ISTANBUL- THE THETRE ALESTA- THE RAMAZAN OR RAMMADAN AND PATRIARHETE





The theatre ALESTA  is a  theatre  in Istanbul that I tried to bring in Greece   ... IN MEGARA  because of the ancient  ties of the two cities, unsuccessfully so far. Arriving in big city in 28/05/2016  in the afternoon from a wi-fi that has many I contacted the friend Erdogan who told me that he arranged to meet the actors of the theatre ALESTA  in the next evening .He arranged to meet them in a book store -  cafe  on the Bosporus.. 

THE BOOKSTORE -CAFÉ ON THE BOSPORUS


We met each other there but because it was time to be closed,we went to  drink  our tea  in the café of the little hotel I stayed in Sirkeci, and I enjoyed their very kind company..

     
 WITH THE THEATRE ALESTA IN SIRKECY

The girls and the boys very polite and modern couples. Here from the left as we see the Neyra Aysem Savasci, she looked to me as the top of the theatre, next to her the so  polite friend mr Erdogan, and after me the boy friend of Neyra, Mehmmet Serif Tozcu, next to him  the actor  Oguz Gulen with his girl friend  Ozge Eyupogluve, singer end English teacher.. 
The next day before I had to leave for Konya, the two young girls Sena and Setenay  who had introduced me the theatre came, and we had some tee time, and with mr.stayros Petalas a friend who was born and grows up in Istanbul. But he left of the city during the tension of Cyprus crisis in 1958 (it is good to Care to have no tensions any more... even from now and then) he made the same factory that he had in the city, in Greece, and now it is closed because of the crisis, and he passes most of his time to his roots, in our great Balkan city. He told me that in the city have stayed  only elders Greeks and most are working to the so many Byzantine monuments (churches), that there are controlled by the patriarchate.
WITH THE YOUNG GIRLS AND THE FRIEND STAYROS PETALAS

The young girls  took me to the tram with my packages
 with warmth, that gave me a positive boost to get in a good mood  the bus for Konya because I had arranged to work there. In the weekend I enjoyed Cappadocia that is a city close to KONYA.




  FROM MY BALLOON EXERIANCE IN KAPADOKIA 

 Ramazan or Ramadan 
When I returned to Konya I learned from my partner there,
 that had started the Ramazan as they call it in Turkey, or Ramadan in others Arabic countries, (which reminds me the name of my grandfather Ramadanis) He explained to me that in this city begins midnight at12,and ends at 9pm that means 21 hours without food and water !! .Can it be  Bearable? or is  paralyzing? or it is violated behide closed doors? I think that all the three are happened. 
Some foreigners or daring people sit and in restaurants too  
.(that is not forbidden ... but ) the worrying was seemed to the faces of the two young men who ate, but they were the only customers except me ,Who hurriedly ate my hot soup finding out that it was not particularly welcomed ....
When I returned to our big city I learned from Erdogan that there, Ramazan is starting from three in the morning with stable the 9 pm in the evening .In Albania my friend Padelis in Zeimen told me that it starts at 6am. (More practical) Here in the city at noon I went in a shop to get a sandwich, the shopkeeper with concern gave me the sandwich and touching my hand told me like conspirator, <<god bless you >>!! I reciprocate with the <<God bless you too>>> But I.. ate it at the corner of the restaurant with two others all together... worrying the same !!Then I decided to be more careful. The next day I tried it (Ramazan) in my way after breakfast, I didn't ate until the evening hoping to lose a few pounds that I need . In the evening at 9pm as I went out to buy something to eat , I saw the satisfaction in the faces of people who were eating around of me, in extreme grandeur, that I experienced in a measure too. 
I read in the encyclopedia what the Ramadan fasting represents for Islam . It is the revelation of God to the prophet Mohamed if I remember correctly through the prophet Gavril. And after visiting an Wikipedia I read that the evening dinner after long day fasting they call it   Iftar.

PATRIARCHATE .
In a post I made in face book from Cappadocia, that was liked by friends, mr Peter vasiliadis ( professor of theology in university of Thessaloniki) asked me how is the Patriarch, and gave me the idea to try to meet him.
In the bus I asked the driver to stop in Fanari station  but 
 he looked at me with scorn and hatred! Fortunately one passenger was interested to help because, if I would wait the driver to inform. I would lose the station!! The completely opposite Historical memories create the hate.. I thought !! 
I arrived at Patriarchate and inside the church was 50% priests (Probably had come for the celebration of the Patriarch name day) the remaining 40% older people and some young people probably working in Patriarchate ... the black colour (frock) in it's greatness. 


       THE PATRIARCHATE INSIDE 

I heard that the Patriarch deals with interfaith and I liked it, He also gave me the honour to take a photo with me.

I am going to try on another trip to see and the Grand Mufti estimating that if they found common things together, the citizens will do the same, that we need hardly, particularly for Cyprus
 that hurts us. Thus and otherwise except the theologians, for the rest of us the  ordinary citizens, what remains of our religious traditions for Christians are Christmas ,the crucifixion,and the Easter with the red eggs .And for the Muslims, the Ramazan or Ramadan, the Iftar, and Bayram. if all of these would start with the patriarch and the Grand mufti together ...the pople will do the same and maybe it could unite our Cyprus...and why not  the Balkans too ...... Do I have imagination ? Yes I know.. but I like it and I am going to try ... .by the way I pass a crisis of <<revelation>>  and  because of this I have the right to try ...and not to say that ... It is my duty to God!! and to make many of you.. to laugh at!

Panos Paliokostas 
ekarevs