Podcasts about Blue Mosque

This week, Tommy is joined by Layla Garachi—GG's sister and a recurring presence throughout every season of Shahs of Sunset—for a special rewatch episode covering both Return to the Homeland Parts 1 & 2. The group travels to Turkey for Asa's deeply personal family reunion, but unresolved tensions simmer just beneath the surface. As they explore Istanbul, Mike has a powerful moment outside the Blue Mosque, and Reza grapples with his identity as a gay man in a conservative Muslim country. In Part 2, seasickness, soul-searching, and secret missions take over: GG and Reza struggle to stay upright during a Mediterranean yachting excursion, and Asa, driven by family ties, plans a clandestine trip to the Iranian border with her mom and Reza—despite being banned from returning. With Layla's unique insight and personal connection to the cast, this rewatch hits different. The Best Hug in The World, written by Tommy Feight    The Till the Dirt Patreon is LIVE! https://www.patreon.com/tillthedirt?utm_campaign=creatorshare_fan   Hey Dirties, do you want to be featured on the pod? DM us at @tillthedirtpodcast on Instagram for a chance to have your question answered by Tommy and MJ.   Till the Dirt Merch is here! https://tillthedirtpodcast.com/merchandise/   Hey Dirties, do you want a personalized video from MJ or Tommy?! Check out their cameo links below: https://www.cameo.com/mercedesjavid https://www.cameo.com/tfeightnyc   If you would like to donate, send books or pick books from Tommy's Amazon wish list visit https://feightclub.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kim and Tamara recently visited Istanbul, Türkiye for the first time to attend the SATW (Society of American Travel Writers) Annual Conference. In this episode, they share their insights and tips for others planning a trip to Istanbul including where to stay, top sights to visit, safety, and other travel tips. Show Highlights: Turkish Airlines has a lot of direct flights from the USA (including Boston and Seattle) Turkish Airlines business class varies depending on what plane you are on and you need to be strategic about choosing your seat It takes about an hour to get from the airport to the city center and there is a lot of traffic in Istanbul. Tamara used Welcome Pickups and Kim used Sun Transfers for private transfers, which were both affordable and possibly cheaper than taxis. It is best to stay in the Sultanahmet neighborhood for first time visitors near the main attraction, Kim also stayed in the Galata Tower area but it is very hilly and hard to access for cabs. Tamara stayed at the Hagia Sofia Mansions Hotel (a Curio Collection by Hilton Hotel) and Kim stayed at the White House boutique hotel. They also stayed at the Conrad Hilton during the convention but wouldn't recommend that area unless you are about to get on or off a cruise. You can ask Google Maps for an accessible route to avoid hills. Kim and Tamara really enjoyed taking a small group tour of the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sofia. You can do it on your own but the guide takes care of getting the tickets and plan it so you don't need to figure out what time the mosques are open for visitors. You need to cover your hair when you enter a mosque and take off your shoes so it is helpful to wear slip off shoes and socks. In the Hagia Sofia, visitors can only go to the second level and look down at the main prayer area. You can also see the gold mosaics and Christian imagery from when it was a church. The Basilica Cistern is also nearby and it is very popular with very long lines. We would recommend that you buy skip the line tickets online in advance. Tamara took a guided tour but it was hard to stay together in the crowd and you need to use a listening device to hear the guide. The Sulimaniye Mosque, near the Spice Market, is also well worth a visit for its gorgeous architecture. It is equal or even better than the Blue Mosque. The Rustem Pasha Mosque is also beautiful, but smaller. The Spice Market, also known at the Egyptian Market, has tons of shops selling tea and spices. Just beware that they sell via the kilo and that is a huge amount so you need to request a much smaller amount unless you want to spend an arm and a leg. The sales guys are very good at upselling and aggressive about engaging you to get you into the shop. They also offer free samples. See Tamara's tips on visiting to Istanbul as a solo female traveler: https://yourtimetofly.com/istanbul-solo-female-travel/ The Grand Bazaar is largely gold jewelry and knock off designer goods with just a few more authentic shops with Turkish linens or carpets. Make sure you try simit in the morning, baklava, Turkish Delight, and Turkish coffee and tea. There are some shops or tours that include someone who "reads" your tea leaves or coffee grounds. Turkish cuisine is very beef and lamb centric. A braised beef and eggplant is a popular dish. Let the restaurant bring different types of mezze, as many of these are delicious and things you might not have tried if you picked yourself. Gozleme is a flatbread topped with cheese or cheese and spinach. Credit cards are widely used but you should bring cash (or get cash from an ATM) for taxis and you will be able to spend less if you pay in cash when you go shopping. Be prepared to tip. Make sure the taxi starts the meter and know ahead of time about how much it should cost. And if you use Uber, don't let them tell you that they don't pay via the app. The tram is an easy way to get around and there is a kiosk to purchase tickets with an English option.

Imam Adeel J. Zeb is a global interfaith scholar, CEO, and TEDx speaker. He served as the 1st Muslim and 1st South-Asian president of the National Association of College and University Chaplains. Zeb has worked as a Muslim chaplain at 6 colleges and universities across the United States and currently resides in the Greater Los Angeles area serving as the Executive Director of the University Religious Conference. He has spoken at Capitol Hill, the State Department, Obama's Interfaith Summit, and the Sultanate of Oman and various faith-based centers and colleges globally.  He was profiled by the Washington Post and BuzzFeed, Associated Press, and The New Yorker. He has been published in the Huffington Post and the Temple Journal of Ecumenical Studies. He has completed the prestigious fellowships and study abroad programs in Poland and Germany, Cambridge, Rwanda, Jerusalem, Turkey, and Oman. He has led interfaith and faith-specific service trips internationally. He is the founder of Halal Love Journey, a multifaceted Muslim marriage service offering pre/marital coaching officiating nikkahs, and tailored matchmaking. Zeb has certifications in conflict management, interfaith conflict management, and mediation from the United States Institute for Peace.  He served as a two-time U.S. Congressional staffer. He holds degrees and certifications from Baylor University in business administration and Arees University in traditional Islamic studies, a master's degree in Islamic chaplaincy from Hartford Seminary and certified in tajweed and Qur'anic recitation from the Blue Mosque in Istanbul.  EPISODE LINKS YOUR GIFTS SUPPORT THE MAD MAMLUKS PODCAST:  Please support us on https://Patreon.com/themadmamluks You can also support us on PayPal https://themadmamluks.com/donate VISIT OUR SOCIALS FOR MORE DISCUSSIONS: Twitter https://twitter.com/TheMadMamluks Instagram https://www.instagram.com/themadmamluks/ Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@themadmamluks SIM: https://x.com/ImranMuneerTMM MORT: https://www.tiktok.com/@morttmm Harry: https://x.com/MrHarry198 Shaykh Amir: He is too pious for Social Media. GUEST SOCIALS Twitter: ----------- #palestine #palestineisrael #gaza #genocide #themadmamluks #podcast #honesty #oppression #israel #oud #syria #syriancivilwar

Suffering, sad Susan has one hell of an hangover in this post-US election special. Klappy tries to keep the fluffy puppy stories coming as the flames of chaos rage in the studio. Then special guest Hamid separates fact and fiction in the controversial history of the (recently closed) Blue Mosque in Hamburg.

In this episode of 'The Vacay Podcast', Sophie Jackson chats with Daniel from My Travel Expert about the enchanting city of Istanbul, Turkey. They explore iconic landmarks such as the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and the bustling Grand Bazaar. Daniel shares his love for the Mehtar at the Military Museum and the delicious Eggplant Roast at the Blue House restaurant. They also discuss the world's busiest burek and baklava production. Daniel emphasizes that Istanbul is a city of endless surprises, always offering something new to discover. Join them for a captivating conversation about the rich culture, history, and culinary delights of Istanbul. This episode is brought to you by nib & helloworld.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week's monument is the Blue Mosque, found in the Turkish city of Istanbul, one of the most beautiful and magnificent examples of classical Ottoman architecture. Tickets for Half-Arsed History Live are available here: https://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/show.aspx?sh=HALFHIST24 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hear about travel to Afghanistan as the Amateur Traveler talks to bigger and adventure tour guide Sibu Szymanowska about this adventurous destination, even for her. Why should you go to Afghanistan? Sibu says, "Because we are very influenced by what we see in the media nowadays and it is definitely one of those countries that will end up shocking you. But not Shocking you in a negative way, but shocking you in a very positive way, because there is so much more to the world than what we see on mainstream media, on the news, but by what our governments tell you, and Afghanistan obviously is not an easy destination to navigate, but is it possible?"... Yes. Cities Visited Kabul: The capital city with significant historical and cultural sites. Bamiyan: Known for the destroyed Buddhist statues and diverse landscapes. Herat: Famous for the Blue Mosque and historical Citadel. Sites to See Kabul: Bibi Maru Hill, local mosques, bird market Bamiyan: Buddhist statue site, Band-e-Amir National Park Herat: Blue Mosque, Citadel, tile-making workshops ... https://amateurtraveler.com/travel-to-afghanistan/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You ever wonder how it feels to grow up in a place where cultures from East and West blend seamlessly? Our charming guest, Franko, an Istanbul native and current US resident, takes us on an unforgettable journey through his colorful homeland, Turkey. This episode is an engaging concoction of personal anecdotes, enlightening historical lessons, and Franko's fascinating business adventures, including how he became a US agent for a Turkish hair transplant company. Buckle up as we traverse the time-worn streets of the Ottoman Empire, revealing its profound impact on Greek and Turkish cultures. Uncover the hidden gems of Istanbul as Franko guides us through the iconic Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, and the Four Seasons Hotel, which intriguingly was once a prison. Revel in the breathtaking views of the Bosphorus from Taravio Town and Chiron Palace hotels, and treat your taste buds to an appetizing discussion about Turkish cuisine, featuring burek, dolma, and the much-celebrated Turkish delight.As we journey deeper into the heart of Turkey, we celebrate the country's unique cultural offerings, from honoring the women's volleyball team's victories to exploring stunning natural formations like Kapadokia's fairy chimneys. We swap tales about the best time to visit, transportation quirks, and the vibrant four seasons in Istanbul and Bursa. Winding down our Turkish adventure, we dive into the Aegean and European side of Turkey's unique holidays, music, food, and safety. Immerse yourself in this Turkish odyssey that is guaranteed to ignite your wanderlust!Map of Turkey Find  Franko here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/franko-m-ismen-award-winning-performance-a0a659a/https://www.instagram.com/realtor_franko Visit our Sponsor Site: KissNaturals.com Use code "Travel" for 20% off! Support the showPlease download, like, subscribe, share a review, and follow us on your favorite podcasts app and connect with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wherenextpodcast/View all listening options: https://wherenextpodcast.buzzsprout.com/HostsCarol: https://www.instagram.com/carol.work.lifeKristen: https://www.instagram.com/team_wake/ If you can, please support the show or you can buy us a coffee.

