One year of 603

This day, one year ago, Istanbul603 was born.

The first 2 posts, which we wrote in the computer room of the bilgi dorms, represent where whe wanted to go with this blog at that time. It has become much more than we expected at the beginning, but the spirit remains the same.

What amazes me is how good this idea has worked in practice, not only by keeping us in touch, but also keeping the collective spirit we had in Istanbul. Think about it.

Thanks to everybody that has contributed to this blog and helps keeping it alive and healthy.

This is just the first year of Istanbul603, but I hope many more will come.

And to quote our very first post:
603 is not a number
603 is state of mind

My reunion with Ataturk

Not long after I came back to Venezuela I heard the rumor that there was an Ataturk statue, not only in Caracas, but just a few minutes from my neighborhood, in a park I have passed by many many many times in my life before. Ever since then I've been wanting to pass by one more time, see if it was true, and take some pictures... but it took me a little longer than I expected.

I don't know if it's just coincidence or what, but the neighborhood where the statue is it's called 'Santa Sofia', and I realized the connection with Istanbul just today when I saw the sign where it says 'Santa Sofia' just next to 'Plaza Kemal Ataturk'.

Maybe Ataturk is also near your house and you don't even know. Ataturk is really everywhere.

!Portuguese Reunion!

Natercia and I @ Porto

The Report will be done by Natercia ... soon hopefully

Mi vida

The last time I wrote here about what's happening in my life was not so many posts ago, but it has been more than 3 months.

Since then, I had a not so exciting december holidays and started working at the beginning of January. I'm currently working in a software development company, on a project for a travel agency (which is a beautiful premonition). My master plan is still to work this year and save some money to go to my next unknown destination.

I've been really busy just with my job, but I like what I'm doing, so it's no real sacrifice. Outside of my job I've been relatively busy also.

I worked in another short-movie 3 weeks ago. This time it was a special-effects-filled sci-fi comedy with more than 40 people working on set. A little different from my other film experience.

I played a futuristic sentinel for an evil telecomunications megacorporation (with a futuristic uniform and all). It might sound as a great role, but I was actually an extra. I found out the hard way that extras are not very appreciated in the professional film industry, so it was not as fun as my other experience, but interesting nonetheless.

I was waiting for the pictures to write about that, but the pictures are late as usual. As soon as I get them I will post some of them here.

For carnival I went to a small town named El Callao, famous for their carnivals and for their gold mining. It is very far from most of the venezuelan big cities, so you don't see many city people around there, even if their carnival is one of the most well-known in Venezuela. The celebration is basically drinking a lot of rum and dancing a lot of live-played calypso, with a lot of people, for 4 consecutive days. Don't get me wrong, there is a lot more to it, like some local traditions with afro-caribbean influences, the colourful parades, the giant moving soundsystems... but the drinking, the dancing, the music and the collective energy are what stands out. Pure and simple celebration

I took some pictures. None of them capture the magnitude of the celebration and chaotic spirit but you can get an idea of the place, the color and the people.

A morning parade

One of the sound-systems

Singing with the air-mic behind the giant sound system pushed by man-power

As Cristiano so truly said, I also have Istanbul on my veins, in my blood. It amazes me to still find out the impact that the experience had on me.

I can honestly say that I'm on a point of my life in which I feel happy and confident with who I am, where I come from and where I'm going, even if I haven't completely figured out that part yet. There is nothing extraordinary in my life right now for me to say that, but I've learned to appreciate what I have, and Istanbul and all of you are a big part of that.

So, that's my life now.

Love you all,

Basilio

ILLEGAL

Me and my friends going back home...

..::My second hand Life::..

My second hand life

Finally, after long month with no activity, suddenly with no apparent explanation 603 is back in action! This nostalgic place is quite comfortable for me?
Last 10th of February was the ephemerid of my arrival in Istanbul, I?m still amazed already passed one year ?
Is strange but a feel that Istanbul on veins? I?m all the time speaking about Istanbul, last week I bought a book with Turkish food receipts ? but I still not face that sacred place called kitchen.. But I will!
Anyway my life is more less the same that was before I left Porto but now knowing that there is a crazy world out there ?
I have classes everyday, almost every morning, after lunch normally I do some ?siesta? and I have more classes in the night until 23h00 (yeah Maarten until 23h00) ? weekend is for party? drinks some beers and be with Freddy, by the way I was with white Freddy, crazy guy he is?
I just came back from the carnival vacations I went to Granada, Andaluzia Spain, I was there for five days. Mad city very cosmopolitan people from everywhere, and that Spanish way life, u know ?tapas? sangria. Was 5 days of excesses crazy Freddy was there again. The hotel was really bad (and really cheap) and in a night somehow I made a blackout in the hotel ? but in the next day when I woke up everything was all right. There is not so much to tell about it ?drunk nights hang over days only in the last morning we did tourism, we went to Alhambra (A Muslim / Christian Palace and a mini city) it is enormous but was there only 2 hours, for a proper visit you need one day .. however we were too tired to walk? and it was waiting for us 1000 km by car?

Peace! I miss u all my brothers?

Cris!