So Good to be back

I am back in Istanbul!   I am here for the orchestra concerts, staying at Robert College until Monday.  I arrived at 14.45 at the music office with no one knowing I was coming - there followed extended magical moments of cuddles and salutations - I love my Turkish brothers. The concert  particularly special as the first one since May 2019 due to Covid and I wanted to be here for my dearest friends. The concert was of course excellent  but the lass with the voice in the main pic (rubbish quality photo taken with my phone and I was in the balcony with Caitlin) was just extraordinary - how can an 18 year old be so professional? so at ease on stage with the audience paying rapt attention to her every sound and gesture. An absolute natural performer. The extra shows the performance of  a song by Timur Selcuk (1946-2020) famous musician singer songwriter, whose daughter, Mercan, is the modern dance teacher at Robert College, so, again, a poignant performance as the first time these musicians could publicly remember him due to Covid. 

After the concert Deniz, Mercan, her mum (Mrs Selçuk), Alex and I went to Bizim Tepe for a couple of beers and catch up after which Deniz dropped me off at the apartment, after which I walked  the short distance into the village to buy a few provisions which I consumed back at the flat before crashing, exhausted, somewhere around 11pm.