Contemporary artist Maha Ahmed reconnects Asian art forms along the Silk Road, migrating between traditional Mughal and Persian miniature paintings, Japanese woodblock prints, and imported Islamic ceramics. Where Worlds Meet captures both Maha Ahmed's practice and life. Born in 1989 in Pakistan, she first studied Miniature Painting at the National College of Arts in Lahore from Imran Qureshi, pursuing her practice in that city, and also London, Tokyo, and Dubai, where she is currently based. Ahmed's detailed paintings relate to her own migrations, each one populated with one or two birds in flight. Over time, her titles have shifted, from references to noise, towards solitude, emptiness, and meeting ‘a wall at every turn'. Ahmed speaks about her experience of isolation in Japan, and the loneliness shared by many during COVID lockdowns. But she also shares how Japan offered her many meeting points in her artistic journey, as displayed in her Leighton House exhibition. Maha's miniatures draw from traditional Persian and Mughal manuscripts, and classical Japanese forms. Though historically-informed, her application of colour is wholly contemporary, with rich greens and blues lent from her time working at an illustration studio in Tokyo. She talks about about artistic exchanges between Asia and East Asia, and how woodblock prints, pigments, and dyes were often traded along the Silk Road, inspiring interdisciplinary and multimedia artworks. These are cultural histories which decentre and exclude Western Europe entirely, often absent in the art historical canon. The artist also combines historic and contemporary media; some are aged, with paint layered atop tea and coffee-stained paper, and some are stark and modern. She links back to London with ‘An Unfolding' (2023), a work specially commissioned for Leighton House, which references the importance of colour in ‘non-representational' art. Ahmed also details how she draws from the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, and how, as a Muslim, she feels ‘comfortable appropriating' the colours of its 18th century Arab Hall, adorned with vivid ceramic tiles from Turkey and Greece, Egypt and Syria. Maha Ahmed: Where Worlds Meet runs at Leighton House in London until 3 March 2024. For more about Oneness (2022) at Leighton House, hear artist Shahrzad Ghaffari on EMPIRE LINES: pod.link/1533637675/episode/a8cb557e566005623d9ad59e8e0a3340 For more about Imran Qureshi, listen to Hammad Nasar in the EMPIRE LINES episode on Did You Come Here To Find History?, Nusra Latif Qureshi (2009): pod.link/1533637675/episode/f6e05083a7ee933e33f15628b5f0f209 And read more about the exhibition, Beyond the Page: South Asian Miniature Painting and Britain, 1600 to Now, at MK Gallery and The Box, in my article in gowithYamo: gowithyamo.com/blog/small-and-mighty-south-asian-miniature-painting-and-britain-1600-to-now-at-mk-gallery WITH: Maha Ahmed, contemporary artist, whose works draw inspiration from traditional Persian and Mughal manuscripts and classical Japanese painting techniques. She has lived and worked in Lahore, London, and Tokyo, and is currently based in Dubai. She is represented by Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery in London, and Galerie Isa in Dubai. ART: ‘Where Worlds Meet, Maha Ahmed (2023)'. PRODUCER: Jelena Sofronijevic. EDITOR: Luke Matthews. Follow EMPIRE LINES on Instagram: instagram.com/empirelinespodcast And Twitter: twitter.com/jelsofron/status/1306563558063271936 Support EMPIRE LINES on Patreon: patreon.com/empirelines

BloggerAtLarge writer Megan Singleton is still gallivanting across the world- and recently stopped off in Istanbul! Despite missing the Haggia Sofia and the Blue Mosque due to long lines, Megan still managed to experience the Galata Bridge and the Grand Bazaar- and all the fine dining and views the attractions had to offer. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're in Istanbul, Turkey, with Andrea Lemieux of TheQuirkyCork.com. We talk about exploring the harems at Topkapi Palace, visiting the Blue Mosque, and shopping at the Grand Bazaar.  Show notes & our 1-page guide are at https://WeTravelThere.com/istanbul Miles & points make travel affordable but tracking them is difficult. That's why I use AwardWallet to monitor rewards, reservations & free night certificates. Sign up for free at WeTravelThere.com/awardwallet

It's Tuesday morning. Back at my desk after an epic 11 hour flight back, an overwhelming sadness grips me.After 13 days of discovery, magic, nature, and sun, its hard to re-integrate.I was actually really irritated with Istanbul the first two days. Previous visitors called it 'magical.' I found it dirty, crowded, hot, and very commercial. If I saw one more KFC or Popeye's Chicken, I was going to scream. Sitting in taxi's, the traffic rivalled LA, but on streets dating back to the 13th century and not designed for the load.Where was the magic?It came the last night.We had no dinner reservations at Michelin star restaurants. No art historians leading us on a historic tour of a mosque. Matt and I wandered the city until the sun set. It was Sunday, and all of Istanbul was out, walking on foot. Modern women in hijabs and Converse sneakers, walking with purpose. Women in full black abayas in 90 degrees walking slowly. By nightfall, we were crossing the Galata Koprusu bridge. I was eager to get back to the hotel, the weight of an 11 hour flight awaiting. Fishermen bent their long rubbery poles over the sides of the bridge, patiently waiting for catch. Some set up makeshift tables for conversation and cigarettes. The silver flecks of fish visible in gallon water bottles sawed in half and off to the side.I was engrossed in my phone. Google maps is my north star when traveling, offering directions back to our hotel in the Old City. I looked up, searching for Matt, who was busy photographing the fishermen. Something had happened in the interim.  The entire city had lit up. It was like looking at the inside of a glittering jewel box, like the ones I had as a kid, with the ballerina tinkling music inside. The Blue Mosque with its six minarets, floodlit at night, held its own against the Hagia Sophia on the other side of the square, both standing high on the hill overlooking the Bosphorus Strait and Golden Horn.As the driver brought us to the airport the next day, I was really emotional. I didn't expect Turkey to impact me so deeply. If you are seeking ways to keep pieces of vacation in your routine once back, here are a few things I do:1. Write Down RealizationsOften you come back with a renewed sense of what is actually important. WRITE THAT DOWN. For example, I came back knowing I needed to figure out some way to better manage reading and learning daily. Out to sea, my mind was like a sponge, soaking up stories and habits of 7 figure founders. Rather than watch TV, I wrote down that I will reserve one hour each night to read. And be kind to myself. Implement one new idea each week. Not all at once.2. Use 5 Senses to Connect to Being PresentI'm surprised at how many connections my brain made while quietly paddle boarding. New ideas bubbled to the surface while looking at fish. I wasn't making decisions, code-switching, being on sales calls like the typical work day. I can't be on a yacht forever, but I each night, as I journal, I recordWhat I smelled.What I tastedWhat I heardWhat I sawWhat I didEffectively be present to the sensory experiences I find in my own home and neighborhood.The rest in this blog postI am currently filling for my 2024 Mastermind. Each woman leader is building a powerful personal brand, culminating the year delivering in a TED x style talk on a New York City stage. Joya is currently enrolling members for strategy days in Paris Florence Barcelona Istanbul info@joyadass.com

Mehmet Ali Sanlikol and A Far Cry — A Gentleman of Istanbul (Crier) New Classical Tracks - Mehmet Ali Sanlikol by Mehmet Ali Sanlikol is a Turkish American composer and multi-instrumentalist who grew up surrounded by Western classical piano music. Then, he discovered jazz. He moved to Boston to study at the Berklee College of Music. And today, he's a professor at the New England Conservatory. His life-changing journey comes to light in his new recording with the chamber orchestra A Far Cry, A Gentleman of Istanbul. “I came back to my roots seven years after moving to Boston,” he says. “When I reconnected with my culture. I realized that I was self-alienated, self orientalism. It was a very important moment. It took about 10 years for me to come out of it. “What I mean by that is I started picking up several traditional musical instruments, studying them in addition to piano and singing professionally in traditional classical Turkish style. It was around 2011 when I relaunched my career as a composer and jazz musician. I had developed a more confident and unique voice as a composer.” How did you come up with A Gentleman of Istanbul? “It wasn't that difficult for me to think about a theme because right then, Donald Trump had come forward with his Muslim ban. It wasn't in response because almost everyone I knew was arguing. What surprised me was how many people out there looking to defend Muslims happened to be putting out images that were also stereotypes. “This just kept hitting me one after the other. They once said, ‘Come on, this is not right. This is reductionism.' Islamic geography is huge, from Morocco to Indonesia. It's a huge religion, and you're reducing that culture to just the mosque and the headscarf? “I said, ‘Let me show you cosmopolitanism within Islam.' I went to this fantastic Ottoman intellectual Muslim traveler from mid-17th-century Istanbul. His name is Evliya Çelebi. I thought if I picked several excerpts from his traveling, I might be able to show the kind of cosmopolitanism I rarely see. Would his ideas of Islam be accepted now? “I think those kinds of attitudes still exist. However, he was devout, but at the same time, he had a lot of room for all kinds of Sufi dervishes, too. That's the cosmopolitanism that I'm talking about. It's striking, especially considering this is a 17th-century travelogue.” How have you created music that blends traditional Turkish Western classical jazz? “First, I selected four different sections out of the travelogue. The first one was the clocks and bell towers of Vienna. That first movement is a little bit more classical, if you will. I am playing the oud as the featured soloist — the middle of the first movement follows the sonata form. In the middle of that, there is a fugue. There is a sense of Vienna that I found different ways to express. “In the second movement, where he talks about the death of an Ottoman sultana, he becomes melancholic, dramatic and Homeric. I thought about Istanbul and the kind of violet or purplish tones you see that get reflected on the Bosporus Strait right around sunset. I imagine crossing the Bosporus with a ferry at that hour and seeing the seagulls fly before the Hagia Sophia or Blue Mosque. I had these images, and then I thought, ‘That's jazz.' I said, ‘I'm going to score a jazz ballad.' “The third movement is the funniest passage, because he says he sees two Bektashi Sufi dervishes, an order from central Turkey. One is riding a rhinoceros, and the other is on an animal with horns by the ears. I was like, ‘What's going on?' It was so entertaining. When I go back to that, it puts a smile on my face, and it's fantastic. It's like a passage out of Star Wars, right?” Watch now To hear the rest of my conversation, click on the extended interview above, or download the extended podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. Resources Mehmet Ali Sanlikol and A Far Cry — A Gentleman of Istanbul (Amazon) Mehmet Ali Sanlikol (official site) A Far Cry (official site)

There are places in the world where religious tolerance and cultural diversity are not respected. Lance Cpl. Clayton Rogers takes us to the Blue Mosque where Afghan reporters shed light on U.S. forces support and acceptance of different religious faiths. Includes soundbites from Farooq Sadat - Tolo TV reporter and Mullah Halimi - Mosque priest. Hosted by Airman 1st Class Marshall Hunsaker.

