Turkey-photos

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In January of 2001, I returned to Turkey to do some more training for TRT's lighting people. The photos below are of aspects of Ankara and Istanbul that I found interesting, amusing or just photogenic.
I was there for most of January and February, when the weather is quite cold, especially in Ankara which is almost 1000 metres above sea level. These pictures are of Ankara which is the capital city.

There are also some panoramic pictures of Turkey to be seen here

TURKEY 2001 (January 15th-29th)

	Do we really need all that food?		Finally, we get in the air and pass over London's big white elephant, sorry, The Dome.
The sky looks much more interesting as we approach turkey from the west.		My good friend and translator, Ebru, met me at the airport as usual and brought me up to TRT's headquarters.
	My view of TRT hasn't changed much from my quarters. Still a pretty impressive building.		The taxis are all yellow and they all want your business.
The traffic lights have displays to tell you how long till the next green phase. Good idea.		This gentleman was slightly suspicious of me; perhaps because I was taking a picture behind my back to avoid attention. Failed there then!
	Part way up the long (very long) hill from the city centre to TRT is this shopping mall with a 150 foot tower sporting a rotating restaurant on top.		Inside, all is calm, potted plants and escalators and designer shops. Not the biggest Mall in town, but a welcome warming point on my cold walk from town.
On the other side of town, there's the old city, small and clinging to a hill as many old cities do. In 1930 or so, the population of Ankara was about 30,000. It now stands at 3 million.			Clearly, building standards vary from Western standards.
		I took a trip to the Mausoleum for Ataturk, Turkey's founder and hero. Created in a grandiose style, it is a contrast to much of the Ankara that I had seen so far.
	These three gentlemen stand guard as one enters from the car park.		This is the beginning of the long, long walk to the Mausoleum proper.
Here is the big 'M' with a few humans to help realise the scale.		Inside, a lone soldier guards the tomb of the known warrior; Ataturk. I came to understand that he did a great deal to help Turkey recover from the ruins of the Ottaman Empire. He travelled widely in Europe and tried to introduce the best of West European ideals.
	This plaque tells a little more about the great man.		This is the all wooden rowing machine that Ataturk used in his furtherance of fitness in the 1920's.

	A Cadillac, one of his official cars.		The ceremonial one.
I believe this is the tomb of his loyal General which aligns exactly with Ataturks tomb.
	Snow and sunshine transforms the landscape.		These shots were all taken during an hour or two of magical light. A wonderful combination of snow, sun and mist.
Rays of reflected sunlight reach out through the early morning mist.			Later that same day, a nice sunset behind TRT's main heating plant.
	My friend with the golden voice sings in the TRT restaurant most evenings to appreciative customers. Including me.		When the sun goes down, Michael has a nice meal in TRT's fine on site restaurant. It's always very tasty...
	My interpreter, Ebru and her husband take me out for a superb Sunday lunch of typical Turkish food.
End of Phase 1. Time to go home.			with a final look at Istanbul airport.