salut de Istanbul

H and I are having a fantastic time in the city. Here is a picture post card view of the Hagia Sofia from the terrace of our hotel.

by any other name

We are excitedly packing and rearranging the indoor topiary and landscaping to make it easier for our neighbor to manage watering this jungle of plantlife.  We'll be in Istanbul, Byzantium, Constantiople, and PfRC will be taking a short sabbatical.  I have read that the Turkish people have a slang designation for Germany--exonyms are a challenge, Deutschland--Frengistan or Frankistan.  I feel I have barely cracked the guidebook but we have already an overwhelming amount to explore.

when I know more of tactics than a novice in a nunnery

Though I do not presume to know more about the effects of invisible volcanic ash on jet engines than assembled experts, pilots and government by committee, there seems to be more and more of these events of extreme caution that cry wolf or rather swine flu that's left us with an embarassment of spoiled vaccine doses or nacked body-scanners or firewalls.  Twinkle-twinkle, little bat--how I wonder where you're at... I hate to sound angry and second-guess good intentions--I feel like a tea party-goer.  It is not as if the internet, however, was invented for seediness or miscreants, nor the miracle of flight for underpants bombers, nor Mortimer J. Marker or spray-paint for huffing.  More protections are afforded for the abusers and we are kept too safe for misguided reasons.

led zepplin or come josephine in my flying machine

Maybe it is time that someone offered a ritual sacrifice to Eyjafjallajökull (or Kajagoogoo, it's easier to pronounce) and appease the pyroplastic blast.  Tens of thousands are still grounded at the far corners of the Earth, mail is delayed, and soon markets and economies reliant on imports will start experiencing shortages, and over-production in export markets will spoil in warehouses.  Aside from human traffic, it is astounding how a small disruption can reveberate.  With a second series of eruptions promised, I think it would be pretty keen to see the return to those days of people whizzing about in bi-planes, airships and punting in hot-air balloons.