Subscribe Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart   Support The Daily Gardener Buy Me A Coffee    Connect for FREE! The Friday Newsletter |  Daily Gardener Community   Historical Events 1643 Birth of Sir Jean Chardin, French jeweler and traveler. Jean is remembered for his ten-volume work, The Travels of Sir John Chardin, which is considered one of the most important early accounts of Persia and the Near East. In Travels, Jean wrote about the Persian love language of tulips. When a young man presents a tulip to his mistress he gives her to understand, by the general color of the flower that he is on fire with her beauty, and by the black base of it that his heart is burnt to a coal.   1845 Death of Elizabeth Fox, also known as Baroness Holland, English political hostess and flower lover. When she was 15, Elizabeth married Sir Godfrey Webster, who was twenty years her senior. After having five children in six years, Elizabeth began an affair with a Whig politician named Henry Fox, the 3rd Baron Holland. When she had his child, she divorced Godfrey and quickly married Mr. Fox. Together they had six more children. Elizabeth is remembered for her strong will and domineering nature. She was a zealous socialite and highly passionate about flowers. In garden history, Elizabeth is remembered for introducing the Dahlia to England. In 1804 during a visit to Madrid's Royal Botanic Gardens, Elizabeth received Dahlia pinnata seeds from the botanist Antonio José Cavanilles ("Cah-vah-nee-yes"). When she returned to England, the little seeds were successfully cultivated in her gardens at Holland House. Twenty years later, Elizabeth's beloved second husband, Henry Fox, was so proud of her effort to share the Dahlia with England that he wrote these words in a little love note: The dahlia you brought to our isle Your praises forever shall speak; 'Mid gardens as sweet as your smile, And in color as bright as your cheek.   1964 Death of Denys Zirngiebel, Swiss-born naturalist, florist, and plant breeder. After establishing a home in Needham, Massachusetts, Denys sent for his wife and little boy. Denys and Henrietta had four children. Their only daughter (also named Henriette) married Andrew Newell Wyeth, and their son was NC Wyeth, the Realistic Painter. During the 1860s, Denys worked for the Arnold Arboretum at Harvard University. He later bought a 35-acre tract of land along the Charles River in Needham and started his floral business. An excellent businessman, Denys expertly marketed his inventory. Denys shipped flowers to the White House and the State Department each week. In a nod to his Swiss heritage, Denys was the first person in America to cultivate the Giant Swiss Pansy successfully. Denys's Needham nursery grew so many Giant Swiss Pansies that the town adopted the flower as their floral emblem, and Denys became known as the "Pansy King."   2001 On this day, the French Film Amelie was released in the United States.  In the movie, Amélie steals her father's garden gnome to help him escape his depression after losing his wife. Amélie gives the gnome to an airline stewardess. Her father starts receiving photos of his garden buddy visiting iconic travel destinations like Monument Valley, The Empire State Building, Angkor Wat in Cambodia, The Blue Mosque in Instanbul, and The Sphinx in Cairo, Egypt. In the end, Amélie's plan works. In the last scene, her dad sets off on his own adventure inspired by a little garden gnome.   On a historical note, one of the earliest mentions of garden gnomes I could find was from July 9, 1928, in the Liverpool Echo.  The article announced: Quaint Garden Ornaments... a quaint littie tribe of people - garden gnomes, sixty in number - [were] sold by auction, in Liverpool. They were imported from the Continent.   Grow That Garden Library™ Book Recommendation The Revolutionary Genius of Plants by Stefano Mancuso  This book came out in 2018, and the subtitle is A New Understanding of Plant Intelligence and Behavior. The Wall Street Journal raved about this book in their review: In this thought-provoking, handsomely illustrated book, Italian neurobiologist Stefano Mancuso considers the fundamental differences between plants and animals and challenges our assumptions about which is the 'higher' form of life.   The editor wrote, ...world-renowned scientist Stefano Mancuso reveals the surprisingly sophisticated ability of plants to innovate, to remember, and to learn, offering us creative solutions to the most vexing technological and ecological problems that face us today. Despite not having brains or central nervous systems, plants perceive their surroundings with an even greater sensitivity than animals. They efficiently explore and react promptly to potentially damaging external events thanks to their cooperative, shared systems; without any central command centers, they are able to remember prior catastrophic events and to actively adapt to new ones.   Stefano introduced the controversial topic of plant memory this way, After years spent investigating the many aspects of plant intelligence, I have been consistently surprised and fascinated by plants' clear capacity for memory. Maybe that sounds strange, but think about it for a moment. It isn't too difficult to imagine that intelligence is not the product of one single organ but that it is inherent to life, whether there is a brain or not. Plants, from this point of view, are the most obvious demonstration of how the vertebrate brain is an "accident," evolved only in a very small number of living beings-animals-while in the vast majority of life, represented by plant organisms, intelligence-the ability to learn, understand, and react successfully to new or trying situations--has developed without a dedicated organ. All plants are capable of learning from experience and therefore have memorization mechanisms. If you submit a plant, for example an olive tree, to a stress such as drought or salinity, it will respond by implementing the necessary modifications to its anatomy and metabolism to ensure its survival. Nothing unusual in that, right? If, after a certain amount of time, we submit the same plant to the exact same stimulus, perhaps with an even stronger intensity, we notice something that is surprising only on the surface: this time, the plant responds more effectively to the stress than it did the first time. It has learned its lesson. Somewhere it has preserved traces of the solutions found and, when there was a need, has quickly recalled them in order to react more efficiently and accurately. In other words, it learned and stored the best answers in its memory, thereby increasing its chances of survival.   Stefano's clarity and conversation tone take these scientifically modern concepts and help us to see plants on a new plane of understanding. This book is 240 pages of the latest plant research and gorgeous botanical photographs to illustrate some wild ideas about the plant world. You can get a copy of The Revolutionary Genius of Plants by Stefano Mancuso and support the show using the Amazon link in today's show notes for around $4.   Botanic Spark 1890 Death of Shirley Hibberd,  English journalist and garden writer. He is remembered as one of the most successful gardening writers of the Victorian era. Shirley edited three enormously popular gardening magazines, including Amateur Gardening, which is still published today. Shirley's life story was lost to time until the garden historian Anne Wilkinson wrote his biography after fifteen years of painstaking research. Anne shares a wonderful timeline of what she could piece together about Shirley's life. The result is a wonderful and poignant mix of gardening passion and personal tragedy, as evidenced by the events between 1877 and 1885. 1877 The Amateur's Kitchen Garden. 1878 Home Culture of the Watercress leads to Shirley Hibberd being awarded a gold medal by the RHS. 1879 'Water for Nothing Every House its own Water Supply'; Familiar Garden Flowers starts to be issued. 1880 Shirley Hibberd and Sarah move to Brownswood Park, Highbury.  Sarah dies of heart disease and is buried in Abney Park Cemetery. 1881 Feud between Shirley Hibberd and William Robinson generated by Shirley Hibberd's criticism of William Robinson's asparagus competition.  Shirley Hibberd invited to edit Amateur Gardening, a new cheap paper, published by Collingridges.  Marriage to Ellen Mantle, his cook. 1884 They move to Priory Road, Kew.  Shirley Hibberd works for the RHS on renovating their garden at Chiswick; is a member of the Floral Committee and the Garden Committee.  1885 Birth of Shirley Hibberd's daughter Ellen, and death of Ellen, his wife; she is buried in Abney Park.  The Golden Gate and Silver Steps. Shirley Hibberd organises a Pear Conference.   Shirley was a champion of amateur gardening during an era when it was thoroughly rebuked by horticultural high society. But Shirley's curiosity and passion for gardening and its ancillary interests overpowered any scorn. When it came to gardening, Shirley was a conscious competent, and he was eager to educate others about gardening, a topic of many of his books. Shirley's topics ranged from town gardening and aquariums to beekeeping and conservation. Shirley was ahead of his time. Shirley Hibberd once wrote, ...the social qualities of flowers [are so many] that it would be a difficult ... to enumerate them.  ... [Upon] entering a room, [we always feel welcome when] we find a display of flowers on the table.  Where there are flowers about, the hostess appears glad, the children pleased, the very dog and cat are grateful... the whole scene and [all souls seem] more hearty, homely, and beautiful, [in the presence of] the bewitching roses, and orchids and lilies and mignonette!   Thanks for listening to The Daily Gardener And remember: For a happy, healthy life, garden every day.

