This past weekend I went to the grand opening of the new Erasta shopping centre.
There was the usual array of opening celebrations.
I was surprised to discover that Erasta is an outdoor shopping centre. This seems to be a particularly bad idea in Antalya, where the weather swings between horizontal freezing rain in the winter, and blistering heat and humidity in the summer. The whole point of going to a shopping centre is to escape the extreme weather, so I’m not sure who thought having it outdoors would be smart. There is an H&M there (Antalya’s first), but other than that the shops are all repeats of things that can be found elsewhere in Antalya, so I’m not sure what Erasta’s unique selling point is supposed to be (certainly it can’t just be H&M).
They do have beautiful fountains, though— an Antalya staple.
There’s still snow on the mountains, but it’s warm enough to swim in the sea… sort of.
I never thought I’d see the day when one could buy Oreos in Antalya, but it looks like that day has arrived. So much has changed in this city over the past nine years, it’s amazing.
At the end of January I suffered a back injury that lasted several weeks. The pain often kept me in bed and affected every aspect of my life. As an athlete, street photographer, and generally active person, not being able to move because of back pain is incredibly frustrating. Although I have been lucky with my recovery and am nearly pain-free again, the experience has prompted me to think more about what life must be like for those who have chronic or permanent back injuries.
Before my injury, I had already signed up to take part in the 5×50 Challenge, an annual international fitness event where participants cover a distance of five kilometres every day for fifty consecutive days. This year the Challenge starts on 31 March and continues through 19 May. Initially it had not occurred to me to combine fundraising with my Challenge participation, but given my renewed gratitude at what a gift it is even to be able to get out of bed every morning to participate, I’ve decided to use my efforts to help others who suffer from back injuries.
I’d love to have your support! You can learn more about my fundraiser at my 5×50 event page. There’s no minimum donation, you can donate anonymously if you wish, and you can donate with PayPal or a credit card from anywhere in the world. I reached my first-tier goal of £250 rather quickly (thanks to all who donated!) and now I’m just trying to get the donation amount as high as possible.
Thanks in advance to anyone who makes a donation, no matter how small. Every penny counts!
We may not have the most imaginative or artistic graffiti, but they certainly get right to the point.
A wonderful dinner at La Carbonara in Rome.
St. Peter’s Basilica, on a recent trip to Rome.
Gorgeous food at Hotel Su.
