chios town, greece

Half of Chios' population lives in the main town, which is harried and industrial, at least by Greek island standards.

The original walled town still stands. Over the years, Genoese, Venetians, Ottomans, and Byzantines took turns controlling the island, and their eras overlap in the architecture.


The ruins of a mosque still stand, near an Ottoman cemetery. You'd think these graves would have been desecrated, but the Greeks leave them alone. I like the fez and turban tops. Take note, Christians.

chios, greece

Chios, one of the largest Greek islands, is sparsely populated. It has the feel of Iceland or Ireland: rugged, ancient, and somewhat emptied out.

In 1822 the Ottomans invaded and killed or exiled much of the population. We visited a couple of 1,000-year old monasteries.

One keeps the bones of some of the victims (3,000 local women and children had sought refuge there) in a side chapel.

The towns are medieval, heavily fortified, and further protected by absurdly narrow streets. The village we stayed in, Avgonima, has been lived in for a thousand years.

Pyrgi, in the south, is charming, with black and white patterns on its buildings (cribbed from Sicily). Columbus lived here when it was a Genoese outpost.

Almost everyone we met had a New York connection. It was funny pulling up to some medieval town in the middle of nowhere and being greeted by a Brooklyn accent.

istanbul

Istanbul feels like one part London, one part Arabian Nights.

Minarets distinguish the skyline. The calls to prayer overlap, although the city doesn't stop for them. Alcohol is served in nearly every restaurant.

Most people dress like Americans headed to the mall, although head scarves are common, along with the occasional abaya.

We stayed in the old part of town, near the Blue Mosque.

The Basilica Cistern is nearby, a reservoir constructed 1,500 years ago. It's supported by massive columns salvaged from other structures.

The Hagia Sophia is a Byzantine contemporary, inaugurated in 537 (!). It was a church, then a mosque, and is now a museum.

back!

Later!

the poetry of yelp

the guy kj is a comple fag
song choice sux
and he is rude as fuck

the girl kj
she is a hippie
but really nice
better song choice.

to dark
cant smoke inside
and takes to long to get a drink.

over priced



manager sux
if your young and hot
stay out
he will force you to the back
and
fuck your drunk ass

i know
i worked for him.

way to small of a place.

but best machanical bull in austin



I noticed a couple
boring
straight guys,
one who was ancy
and waiting with a carry-on,
and a nervous sort of dude
who looked the type to be
three drinks
and a locked door
away
from his first gay experience.

But I didn't have the inclination or the energy.

JC kept eyeing
some Hispanic guy
behind me
who N swore wasn't gay,
but his crossed legs
and sensible shoes
said different.

As I lazily sipped on my second vodka tonic,
I was quite abruptly snapped back
to attention
when a gay guy
carrying a burlap man-bag
walked by us
wearing highwater jeans
and tall gladiator shoes.

When asked my opinion, I could only declare
"A true insult to our people."

nightlife image browsing assignments, i've missed you

new york's most wanted.

Oodles of crazy-eyed browsing pleasure.