Opie is thin skinned!  Also, NASA playing asteroids, stupid Putin, her eyes are too close together, she Hulk is a man baby, CCR documentary, playing long songs on the radio to get some things done, this drives fisherman crazy, the Jews know how to do holidays, goalies fighting, million dollar Shark Tank idea, that's it and much more! Favorite Sponsor - Microdose Gummies with just a touch of THC www.microdose.com promo code "opie" 30% off and free shipping! Join the Private Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/203909694525714 Instagram and Tik Tok - OpieRadio Merch and stream podcast episodes - www.opieradio.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  Trivia Competition We are so excited to have such incredible talented guests on this episode. Our first Oscar nominee joins us this episode with Gregg Helvey. He joins Annie to form team Low Bars. They take on World Traveler Jimmy Utley and Mamie "I Live in Annie's Basement" Rijks. Who will win this trivia battle? What is the title of Niccolo Machiavelli's best-known work, a political treatise written around 1513? Named for the color of tiles on its inner walls, the Blue Mosque is an Ottoman-era historical mosque located in which city? A traditional British dressing, with what kind of food is Bread Sauce usually served? In the novel Shoeless Joe, Ray Kinsella seeks the author JD Salinger. In the film Field of Dreams, which was based on the novel, Ray seeks whom? Which 19 year old was the most decorated female athlete of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, leaving with four gold medals, one silver medal, and two world records? The BBC series Peaky Blinders is set in which British city? The most common trickster figure among the Native American tribes of the Southwest took the form of what animal? The traditional Māori greeting, the hongi, involves what body part? If you liked this episode, listen to the first match between Millenium vs Willenium episode. Reference made in the episode Please watch Gregg's movie Kavi, it's amazing Check out Gregg's Script Accelerator business Music Hot Swing, Fast Talkin, Bass Walker, Dances and Dames, Ambush by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Don't forget to follow us on social media: Patreon - patreon.com/quizbang - Please consider supporting us on Patreon. Check out our fun extras for patrons and help us keep this podcast going. We appreciate any level of support! Website - quizbangpod.com Check out our website, it will have all the links for social media that you need and while you're there, why not go to the contact us page and submit a question! Facebook - @quizbangpodcast - we post episode links and silly lego pictures to go with our trivia questions. Enjoy the silly picture and give your best guess, we will respond to your answer the next day to give everyone a chance to guess. We will also post old videos of us with Katy Colloton. Instagram - Quiz Quiz Bang Bang (quizquizbangbang), we post silly lego pictures to go with our trivia questions. Enjoy the silly picture and give your best guess, we will respond to your answer the next day to give everyone a chance to guess. Twitter - @quizbangpod We want to start a fun community for our fellow trivia lovers. If you hear/think of a fun or challenging trivia question, post it to our twitter feed and we will repost it so everyone can take a stab it. Come for the trivia - stay for the trivia. Ko-Fi - ko-fi.com/quizbangpod - Keep that sweet caffeine running through our body with a Ko-Fi, power us through a late night of fact checking and editing!

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 15-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, from Sunday through Thursday. US reporter Jacob Magid and political correspondent Tal Schneider join host Jessica Steinberg for today's podcast. Schneider discusses Israel's warning to Israeli tourists in Turkey of Iranian plans to attack Israelis, as foreign minister Yair Lapid plans to visit the region on Thursday. Magid reviews more details about US President Joe Biden's mid-July visit to the region, and what Biden can accomplish during his trip as Israel's government wanes in power. He also looks at the effects of the possible downgrading of the rank of the US military post tasked with bolstering security coordination between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Discussed articles include: Lapid set to visit Turkey amid efforts to thwart Iranian attacks on Israelis there Israelis hide out in Istanbul hotels amid Iran attack warnings: ‘Why take the risk?' Senators urge against lowering rank of Israeli-Palestinian security ties coordinator Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on iTunes, Spotify, PlayerFM, Google Play, or wherever you get your podcasts. IMAGE: A Turkish police officer walks in front of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, on June 14, 2022. (Yasin Akgul/AFP) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A busy street next to the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, around the time of a salah (praying).

