Here are some pics from Obama's Turkey visit. Yesterday he landed in Ankara, the capital of Turkey. This morning he gave a speech in the Turkish National Assembly, which was received very positively and increased his popularity. In fact, Turkish press called it a historic speech. He was very popular with the politicians, a welcome change from the Bush years when any enthusiasm toward the US president would amount to political suicide.
Obama is a very popular figure in Turkey, but resentment from the Bush years has not completely subsided and the instability in Iraq still hurts Turkey considerably. People want to see whether Obama will end the Iraqi occupation and steer America's Israel/Palestine policy before they make a final judgment on him, but overall they are cautiously optimistic and it's hard not to like Obama as a person, right?
This actually reminds me of the Clinton years. It seems like a century ago, but back then US presidents did not need such strict security measures and they could actually blend in with the crowds on the streets. Naturally, Clinton worked the crowds in Turkey and he was nothing short of a rock star. People loved him. With Obama, there is a slow return to those days, but security measures don't allow the public to approach the president anymore.
Obama thanking interpreters after his speech in the Turkish parliament. The ladies are delighted. This has become Obama's trademark- acknowledge and thank the "people" everywhere, not just the state heads.
Obama shaking hands with Turkish parliamentarians.
Delivering his "historic" speech according to the Turkish press.
Turkish Speaker of the Parliament Koksal Toptan
Hugging Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan after his speech
Entering the Turkish parliament
Talking to Turkish parliamentarians after his speech:
Joint statement with Turkish President Abdullah Gul. Gul likes Obama, is he trying to hold his hand?
Turkish military commanders came to the Parliament to listen to Obama's speech. Turkish military is staunchly secular and has a very strained relationship with the current government.
Obama meets parliamentary opposition leaders: Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the Nationalist Party.
Deniz Baykal, leader of the Social Democratic Party (main opposition party)
Ahmet Turk, leader of the Kurdish party DTP.
Obama went to Istanbul in the evening. He was treated to a Turkish classical music concert. Is he flirting with the musicians? They seem smitten:
At the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the secular and democratic Republic of Turkey in 1923 after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. Obama wrote two paragraphs in the official guest book, this is much longer than previous presidents and this nice gesture was noted by the Turkish press.
Obama and Rahm in the Istanbul rain
Turkish Greenpeace activists sending a message to Obama: Save the climate for Peace!
And these are the places Obama visited. I hope you don't mind me pimping my favorite city:
The Dolmabahce palace, home to the Ottoman Sultans in the 19th century:
Dolmabahce by night
Inside Dolmabahce
Blue Mosque (he will visit this mosque tomorrow)
Topkapi Palace, 600 years old, home of the Ottoman sultans before Dolmabahce:
But what did Obama eat? I write diaries on Turkish cuisine. It is one of my passions. Turkish president Gul served Obama traditional Turkish dishes. These are typical dishes Turks eat at home regularly. Some of them were from his hometown, Kayseri. Expect Turks to serve Ottoman palace cuisine in Istanbul. This was the menu of the first state dinner:
Iclikofte (Meat and bulgur kofte, an elaborate, popular Turkish dish)
Manti (meat dumplings served with yogurt, butter, herbs and paprika), but Obama's manti was filled with artichokes.
Fish: Rock grouper
Su boregi, dough, cheese, butter...
Grape leaf dolma with sour cherries:
Salicornia cooked in olive oil, a Western Anatolia favorite, this plant grows on beaches and it's naturally salty. It's usually served with garlic and yogurt.
Baked Quince dessert with clotted cream, a traditional Fall dessert
Nevzine: a dessert from Kayseri, president's hometown, made with tahini and walnuts:
Baklava
There are so many kinds of baklava in Turkey, which kind did they serve?