geometry

doors of the oudaïa

já estou melhor, obrigada

blue beauty

Another humble beauty is the previously blogged about Rüstem Paşa Mosque, a favourite of mine. The patterns and colours of the Iznik tiles which cover the walls of this little mosque are beyond exquisite, and the quiet space offers breathing room in this hectic city of nearly 20 million.

pattern and colour at the fish market

accents of white

lisbon in tiles

It got to the point during my wandering, where I was snapping photos of tiles nearly every ten steps. Lisbon is a city of unexpected colour combinations which somehow work harmoniously together— salmon and cerulean, saffron and bordeaux. Many of the city's buildings are tiled in mesmerizing patterns, which naturally pulled me to extract my camera from my bag, with oooohs and aahhhhhs.



Turkey has a rich ceramic and tile tradition, with gorgeous cobalts and floral motifs, that I can't help but wonder why there aren't more buildings covered in tiles. The fairly new Hacıosman metro station has massive panels of stunning Iznik tiles which feature the çintemani motif, a pattern of three circles, representing royalty and power. I imagine the cost of tiling entire metro stations would be astronomical, but it's just so lovely— and what a way to keep a tradition current.

mediterranean flowers

In the blistering, Mediterranean sun, these ladies were shucking and drying corn for chicken feed.
I love the combination of floral patterns in their clothing— when I think of traditionally-dressed Nepali women, I remember their wild, adventurous exploration of colour. Turkish villagers may not wear flowing scarves of cerulean and magenta, but they do have an appreciation for everything floral. I have noticed a shift in my wardrobe since moving overseas— there are flowers growing in my closet, and I find myself more often in chartreuse, electric pink and turquoise.

The cheerfulness with which these ladies were working was inspiring.
The warmth with which they greeted me was beautiful.

fortune in a cup

I love a tradition that involves a hot beverage, imagination and a long chat. When you reach the end of your dainty cup of silty Turkish coffee, it's tradition to flip your cup upside-down on its saucer, and examine the patterns formed by the grounds for signs of love, adventure and money.

I see dancing nudes, the Himalaya, a shirtless bearded man and a sea horse.
What do you see?

colours of copenhagen

kilim

The smell of wool,
Tea on your tongue, the heat of the glass in your hands,
The thunder of a carpet unfurled,
Dizzying patterns, exquisite colours— vegetable, synthetic,
Knotted by knotted hands,
Foot-worn, or pristine.