MSC announces new luxury brand Explora JourneysEpisode 59 is possible thanks to David in Scotland who kindly donated coffees, which we used as an excuse to record the podcast LIVE from a coffee shop in Hillary's Boat Harbour (WA). It was very busy and does sound very different. However, let us know what you think. With so much news to get through we will leave Maritime History & Cruise News until next episode.This podcast is only possible thanks to our supporters, simply buying a coffee keeps us on air. It is just like shouting your mate a coffee, and we consider our listeners close mates.  https://bit.ly/2T2FYGXCRUISE NEWS Passing of Gavin Macleod (Love Boat) It is with sadness felt to the depth of the oceans that we mourn the passing of actor Gavin MacLeod our beloved global ambassador, dearest friend and treasured member of the Princess Cruises family for more than 35 years.From his 10 seasons staring as Captain Merrill Stubing on the hit TV show “The Love Boat” (1977 to 1986) and for more than three decades following the show's final season, Gavin enthusiastically shared his passion about the joys and adventures of exploring the world while cruising. He always reminded us that – like the popular TV series, “cruising gives people something to dream about.”Gavin, who celebrated his 90th birthday in February, officially became Princess Cruises' global ambassador in 1986, appearing in a vast array of advertising campaigns and countless public and media appearances for the company. His role for Princess continued until his passing.Dream Cruises – Hong Kong Sea-cations a hit with locals. Dream Cruises' recently announced restart of cruises on board Genting Dream in Hong Kong has been met with an enthusiastic response from the public. After only one week of sales since bookings officially opened on Thursday, 27 May, Genting Dream's first two high seas “Super Summer Seacation” cruises departing on 30 July and 1 August are close to 90% while Friday night departures throughout August are already at nearly 50% of capacity.Hurtigruten announces two Pole to Pole adventures Hurtigruten Expeditions has unveiled an epic 93-day Pole to pole expedition cruise – exploring Alaska, the Northwest Passage, Greenland, Caribbean, the Panama Canal, South America, and Antarctica in one monumental voyage.93-day itinerary, in the wake of polar hero Roald Amundsen, departs Vancouver on August 8, 2022 and will visit 11 countries – and Antarctica – before disembarking adventurous guests in Buenos Aires.  The expedition cruise will be with the MS Roald Amundsen, which Hurtigruten says is not only the world's first battery-hybrid powered cruise ship but also fittingly named after the first explorer to successfully reach both the North and South poles, as well as the first person to navigate through the Northwest Passage, which he did in 1903.A 66-day long expedition option that visits seven countries between Edmonton, Canada, and Santiago de Chile, departing September 22, 2022. MS Fram will take guests through the Canadian Arctic to Greenland, before heading south, through the Caribbean, the Panama Canal, exploring the coast of South America, and do some of the first landings in Antarctica that season. Hurtigruten Expeditions' MS Fram is named after the original explorer ship Fram, which the company says is one of the mightiest expedition ships of all times and was used on a series of expeditions between 1893 and 1912 – including Roald Amundsen's 1911 Antarctica expedition where he reached the South Pole.Princess Cruises unveils its 2022-2023 South East Asia Cruises and Cruisetours ProgramPrincess Cruises today unveiled its 2022-2023 South East Asia Cruise and Cruisetour Program designed for Australian cruise guests and their families dreaming of travelling to Southeast Asia and the Malaysian Peninsula.  The cruise line announced its MedallionClass ship, Diamond Princess would be homeported in Singapore between December and March offering a season of 21 departures to 19 destinations in eight countries on eight unique itineraries.New Experiences for the 2022-2023 season include:Seven-day Southeast Asia with Malaysian Peninsula itinerary that includes the cruise line's first call to UNESCO World Heritage site, Melaka in more than a decade, as well as visits to Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Langkawi in Malaysia as well as Phuket, Thailand.New holiday voyages, sailing over Christmas and New Years', including a 10-day Southeast Asia with Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia and a seven-day Southeast Asia with Malaysian Peninsula, that can be combined for an epic 17-day cruise.‘More Ashore' late night stays in Sihanoukville, Cambodia and Kobe, Japan and visits to sacred sites including the Blue Mosque in Shah Alam (Kuala Lumpur), Temple of the Big Buddha in Ko Samui and the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, the oldest and largest Buddhist Temple in Bangkok.Azamara Reveals 2022 European Voyages for its New Ship, Azamara OnwardAzamara – the boutique cruise line dedicated to Destination Immersion® experiences – reveals 22 European itineraries and three new land explorations for the brand's fourth ship, Azamara Onward. Scheduled to set sail in spring 2022 for its inaugural season, Azamara will offer guests the opportunity to join Azamara Onward's maiden and christening voyage, starting in Monte Carlo and concluding in Venice. Azamara Onward will push forward the future of Destination Immersion experiences with half of its voyages being Country-Intensive℠ itineraries, allowing more time to explore a single country's hidden gems, and 85 late nights and 21 overnight stays in multiple cities across Europe.The ship's inaugural deployment will unveil a series of exotic voyages ranging from 7- to 15-nights, where guests can uncover the mysteries of the Black Sea during a visit to Constanta or the famous Potemkin Stairs of Odessa. In addition, enjoy an exceptional PerryGolf™ Mediterranean voyage and a new selection of land explorations, including an AzAmazing Journey in Greece and another in Cappadocia, along with voyages throughout Croatia, Italy, Istanbul, Spain and moreA-ROSA launches 2021 seasonA-ROSA River Cruises extends its 2021 season, reinstates some of its signature features and adds capacity to cater for strong demand.At least 75% of A-ROSA's fleet will be deployed this year, with the first sailing scheduled for the 16th of June on the Portuguese Douro River. Sailings on Danube, Rhine, Main and Moselle will launch soon after, with cruises on the Rhône in France to resume in late July. Sailings on the Seine from Paris will continue to be paused until further notice, in acknowledgment of the region's health warnings.A-ROSA was one of the few European river cruise lines that sailed during 2020, after successful deployment of comprehensive health and safety measures. Strictly following the guidelines from Germany's federal agency for disease control and prevention,MSC approved to construct new  flagship terminal in Barcelona MSC Cruises has obtained final approval by the Port of Barcelona's Board of Directors to build and operate an exclusive cruise terminal. This multi-year concession will see the construction of an innovative terminal of 11,670 square metres that MSC Cruises will operate and manage for a 31-year period. The project is estimated to represent a EUR 33 million investment by MSC Cruises. With construction work set to start shortly, the new terminal is expected to enter service in 2024.This project will allow MSC Cruises to consolidate its presence in Barcelona, which is one of the brand's most important ports in the Western Med, and to expand its homeporting operations out of the city. This will result in added direct and indirect economic benefit for the city and region as more international guests will transit through Barcelona, likely spending additional days in the city either before or after their cruise.The new terminal, which will feature shore power facilities and be ready for LNG bunkering operations, will also allow MSC Cruises to deploy more next-generation, environmentally friendly ships in Barcelona. This includes MSC World Europa, the brand's first LNG-powered cruise ship, which is currently under construction and due to enter service in 2022.Not only is Barcelona an important port for MSC Cruises, but also for the entire MSC Group. Both cargo operator MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company and ferry operator GNV have a solid presence in the port. As such, the new terminal is further proof of MSC Group's longstanding commitment to Barcelona, Catalonia and the whole of Spain.MSC Cruises – has announced its restart plans for cruising from U.S. ports beginning this August.The announcement follows CDC approval of the Company's Phase 2A Port Agreements for PortMiami and Port Canaveral as well as the provisional approval of its request to conduct a simulation cruise, to be held on MSC Meraviglia from PortMiami on July 17, 2021.MSC Meraviglia will kick off MSC Cruises' restart starting August 2, 2021, with 3- and 4-night cruises from Miami to The Bahamas and featuring MSC Cruises' exclusive new private island destination, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve. Then, starting September 18, 2021, MSC Meraviglia will add 7-night cruises from Miami to The Bahamas and Caribbean, including Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve. MSC Divina will resume cruising from Orlando (Port Canaveral) on September 16, 2021, offering 3-, 4- and 7-night cruise options from to The Bahamas and Caribbean, also including stops at Ocean Cay MSC Marine ReserveThe MSC Group Reveals New Luxury Cruise Brand, Explora JourneyWith More Than 300 Years of Seafaring History, Explora Journeys Will Offer an Ocean Escape that Allows Travellers to Celebrate Discovery while Reconnecting to What Matters MostThe MSC Group has announced the company's entry into the luxury cruise market with the launch of a new brand created for the next generation of discerning luxury travellers: Explora Journeys. Built by Fincantieri, the first of four luxury ships will set sail in 2023, with the remaining ships ready in 2024, 2025 and 2026. Each will utilise the latest in cutting-edge maritime technology to provide journeys of discovery through destinations on and off the beaten path. Guests will be hosted on a ship like no other, with the highest level of service and amenities.Designed in partnership with the world's foremost superyacht and luxury hospitality designers, the innovative ship will seamlessly blend elegant Swiss precision with modern European craftsmanship. With 461 oceanfront suites and residences, guests will enjoy striking views at sea and in port from their floor to ceiling windows and personal private terrace. Suites will start at 35 square metres which is among the most spacious for the category in the industry.Fourteen decks will provide ample indoor public space, maximising guest choice and seclusion. Generous outdoor decks will boast more than 2,500 square metres overlooking the sea, with 64 private cabanas across 3 outdoor pools. A fourth pool, with a retractable glass roof, will allow swimming and poolside relaxation in any weather. Combined with various indoor and outdoor whirlpool baths on the ship's promenade deck, the ship was designed with water as a focal point to put guests in an ocean state of mind.With journeys starting at 7 nights, a best-in-class guest experience will ensure relaxed mornings and exciting evenings. Non-conventional arrival and departure times combined with overnight stays will allow Explora Journeys to offer guests exclusive access to once in a lifetime experiences. With ships that travel far north and south of the equator, itineraries in the inaugural collection will offer the ideal blend of celebrated destinations such as Saint Tropez, Bordeaux and Reykjavik, and hidden gems such as Kastellorizo, Bozcaada and the Lofoten Islands. Explora Journeys will bring guests to lesser-travelled harbours to enjoy a more authentic experience and a slower pace of travel.Bookings for the 2023 Inaugural Collection will open in Autumn 2021. To learn more about Explora Journeys, please visit ExploraJourneys.com, contact your travel advisor, or join the conversation @ExploraJourneys.AIDA Cruises opens bookings for Christmas cruise on AIDAcosma and West Med summer cruisesAIDA Cruises announced that bookings are now open for AIDAcosma's voyages over Christmas and New Year's Eve, with AIDAcosma embarking December 22, 2021, on a unique positioning cruise from Hamburg to Gran Canaria. Guests will experience New Year's Eve while anchored in the harbor of Madeira with a perfect view of its famous fireworks display. The cruises are now bookable and can be combined for an extended holiday  in the travel period 22 December 2021 to 8 January 2022.The cruise line also announced that AIDAperla's new Mediterranean voyages in summer 2021 can be booked from today. From July 10 to October 30, 2021, two different 7-day voyages from/to Palma de Mallorca are on the program. Ports of call are Cadiz, Malaga, Cartagena, Alicante, Ibiza, Valencia and Barcelona. The passage of the Strait of Gibraltar is another highlight.AIDA Cruises has already been successfully offering cruises since March. The following vacation options can be booked for the 2021 summer season:Canary Islands voyage with AIDAperla, 7 or 14 days, from/to Gran Canaria, until July.Greek cruises with AIDAblu, 7 or 14 days, from/to Corfu, May to OctoberCruises with AIDAsol, 3, 4 or 7 days, from/to Kiel, May to June and from/to Warnemünde, during month of JulyCruises with AIDAprima, 7 days, from/to Kiel, July to OctoberMediterranean cruises with AIDAperla, 7 days, from/to Mallorca, July to OctoberPonant outlines environmental commitments from A to Z.On June 5, as the world focusses on global environmental responsibilities and a sustainable future, PONANT has reiterated its long standing commitment to responsible tourism and the investment the group has put into providing environmentally sustainable actions for over 30 years.PONANT's governance includes a Sustainable Development and CSR department monitored monthly by a steering committee which supervises all actions.On board, currently 60% of waste is recycled with an objective to raise this to 85%. The global rate is 20%.PONANT treats all wastewater – biologically treated and filtered without chemical additives. The residue is 100% tracked, disposed via certified responsible waste disposal.The implementation of shorter supply chains where possible; monitoring the origin of meats supplied and paying attention to animal welfare.Better than carbon neutral: since September 2019 PONANT has implemented 150% offset of carbon emissions.NGO NABU has identified PONANT as the cruise company with the world's cleanest fleet in terms of airborne emissions.Executive Member of AECO – the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators aimed at responsible, environmentally friendly and safe tourism in the Arctic.Executive Member of IAATO – the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators – which advocates and promotes safe and environmentally responsible travel in the Antarctic including restrictions on the numbers of guests ashore at one time, proximity to wildlife, briefings for guests, crew and expedition personnel.The PONANT Fleet at the core of sustainability development.Investing over €1 billion, PONANT has the youngest fleet of small luxury expedition ships in the world. 