and sell you the tickets... I suggest first just to walk around with a map that you can get from the tourist office in the center with the man that just nods and points to the maps for you to take and figure it out your self... a city travel guide would be useful to take with you... Something like the book that I actually bought after I came back “lonely planet istanbul encounter”... but if you like to be surprised then just follow the tourists and go where they go these groups are all going to the same sights that you should be checking out… or just check out the websites do your research and put a list that you will find in the map and GO! That’s what I did before I went... these are the links…
To be cont….
Time for the Turkish lesson…
Turkish phrase #11:
Ingilizce biliyor musunuz? ingeleezje billeyourmoosunooz? =do you speak English?

Aya Sofia Inner Entrance Wall Oct 2008

IMG_0424, originally uploaded by Fun Lilliy.

I just love all the details on the walls... Hagia Sofia which means " Holy Wisdom" Sofia means Wisdom or it means "Divine Wisdom". It was a mosque till 1935, when the Republic of Turkey converted it into a museum.

Turkish word # 10:
Pardon pardon = Excuse me to ( to get past)

Haghia Sofia A.D. 532- 1453

Haghia Sofia Oct 2008 by Fun Lilliy
If you look at any travel book about Istanbul you will find that the first thing they talk about is AYA SOFIA.. of course its one of the land marks of Istanbul and was always even in history, which this building has seen alot of and still stands strong..it just happened that it was the first thing that I got tickets to see on my first day of touring Istanbul at day two after my arrival ( day one I saw first the bed after a long delayed tiring flight and when I woke up went to Galata Tower for dinner and a show, I will write about that later)
Aya Sofia is a place where you find so much history from every era, and feel once you pass through its doors and on its walls of Old Byzantium, Islamic and Christian thumb prints... you can almost hear the whispers of old times and see images of people in old robes and Emperors passing in front of your eyes.. It was built originally as a church in between A.D. 532 and 537 by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian converted to a Mosque in 1453 by Sultan Mehmet II who was only 21 when the Ottoman army conquered Constantinople and taken down Emperor Constantine XI The Last Roman Emperor who dies fighting on the city walls with his army.
To be cont....
Turkish word #8:
Ozur dilerim ozoor dillareem =sorry

The entrence of AYA SOFIA Oct 2008

The Entrence To Aya Sofia Oct 2008 by Fun Lilliy
Turkish word #7:
Lutfen lootfen =Please

Istanbul the enchanted city... my photos..

AYA SOFYA Oct 2008 by Fun Lilliy
I will be uploading the photos that I have taken in Istanbul along with the turkish word of the day.. till I run out of photos and then will see.. :)
Turkish phrase #6:
Bir sey degil beer shey daeil = You're welcome

Dolmabahce and Turkish Word #3

Th Dolmabahce Palace was actually closed on the day that I took the Hop on Hop off Bus tour (Euro 20 per person)which has become kind of like a tradition when ever I arrive to a new city full of touristic sites to see and I just listen to the commentary with the headsets with your chosen language and big list of all the areas to be seen which is almost everything you were looking up in a travel guide book.. its kind of like scanning the places and then deciding which of them to actually make time to go see .. usually these buses have interesting stop points and the next bus would come an hour later.. it had a stop point at this palace which is suppose to be as per the travel guide book says "An Ottman- European Extravaganza " but it was closed that day and I didn't have the time to get back and see the next day.. Next Trip for sure..
Today's Turkish word:
Evet evvet =Yes

Galata Bridge and Turkish Word #2

I just for some reason find it very interesting to look up these old photos of Istanbul.. This is Galata Bridge in 1907.. these days when the bus tour passes this bridge you can see people fishing and men sitting with small boxes selling fish hooks and necessities for fishing.. I never had the chance to ask if they really eat the fish they catch bec I just find it very odd.. do they do it for sport or do they actually do it to fish to eat these catches.. hmmm...
Todays word:
Hoscakal hoshchuckal =Goodbye.

Fun Lilliy Learning Turkish!

