Lost in Istanbul Whenever I visit Istanbul, I have three absolute must-visit spots. First, a morning Turkish coffee at Hafiz Mustafa in Taksim. Second, the Süleymaniye Mosque, simply because it was designed by the legendary architect Sinan. And third, a walk down to the Ortaköy Mosque—mostly because it’s a bit further out, which helps me…
Tag: architecture
Late Night Strolling Down Manhattan
A short nostalgic essay about experiencing New York In the middle of summer, I was already making plans for what I would do for ten days in New York. Nothing dramatic, nothing touristy, nothing that would excite me too much. Something for the soul, as they say.Reminiscing about the years before, when I wandered those…
Happy New Year 2026
Uzbekistan for Beginners
Where History Wears a Turban and the Moon Poses for Instagram Uzbekistan in three sketches If you think Uzbekistan is just desert and camels, get ready for me to blow away your expectations like a hot wind in Samarkand. The land of the Silk Road is full of historical gems that will sneak into your…
Six Days in Istanbul
Short Notes I haven’t traveled anywhere for five years. First Covid, then my mother’s illness. And then my mother passed away.She always said how sad she was because, according to her, I wasn’t traveling anywhere because of her. So I explained to her that my presence with her was my decision. No one forced me…
West of the Pecos
Zane Gray – West of the PecosPecos Smith is the best horseman, the best shot, the best man with a rope who ever rode out of southwest Texas. That is all anyone really knows about him. But in six-gun country, west of the Pecos, people figure he will be useful to have around. This is…
Ravnikar and Me
After working as a construction technician for a year, I realized that this was not the job for me. The idea of enrolling in the Faculty of Architecture has matured. As the writer Fran S. Finžgar once wrote – Let him be a student!But it wasn’t that easy. First I had to pass the entrance…
Morning Prayer in Bukhara
From the beginnings of Islam, there have been three types of mosques: Djuma mosques, which are intended for the large crowds that come to Friday services, Namazga country mosques (musalla idgoh), which are used by the male population of both the city and the surrounding countryside to celebrate the two Muslim holidays Qurban and Ramazan,…
When Your Passport is Stolen in India
While studying architecture, we also learned a lot about the history of architecture. Also about the Taj Mahal.And so, on a fine Sunday afternoon on February 26, 1989, I studied whether everything we were taught was true. Taj Mahal in all its beauty. I was so carried away by all this beauty that I forgot…