10 small capacity ships fitted with electric propulsion powered by generators. Investing in and operating a modern fleet brings environmental benefits:All ships have obtained Comfort Class 1 certification reflecting low noise and vibration levels – good for guests and marine life alike.The PONANT EXPLORERS fleet of six vessels achieved a 75% reduction in their nitrogen oxide emissions by having catalytic convertors operating 24 hours a day. An industry exclusive.Fleet-wide, PONANT is the first cruise company to have ceased using heavy fuel oil (HFO) moving to 100% lower emission high grade Low Sulphur Marine Gas Oil.All the ships in the PONANT fleet carry the highly regarded Bureau Veritas CLEANSHIP certification label.Each ship has a designated Environmental Officer on board responsible for briefings for guests, crew and expedition personnel.Holland America Line Captures the Aloha Spirit of Hawaii and Mexico's Vibrant Culture on 2022-2023 CruisesWith deep-rooted cultures, colourful traditions and endlessly sunny skies, Hawaii and Mexico are a celebration of the senses waiting to be discovered on an award-winning Holland America Line cruise. Travelers can explore both regions on roundtrip sailings from San Diego, California, aboard Pinnacle Class Koningsdam during the 2022-2023 season, now open for booking.Beginning in October 2022 through March 2023, guests can embark on a “Mexican Riviera” or “Circle Hawaii” getaway between five and 18 days. Two back-to-back itineraries can be combined for a 24- or 25-day “Circle Hawaii and Mexican Riviera Collectors' Voyage” for the ultimate tropical getaway. Both regions feature a wealth of cultural experiences, immersion into nature and authentically distinct cuisine.Highlights of the 2022-23 Mexico Cruise Season:All Mexico cruises are roundtrip from San Diego.All seven-day “Mexican Riviera” cruises feature three Mexican ports of call: Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán and Cabo San Lucas.One special five-day cruise departs Dec. 17 and calls at Ensenada and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.A nine-day New Year's Holiday cruise departing Dec. 29 explores the Sea of Cortez and calls at the Mexican ports of Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán, Cabo San Lucas, Pichilingue (La Paz) and Loreto.Highlights of the 2022-23 Hawaii Cruise Season:Hawaii cruises sail roundtrip from San Diego with the exception of two departures that are roundtrip from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.“Circle Hawaii” cruises range from 16 to 18 days:16- and 18-day roundtrip from Vancouver with calls at Lahaina, Hilo, Honolulu (overnight) and Nawiliwili. 18-day also stops at Kona.17-day calls at Lahaina, Hilo, Honolulu, Nawiliwili and Kona, Hawaii, and Ensenada, Mexico.18-day calls at Lahaina, Hilo, Honolulu (overnight), Nawiliwili, Kona and Ensenada, Mexico.The overnight call at Honolulu allows guests extra time to visit Pearl Harbor, relax on Waikiki Beach, take in the breathtaking views from Diamond Head State Monument or spend the evening enjoying traditional Hawaiian food and entertainment at an authentic luau.Bookings are open for these cruises sailing roundtrip from San Diego aboard KoningsdamCoral Expeditions full steam on Australian sailing schedule for 2022Coral Expeditions, Australia's pioneering small ship cruise line, today unveiled a fully domestic 2022 sailing schedule. This includes extended sailing dates in the iconic Kimberley due to popular demand. Also released are new additions to the Australia's Coastal Wilderness Series of itineraries to replace international voyages which remain uncertain with ongoing border restrictions.Coral Expeditions has enjoyed strong patronage following its successful restart of domestic operations in October 2020.  With its Australian-flagged small ship fleet carrying no more than 99 passengers and Australian crew, and a rigorous and fully approved SailSAFE Plan, Coral Expeditions is uniquely positioned to revive low-impact cruise tourism in regional Australia.  Headquartered in Cairns, Coral Expeditions has regular communication with all state and federal authorities and operates in full compliance with all directives.NEW DATES The Kimberley Cruise – Now on sale. Australia's Kimberley is the quintessential Aussie adventure. A vast and ancient land shaped by the powerful forces of nature. Majestic waterfalls, epic tidal flows, unique bird and marine species, ancient aboriginal art sites and magnificent rock escarpments shape this experience. Now in our 26th season in the Kimberley, our Australian crew share their knowledge and connection with the land, people, and nature as only a local can do.10 Nights – between Darwin & Broome. New dates in April and May 2022 aboard Coral Geographer are timed to coincide with the waterfall season. The full schedule of 2023 sailing dates from April to October is also now released and available for booking. The Availability Tracker for Coral Expeditions Kimberley season can be viewed HERE.NEW DATES Kimberley Icons, Ashmore & the Rowley Shoals – Now on sale. This new itinerary combines the Kimberley's highlights with the addition of remote Ashmore Reef, Adele Island, and the spectacular Rowley Shoals Marine Park allowing guests to enjoy water activities including snorkel and dive. 12 Nights – between Darwin & Broome onboard Coral Geographer. Departs 12, 24, & 28 September 2022.NEW RELEASE Across the Top – Coming soon. Originally created for Coral Geographer's Maiden Voyage, this itinerary explores some of Australia's most remote coastal regions including pristine offshore reefs and islands across the top of the Australian continent. 18 nights – between Cairns and Broome onboard Coral Adventurer.  Departs: 1 January 2022, and 20 January 2022.NEW RELEASE Australia' Great Southern Coastline – Now on sale. This expedition is a special Australian Geographic Society partner voyage. Experience the company of fellow explorers as we traverse the powerful Southern Ocean crossing the Great Australian Bight. Step ashore in rarely seen islands and national parks, sail past the towering sandstone cliffs of Bunda and visit the pristine marine outpost of the Archipelagos of the Recherche. 14 Nights  – from Melbourne to Fremantle onboard Coral Geographer.  Departs 1 March 2022.Celebrity Cruises' Equinox Announces US Return to ServiceCelebrity Cruises has announced a second ship will be returning to service from a U.S. port. Celebrity Equinox will begin sailing from Fort Lauderdale on July 25. This follows the announcement that Celebrity Edge will become the first cruise ship to depart from US waters on June 26.The recently revolutionised Celebrity Equinox will sail on a seven-night cruise of the Caribbean in what will be a picturesque cruise as guests visit the breath-taking Mexican ports of Cozumel and Costa Maya, along with Nassau, Bahamas.With this announcement, nine of the 14 ships within the Celebrity Cruises' fleet now have plans to return to sailing in 2021 and are ready to take guests to breath-taking destinations, including the Caribbean, Europe, Alaska and the Galapagos.Celebrity Equinox joins eight ships in the Celebrity fleet that have been announced as part of its phased restart, including:Celebrity Millennium, which began sailing seven-night Caribbean itineraries from St. Maarten on 5 June; and will reposition to Seattle to sail seven-night Alaska Dawes Glacier cruises beginning 23 July.Celebrity Summit will then sail the remaining St. Maarten season through August, followed by plans to sail a new series of four- and five-night sailings from Fort Lauderdale to the Western Caribbean through late October.Celebrity Apex – sailing seven-night Greek Isles itineraries from 19 June;Celebrity Edge – sailing a rotating schedule of Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries from Fort Lauderdale, beginning 26 June;Celebrity Silhouette – sailing the UK coastline as of 3 July;Celebrity Flora – returning to the extraordinary Galapagos islands as of 3 July, followed by the award-winning Celebrity Xpedition and intimate 16-passenger Celebrity Xploration on 24 July, and 18 September, respectively.NCL announces additional voyages restarting from the US Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), has announced additional voyages scheduled to set sail from New York, Los Angeles, Port Canaveral, Fla., and Miami and confirmed that its newest innovative ship, Norwegian Encore will replace Norwegian Bliss in Alaska this northern hemisphere summer.As part of its relaunch plan, the Cruise Line has announced its highly anticipated return to Miami, the Cruise Capital of the World, with Norwegian Gem scheduled to cruise seven-day itineraries to the Caribbean beginning Aug. 15, 2021 and a four-day voyage to the Bahamas in November. The Company has also opened for sale additional itineraries toBermuda starting Sept. 26, 2021 from New York on Norwegian Breakaway;the Mexican Riviera on Oct. 24, 2021 from Los Angeles aboard Norwegian Bliss;and the Caribbean on Nov. 13, 2021 from Port Canaveral, Fla. on Norwegian Escape.In addition, Norwegian Encore, the newest ship in the fleet, will make her debut on the West Coast, replacing the previously announced Norwegian Bliss in Seattle for the 2021 northern hemisphere summer cruise season, calling to the Alaska ports of Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan and Icy Strait Point, while also offering guests majestic views of Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier or Glacier Bay.RCI announces US comeback Travelers can once again mark their calendars and set their sights on a summer full of long-awaited cruise vacations. Building on the excitement of its upcoming return to Alaska, Royal Caribbean International has announced that six of its award-winning ships will begin sailing from major U.S. cruise ports in Florida and Texas in July and August. The cruise line's comeback will kick off on July 2 in Miami, the cruise capital of the world, with Freedom of the Seas* embarking on a special Fourth of July weekend sailing to Perfect Day at CocoCay. By the end of August, 12 Royal Caribbean ships will be cruising once again across The Bahamas, Caribbean, Alaska and Europe.On the heels of the first cruise in Royal Caribbean's highly anticipated return to the U.S. will be the debut of the brand-new Odyssey of the Seas* on July 3. The game-changing ship will set sail from Fort Lauderdale on new 6- and 8-night Caribbean cruises, to soon be followed by Allure, Symphony, Independence* and Mariner of the Seas. In the coming weeks, the cruise line will announce its plans to reintroduce its full fleet around the globe by year's end.Royal Caribbean's full summer lineup:Freedom of the Seas* – 3- and 4-night Bahamas and Perfect Day at CocoCay sailings from Miami, starting July 2Odyssey of the Seas* – 6- and 8-night Southern and Western Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale, starting July 3Serenade of the Seas – 7-night Alaska sailings from Seattle, starting July 19Allure of the Seas – 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries from Port Canaveral, starting Aug. 8Ovation of the Seas – 7-night Alaska itineraries from Seattle, starting Aug. 13  Symphony of the Seas – 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean sailings from Miami, starting Aug. 14Independence of the Seas* – 7-night Western Caribbean sailings from Galveston, Texas, starting Aug. 15Mariner of the Seas – 3- and 4-night Bahamas and Perfect Day at CocoCay sailings from Port Canaveral, starting Aug. 23The expanded summer line up will go beyond the U.S. to include international ports across the Atlantic, like Barcelona and Rome, when Harmony of the Seas returns to Europe. Starting Aug. 15, the Oasis Class ship will set sail on 7-night itineraries to the Western Mediterranean and visit iconic destinations like Palma de Mallorca, Spain and Provence, France.The new U.S and Europe cruises extend Royal Caribbean's previously announced plans to return to sailing, which include Adventure of the Seas departing from The Bahamas on June 12 as well as Anthem of the Seas sailing out of the U.K. and Jewel of the Seas from Cyprus in July.Saga Cruises' ship ‘Spirit of Discovery' in countdown to launch its first round Britain cruiseWith just three weeks this Sunday until Saga Cruises returns to the ocean on Spirit of Discovery, the ship is a hive of activity as it prepares to relaunch.Spirit of Discovery was initially launched on July 10, 2019 so had only recently taken to the waves when Covid-19 locked down the country. Her first sailing as restrictions lift will see her depart Tilbury on Sunday June 27 on a six-night Scottish Highlands and Islands cruise. It will then go on to complete two, six-night itineraries from the Northern Isles to the Fjords* on July 3 and 25 respectively, and in between will take in a Great British Isles Adventure cruise from July 11 for 14 nights.When she is at full capacity, Spirit of Discovery will accommodate 999 guests across 554 cabins, although this number is being capped further for these initial cruises to observe Covid protocols.At this stage, the 540-strong crew are joining the ship over the coming days ahead. Many are returning crew members so regular guests will recognise friendly faces.Once on-board the crew will re-familiarise themselves with the ship and their roles as well as go through extensive Covid-protocol training ahead of any guests arriving on board. The ship will also undertake a number of sea trials, which enable the crew to practice and refine key elements like breakfast, lunch and dinner service, theatrical performances, the daily cleaning routine, and restocking at ports. And they'll need to be well practised, as it takes nearly five days to load the ship with all the supplies needed for her first cruise around the British Isles. During a normal port of call, restocking of the ship takes around 10 hours as food, drink and supplies are brought on board.While she was in dock over the past year, the maintenance crew also took time to invest in further improvements including the installation of handwashing stations at the entrance to all the restaurants.Princess Expands Medallion capabilities Princess is introducing a new on-demand service that allows guests to call a crew member to their exact location to make an in-person request for assistanceCrewCallTM service on demand is available on stateroom TVs as well as the MedallionClass app and leverages the innovative OceanMedallion wearable to guide a crew member to a guest's exact location to be of service to the guest.The new capability is yet another example of how Princess is leveraging MedallionClass technology to increase high-touch and personalized service versus replacing it.The corresponding CrewCall Chat feature lets guests text their specific question or request using a smart device to be answered or actioned virtually by crew.Cruise Ferry Accommodation for 1,000 Police Officers and Staff During G7 Summit in Cornwall, UKMS Silja Europa, to serve as housing for 1,000 of the estimated 6,500 police officers tasked with providing security for the high-profile leaders attending the 2021 G7 Summit scheduled for June 11-13 in Carbis Bay, Cornwall, England.This is the first in person meeting of the G7 in two years and is the largest police operation in England this year. Cornwall is a small coastal County known for its natural beauty.The 60,000-gross ton Silja Europa, which is operated by Estonia-based Tallink Grupp, will reposition from Estonia in advance of the summit to be docked in Falmouth. For ten days, the ship, one of the largest and most popular passenger ferries sailing the Baltic region, will serve as a floating hotel and meeting space for the policing operation.Ethical Cruise T-Shirts Now available branded podcast t-shirts, cruise-tees and Christmas gifts or design your own in the studio. All using organic cotton, printed using green energy and plastic-free packaging! https://bit.ly/32G7RdhJoin the show:If you have a cruise tip, burning question or want to record a cruise review get in touch with us via the website https://thebigcruisepodcast.com/join-the-show/  Guests: Chris Frame: https://bit.ly/3a4aBCg    Chris's Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ChrisCunard  Peter Kollar: https://www.cruising.org.au/Home  Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2XvD7tF  Castbox: https://bit.ly/2xkGBEI  Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/2RuY04u  I heart Radio:  https://ihr.fm/3mVIEUASpotify: https://spoti.fi/3caCwl8  Stitcher: https://bit.ly/2JWE8Tz  Pocket casts: https://bit.ly/2JY4J2M  Tune in: https://bit.ly/2V0Jrrs  Podcast Addict: https://bit.ly/2BF6LnEMSC Explora 1MSC Explora 1MSC Explora 1MSC Explora 1MSC Explora 1 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Istanbul's most famous mosque is a delight for the eyes and ears. Headphone listening recommended! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Our lessons in history and visibility will continue in Istanbul…and you’ll be introduced to the first of my journey’s many ordeals. Take a deep breath, because DYSG only gets more intense from here on out! Are you ready? It’s okay if you’re not, because I’m not ready either…Trigger Warning – the following episode contains strong language and descriptions of harassment and assault, which some may find disturbing. Listener discretion is advised.Track InfoIntro/Outro Music - Vchera by AL-90 - some rights reservedMoonlight car ride scene music Radicalnye Tanzi by AL-90 (from CODE-915913 - 06 album) - some rights reservedHagia Sophia and Blue Mosque history scene music - 999 by MediantiShow NotesFor more intuitive, offbeat content between episodes, follow me on Instagram @moonemissary.Don't forget to subscribe to my travel and lifestyle blog, at moonemissary.com

