Turkey
Images of Turkey
I first visited Turkey in 1971 as a guest of Bulent Rauf. He had a house on the beach in what was then a small village called Bitez near Bodrum in the Mugla region of Southern Turkey. There was no electricity or water then and Tangerine groves, Mulberries, Figs and Olive trees surrounded the house. Transport was by camel or the one taxi Bodrum boasted.
Bulent Rauf was, amongst other things, an archaeologist and a great chef so when he suggested to a young group of Englishmen that we should see Turkey, we jumped at the opportunity. Together we travelled the length and breadth of the country learning from the diverse natural environment, the untold riches of its’ history, some of the philosophies it gave birth and life to and the stunning regional cuisine. This was the beginning of my love affair with the country and its’ people.
"It is my second home and Istanbul is the heart of it, like the kitchen from which comes nourishment for all - anyone who finds empathy with this country and its' people will want to return again and again..."
In a similar sense and echoing the unsurpassed Turkish hospitality, Jelaleddin Rumi said, "come, come whoever you are worshipper, wanderer, lover of leaving - ours is not a caravan of dreams…"
For eight years I had a small studio in Uskudar on the Asian side of the Bosphorus overlooking the sea and the Istanbul skyline from which many of the images shown here were born.
I first visited Turkey in 1971 as a guest of Bulent Rauf. He had a house on the beach in what was then a small village called Bitez near Bodrum in the Mugla region of Southern Turkey. There was no electricity or water then and Tangerine groves, Mulberries, Figs and Olive trees surrounded the house. Transport was by camel or the one taxi Bodrum boasted.
Bulent Rauf was, amongst other things, an archaeologist and a great chef so when he suggested to a young group of Englishmen that we should see Turkey, we jumped at the opportunity. Together we travelled the length and breadth of the country learning from the diverse natural environment, the untold riches of its’ history, some of the philosophies it gave birth and life to and the stunning regional cuisine. This was the beginning of my love affair with the country and its’ people.
"It is my second home and Istanbul is the heart of it, like the kitchen from which comes nourishment for all - anyone who finds empathy with this country and its' people will want to return again and again..."
In a similar sense and echoing the unsurpassed Turkish hospitality, Jelaleddin Rumi said, "come, come whoever you are worshipper, wanderer, lover of leaving - ours is not a caravan of dreams…"
For eight years I had a small studio in Uskudar on the Asian side of the Bosphorus overlooking the sea and the Istanbul skyline from which many of the images shown here were born.