In an attempt to learn a new language and inspired by my recent trip to Istanbul Turkey.. I have decided to learn Turkish.. It suddenly made sense to me to learn this language.. I am a descendant originally from Uzbek origin and never been taught by my parents to speak Uzbek, they were worried that it would confuse me I was already learning Arabic and English at the same time.. so they thought learning a third language would be hard on us.. I still remember my late grandfather who was always proud of our origin talking to us only in Uzbek every time we visited him and when ever I say I don’t understand he would turn to my father and scold him and tell him that it was his fault that we don’t speak Uzbek.. ever since I visited Istanbul in Eid and listening to the Turks with the sounds and the words that are very familiar to me.. and since Turkish is the sibling language of Uzbek.. I found that I have more access to Turkish teaching books.. Cds.. and sites which will help me.. I made my decision I will learn Turkish! so here goes.. my first word..
Merhaba! merhaba = Hello!

Coming soon ..the photos that I took in Istanbul! its a very old city.. full of history.. I was really enchanted and romanced by Istanbul...

Fun Lilliy Weekend Woman Delight

Fun Lilliy:
Cooks " Pasta Salad à la Norma "
Every one knows that I am a big Rachel Ray fan and like her recipes because they are quick and " figure friendly " as she says and since the weather is hot.. I like salads and pasta salads in particular so this is what I am headed out to buy the ingredients for to try for dinner tonight!

Ingredients:
Salt
1 pound penne rigate pasta
1 medium eggplant (1 1/2 pounds), cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick slices (I leave on half the skin — I like the color and texture it gives the dish)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), plus more for brushing
Pepper
8 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced or torn
2 cloves garlic, grated
1/2 pound ricotta salata cheese, crumbled
Preparation
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, then rinse under cold water.
While the pasta is working, heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high. Brush the eggplant with EVOO, season with salt and pepper and grill until tender, 6-8 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, then cut into small cubes and place in a large bowl.
Add the tomatoes, basil and garlic to the eggplant. Pour in the 1/4 cup EVOO and season with salt and pepper. Add the pasta and cheese and toss to combine.

If you tried tell me how it turned out for you.. Ill give my feed back after tonight..

Places to see before I Die Selection of the Week
Victoria Falls in Zambia

there is also this Video The Victoria Falls from the air

From Times Online
June 4, 2008
The Victoria Falls from the air
Arion McNicoll heads to Zambia to see Africa's largest waterfall up close and from a helicopter

Makes you want to be there right now..

Artist of the Week and every week :) Gustav Klimt xhibition at Tate Liverpool



Picture of the Week:

Fun Lilliy
Visit MyBlogLog and get a signature like this!

Love in Sri Lanka..

I had heard that Sri Lanka is paradise to be explored.. and a romantic exotic destination to some.. seeing this video made me wonder if it is worth a visit some day..
Also there are The Maldives Islands which some couples go to for their honeymoon and it is close by... which is a dream of mine to go and see.. I love Islands and anything on a beach front.. I think its so romantic..
I have never been to the far east.. but because of my love for travel.. I would love to see a lot of it hopefully in the future..
Do you have a list of the places that you want to see before you die? What is your top ten that you haven't seen yet and hope that you would get to in your lifetime? if you tell me yours I tell you mine..

The Eurostar in Europe better than planes..

I long learned the joy of traveling by train in Europe because that is my fathers favorite travel vehicle in Europe for many reasons one is to set back and enjoy the ride without the hassle of concentrating on the road and trying not to miss the right exit, it was faster, less hassle than handling a car or getting on and off a plane with checking in your bags or checking it out and dont have to deal with plane delays.. you can move around on the train while enjoying Europe's scenery.. now with the Eurostar especially that I was able to enjoy it traveling around Italy by Eurostar Italia in my recent trip, less hassle with all the security measures in Airports this clip proved my point..



I didn't know about the motorbike taxis in Paris that is for sure I will try it my next trip to paris.. exciting!