Chapter 34Year 4 (Summer 2015)The Long way homepart 1 Turkey-stolen ukulele -Blue Mosque backdrop-Istanbul sights-friendly guys with green eyes-speedy trip to Izmir-Whirling Dervishes

Part One of our special three-part series on Istanbul, Turkey, goes inside the most popular cultural attractions in the city: the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, and the Basilica Cistern. Learn how to navigate the crowds, deal with the pushy "helpers" who want to be your best friend, and what clothing to wear for each venue. ​And for a change of pace from a Turkey Thanksgiving, we'll tell you about a Swedish restaurant that only serves one person a day! 

Giveaway Alert! This week, we're giving you a chance to win the luxury adventure of a lifetime, and the only way to win is to listen to this episode — two round-trip business-class tickets from the US to Turkey and three nights at the Four Seasons in Istanbul! Plus, TPG's Zach Honig and Nick Ellis discuss what makes a visit to Turkey so special, including must-visit sites, such as Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

พลอยสิริและ Uncle Shane จะพาไปเที่ยวอิสตันบูล ประเทศตุรกีค่ะ ที่นี้มี 5 สถานที่ท่องเที่ยวที่เต็มไปด้วยประวัติศาสตร์สำคัญ ๆ ของโลก อาทิ Blue Mosque ที่สร้างมาเพื่อลบล้างคริสเตียน, ฮาเกียโซเฟีย ศาสนสถาน 2 ศาสนา เรื่องราวจะเป็นอย่างไร และอีก 3 สถานที่ที่สำคัญคือที่ใด ไปติดตามกันเลยค่ะ อ่านเนื้อหาและชมภาพประกอบเอพิโสดได้ที่ https://th.koohoo.fm/wonderwander/ep010/

I love to travel, in large part because it requires that you talk to A LOT of strangers. On my recent trip to Istanbul, I wandered about for three days. Among the many friendly people I met, I came across a student who'd recently moved to Istanbul who was visiting the Blue Mosque like I was, the owner of a drum shop who gave me a demo of the beautiful Turkish Darbouka I bought, and the owner of a variety of shops that sold everything from jewelry to carpets, who took me through them and chatted about his own experiences in the U.S. and as a businessman now back in Turkey.

Located at the crossroad between Europe and Asia, Istanbul is an amazing city with over 2000 years of history. In this episode we give a historical overview and talk about its foundation, the Hagia Sophia, the cisterns and many more famous sights! For additional links and show-notes visit us at https://beyondthesights.info/istanbul ! Chapters: 06:16 Foundation 12:28 Fourth Crusade 13:00 Turkish Conquest 15:13 Turkish Republic 17:04 Population-Swap 19:01 Haghia Sophia 25:15 Neighbourhoods 25:59 Blue Mosque 26:29 Sinan 28:38 Topkapi Palace 31:60 Grand Bazaar 32:50 Cisterns 37:15 Galata 42:13 Tourist worries 46:55 Food

One God: for all the Abrahamic religions, One City: Jerusalem, and One Jurisdiction: Israel. What's wrong with this picture? Nothing. All the Catholics of the world visit the eternal city of Rome where –apart from the symbolic Swiss guards- it is the Italian government, its armed forces and its laws that prevail at the doorsteps of this tiny walled square mile. All the Muslims of the world (Sunni, Shia, Sufi, and other branches) visit Mecca where Saudi authorities provide security, transport, food, lodging and support services to pilgrims. All religious sites happen to be –in our modern world- in the midst or on the outskirts of, urban centers or cities, that are necessarily part of a State with defined borders. All sites are subject to the jurisdiction and authority of one government, not two and surely not three. God has no government and no armies, and to my knowledge, no embassy or sole representatives on Planet Earth. Thus, no religion can claim that God has availed it with the keys to a city or with the access code to its shrines, temples and places of worship.   The other reality is that states have governments and local authorities that manage the implementation of law and order over all the parts of a city, any city, from Mecca to Jerusalem. In that regard, religious groups should visit their places of worship without hindrance. In that same vein, no government should block access to a holy place, or discriminate, or cherry-pick visitors on the basis of race, creed or religion. Logic follows that any visitor who would run afoul of prevailing laws and order should be ejected permanently from re-entering a holy site.   “Jerusalem is the holy city," writes Simon Sebag Montefiore, "yet it has always been . . . the cosmopolitan home of many sects, each of which believes the city belongs to them alone." Jew, Christian and Muslim alike feel compelled to rewrite its history to sustain their own myths. "A hundred patients a year," Montefiore notes, "are committed to the city's asylum suffering from the Jerusalem syndrome, a madness of anticipation, disappointment and delusion."   Jerusalem, in particular, happens to be crowded with shrines and overlapping with religious sites. As such it offers a more complex challenge for managing its holy sites, but not an unsurmountable obstacle. It is indeed mission difficult, but not mission impossible. Other places have managed throughout history as millions of tourists from all religions visit the Blue Mosque in Turkey, and the Chapel Sistine of the Vatican, and even the Wailing Wall of Jerusalem.   The Blue Mosque in Turkey, Hagia Sophia was not always a Mosque but rather a Greek Christian Orthodox patriarchal basilica built under the orders of Justinian between in 532/537AD. in 1453, Constantinople was conquered by the Ottoman Empire under Mehmed the Conqueror, who ordered this main church of Orthodox Christianity converted into a mosque. Hagia Sophia was, as of 2014, the second-most visited museum in Turkey, attracting almost 3.3 million visitors annually. According to data released by the Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry, Hagia Sophia was Turkey's most visited tourist attraction in 2015.   The Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba whose ecclesiastical name is the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption is the Catholic cathedral of the Diocese of Córdoba dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and located in the Spanish region of Andalusia. The site was originally a small temple of Christian Visigoth origin, the Catholic Basilica of Saint Vincent of Lérins, but when Muslims conquered the Iberian peninsula in 711, the church was first divided into Muslim and Christian halves. Córdoba returned to Christian rule in 1236 during the Reconquista, and the building was converted to a Roman Catholic church. Each year approximately 1.5 million tourists marvel at this impressive landmark featuring several architectural styles and uniting religious elements of Islam and occidental ...

Adeel J. Zeb is an interfaith scholar, TEDx speaker, and certified Muslim Chaplain. He is the Co-University Muslim Chaplain at The Claremont Colleges. He was formerly the Muslim Chaplain/Director of Muslim Life at Duke University. He previously served as the Muslim Chaplain/Imam at Wesleyan University, Trinity College, and American University. He is a graduate of the Master’s in Islamic Chaplaincy program at Hartford Seminary. He has holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Baylor University as well as a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Islamic Studies from Arees University in traditional Islamic sciences. He received certification in Tajweed Qur'anic studies from the Fatih and Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey. He continues to study with scholars from top religious intuitions globally. He is the Co-Founder of DEEN: The Foundation for Muslim Campus Life. He is the VP-Elect of the National Association of College and University Chaplains.  

with Lorenz Kornhosted by Emily Neumeier and Sotirios DimitriadisDownload the podcastFeed | iTunes | GooglePlay | SoundCloudThe fountain standing in the Hippodrome (At Meydanı) in Istanbul, located just a few steps away from some of Turkey's most famous tourist attractions like Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, doesn't attract much notice these days. But wrapped up in this monument, gifted to the people of the city by the German Emperor Wilhelm II, is a story that sheds some light on the bilateral relations between the Ottoman Empire and their European neighbors before WWI. What is the role that the arts play in this diplomatic relationship? Under what conditions could such an object be inserted in the topography of Istanbul's historic monuments? In this episode, Emily Neumeier and Sotirios Dimitriadis speak with Lorenz Korn about his research on the imperial fountain, tracing the process of its design, construction and reception.« Click for More »

Four members of the War on the Rocks squad ended up in Istanbul this week. What could go wrong? Afshon Ostovar of the CNA Corporation, Aaron Stein of RUSI, Joshua Walker of GMF, and Ryan Evans of your favorite outlet on strategy, defense, foreign policy, and booze join you from a lovely garden a stone's throw from the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia to talk about the Turkish elections, the implications of the Iranian nuclear negotiations, Turkish-Iranian relations, the Syrian civil war, and Istanbul's best watering holes. Have a listen!  

Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O'Connor Today's guest(s): Fr. Willy Raymond, National Director of Family Theater Productions Links from today's show: Today's topics: Family Theater Productions Summary of today's show: Family Theater Productions wants to bring faith and family values back to Hollywood and Fr. Willy Raymond, national director of the ministry, talks to Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O'Connor about some of the ways they're doing that, including an annual student film festival, faith-based outreach to the entertainment industry, and creating original productions. Fr. Willy also shares some stories about celebrity encounters, including meeting Patriots QB Tom Brady on his wedding day. 1st segment: Scot welcomed Fr. Chris O'Connor back to the show after a month off. Fr. Chris said Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. He traveled in the footsteps of St. Paul, going to Istanbul, Turkey, and Ephesus, near Izmir, Turkey. He recalled the Letter to the Ephesians and was in the amphitheater where St. Paul would have spoken. They also visited St. John the Evangelist's church there and Catholic tradition is that the Blessed Mother lived with St. John there until she was assumed into heaven. He was able to pray in St. John's house there. Fr. Chris thinks that Ephesus is where she was assumed into heaven. As early as 451 AD, the Church documents refer to Ephesus as the final earthly home for Mary. Fr. Chris said being in a Muslim country was very interesting. He visited the Blue Mosque. He said the only Turkish he learned was, “Let me out of this cab immediately.” The men have returned to St. John Seminary. Archbishop Alfred Hughes, who was a rector of the seminary and was most recently in New Orleans, is leading a retreat for the men today. Scot said Archbishop Hughes confirmed him and his brother when he was an auxiliary bishop here. 2nd segment: Scot and Fr. Chris welcome Fr. Willy Raymond to the show. Fr. Willy is in Hollywood, California, but was born in Old Town, Maine. There were 12 siblings and they spoke French primarily at home. His father was a lumberjack. His mother never learned to speak English. He grew up in a close-knit parish community and it was the social center of their lives and they used to pray the Rosary every night in French. He owes a lot of his vocation to the priests and sisters of his parish. He's now a member of the Congregation of the Holy Cross. They're known for Notre Dame University and Father Peyton. Fr. Willy said the pastor had encouraged a lot of the boys to go to college in New Brunswick, Canada, and he won a scholarship to go. The Holy Cross Fathers operated that school. He pointed out that they are not Congregation of the Holy Cross, but Congregation of Holy Cross, because their founder was from a place called Holy Cross. The charism of the Holy Cross Fathers is somewhat eclectic but somewhat family-centered. The order was founded after the French Revolution and the founder, Bl. Basil Moreau, aw the family as the foundation on which to rebuild the Church. He modeled them on the Holy Family and the charism is unity for the mission and the virtue is complete trust in divine providence and zeal for the mission. They wanted to reach young people to educate both their mind and heart. They also seek to help out in parishes wherever they are located. Scot said many people know Fr. Peyton for “the family that prays together, stays together” and promoting the Rosary. He was born in County Mayo, Ireland, as one of 9 children. They ended up in Scranton, PA, and he was working as a janitor. He heard a parish mission by a Holy Cross priest and felt called to a priestly vocation so he went to Notre Dame. When Fr. Willy was eight or nine years old, he became an altar server, which every Catholic boy wanted to be at the time. When he went to the university, it was not to enter the seminary, but to get an education. In his sophomore year, the prefect of studies told him that if he was thinking of entering seminary, he had to decide whether to apply then. He took the test, was accepted, and the next year went off to the seminary in Montreal. But then changed his mind and wanted to go to the Holy Cross Fathers instead and then went to Stonehill to the seminary there. Fr. Peyton's drive to promote the rosary came from a miraculous healing from tuberculosis through the intercession of the Blessed Mother. He wanted to promote a devotion to her and found that he could do so more widely through radio and television. So he came out to Hollywood convinced that the glue of the family is prayer. 3rd segment: Scot asked for an overview of the types of projects that Family Theater Productions has done. Fr. Willy said they are evangelizing the culture through the mass media through programs that entertain, educate, and inspire the family. they do everything through that lens. In radio, Fr. Peyton broadcast a half-hour radio drama nationally. The network agreed as long as there was a Hollywood actor involved each week. They were able to do it 22 years until 1969. The first program featured Jimmy Stewart. Fr. Peyton came to know many stars, including James Dean who got his first screen credit through Family Theater Productions. They have a list of the celebrities who worked with Family Theater over the years. Scot read some names from the list which includes stars from the past and present. Fr. Willy said after John Paul II issued his letter on the Rosary, they wanted to find a fresh way to introduce the rosary to a new generation. They asked young people what would make the rosary helpful to their spiritual life. They came up with Rosary Stars praying the rosary. It's available at . The Angelus Student Film Festival is for college students and the theme is exploring respect for the dignity of the human person. Last year, they had over 500 submissions. They weed about 80% of them in the first round. They have blue-ribbon committees that select winners in documentary, animation, and live action categories. A prior overall winner last year also won an Oscar. The film was “God of Love” by Luke Matheny. Fr. Willy said many of these students will end up in Hollywood as key figures and they want to engage with them early to encourage them to make true works of art, to make what is true and beautiful and good. Fr. Willy believes that Hollywood can change, especially through prayer. Every day at Family Theater, they have Mass and the rosary for the conversion of Hollywood, to use these incredibly powerful communication tools to shape a culture open to life and the Good News. Scot asked how Hollywood is changing to be more friendly to family-friendly and faith-friendly films. Fr. Willy said this year, there are several films, like Hugo and The Artist, that deal with serious issues and do it well. There are a lot of films that wouldn't have been made 10 years ago. He credits the Passion of the Christ for convincing a lot of people that religion is something that the public will come and see if it is well done and isn't trivialized. He said most of the truly successful small-budget films are films we could take our whole family to see. Fr. Chris said there's a fascination in media and the culture with faith. He cited the example of Tim Tebow, who some are rooting for and others are rooting to fail. HE then asked what stars today are good role models. Fr. Willy said some Eduardo Verastegui is a noble figure for sacrificing part of his career to put his faith and our Lord first. Matthew Marsden is another, Jim Caviezel too, who is in a successful TV series, Person of Interest. Martin Sheen is another faith-filled Catholic, who just made the movie The Way. He named Patricia Heaton from Everybody Loves Raymond and the current show, The Middle. There are also a lot of writers and producers who are less well-known but very serious about their faith. Fr. Willy noted Boston native Mark Wahlberg who has a checkered past, but goes to daily Mass now. Fr. Chris said he read an interview with Wahlberg in Time magazine where he said the most important thing to teach his children is the faith. Fr. Willy brought up Tom Brady, who lives in his parish, St. Monica's. He told the story of meeting Tom Brady in the sacristy of the church during Tom's wedding. He noted that Tom's grandmother prays the rosary for him and that Gisele's family was involved in the Sao Paolo Rosary rally. They then discussed rooting for Tim Tebow or Tom Brady. Fr. Willy said he also celebrates Mass for the Dodgers when they're at home, but he still roots for the Red Sox. 4th segment: They discussed which came first, St. Monica parish or the name of the town, Santa Monica. Fr. Willy said the town was named first by Blessed Junipero Serra. Fr. Willy said Family Theater's archives have the whole Life of Christ filmed by Fr. Peyton in the 1950s in Spain. They have a number of documentaries filmed over the years and are in the middle of producing a series of dramas intended for teens for catechetical purposes. They are also located right on Sunset Boulevard, so they have an outreach to young Catholics, mainly through an open house called Prayer and Pasta, which includes prayer, meal, and a speaker or film and discussion. They also have a Bible study and holy hour every week for people in the industry. They have an RCIA program and they are also discussing Fr. Barron's Catholicism series. Fr. Chris noted the new series coming out this spring called Faith Bowl. Fr. Willy said it was filmed last year with Vin Scully as the host and five-time All Star baseball player Mike Sweeney. Fr Willy talked in an aside about how difficult it can be for professional athletes to go to Sunday Mass. For Faith Bowl IV, Mike and his dad were interviewed about their faith life and then a young woman, Kristen Sheehan, who runs the program Play Like a Champion Today out of Notre Dame. This promotes that faith and morals and virtue should be integrated into sports. They are now working on Faith Bowl V, hoping to get NFL players on board.

Istanbul offers a good opportunity to better understand Islam. Visitors are welcome to visit historic mosques — such as the Blue Mosque, nicknamed because of its blue tiles — and at the same time experience a religion that still packs the house. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visit www.ricksteves.com.

Istanbul offers a good opportunity to better understand Islam. Visitors are welcome to visit historic mosques — such as the Blue Mosque, nicknamed because of its blue tiles — and at the same time experience a religion that still packs the house. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visit www.ricksteves.com.

Jules Laurens undertook an incredible three-year journey throughout the Middle East and Asia Minor to Persia in the late 1840s, as part of a scientific and geographical expedition. Despite incredible hardship, Laurens drew every day. These drawings and the journey provided the basis for a significant career as an Orientalist painter and illustrator, and as a commentator on Middle Eastern affairs. This work was painted almost twenty-five years after the journey. Based on his meticulous drawings, the painting depicts a mosque near Tabriz in present-day Iran. The imposing building stands in an austere, snow-covered landscape. The painting depicts the desolate conditions of a journey marked by weather extremes and ever-present danger. The snow, while beautiful in the painting, made the journey extremely treacherous and the expedition’s leader was temporarily snow-blind.