Library Thing and HIP

I'm very excited about the possibilities of Library Thing for Libraries and library catalogues.
We incorporated LTFL into our HIP catalogue several months ago and have received much positive feedback from members of the public about this.
I was asked to give a presentation about this at the SirsiDynix conference in Melbourne a couple of weeks ago - see Zoho slideshow on left.
And even better - we have just added the Reviews enhancement. You can read reviews by other Library Thing members or add your own. See this example
Or check out a video of how it works. Thanks to Colleen Medling from Salt Lake County Library for telling us about Jing - a free screen capture program
You can also check out the link that we have just added to further enrich the catalogue.

Photos, and more photos

We have started adding our photos to Flickr.
Take a look if you like. Many more to come.....

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Jordan to Jerusalem

We left Petra on Sat morning and drove to Wadi Rum (Lawrence of Arabia country). We deposited ourselves at a Bedouin camp and then headed off for a 2 hour jeep drive across amazing desert scenery. We saw the Seven Pillars of Wisdom and some spectacular rock formation and gorges.
Then headed back to the camp to while away the late afternoon before climbing up the nearby massif to see the sunset.
We were served a wonderful buffet dinner and entertained by gorgeous young arab males in traditional white dress doing some typical dancing.
Next morning we were dropped at the Jordan Israel border after a brief look at the Port of Aqaba and paddle in the Red Sea.
After all our fears we walked through the border in 15 mins without our baggage even being checked or subject to any security measures. So we arrived at Eilat airport 2 and half hours early for our flight to Tel Aviv which was lucky because it was a complete shambles and took us that long to check in. Bizarre and totally random security procedures.
Our friends collected us and drove us to Jerusalem to the YMCA building where we stayed. It is a beautiful Art Deco building from 1931 which was designed by the architect who did the Empire State Building. After a reviving drink they then took us up to a hill top view of the old city where a friend of theirs who is a professional tour guide pointed about all the sites and gave us an insightful potted history. This was the perfect introduction for us to the city. They then took us to a rooftop Kosher Italian restaurant for dinner where we could enjoy a view over the Old City.
On Monday we went up to Temple Mount first thing and saw the area of the Dome of the Rock (which we can't enter as non-Muslims). The exterior is very beautiful however and there was much else to see.
We then raced down to the Jaffa Gate to go on a 3 hour walking tour of all 4 quarters (Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Armenian) of the Old City. This included visiting the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Western Wall.
We then spent the rest of the day wandering around the Old City.
The next day we went up to the Mount of Olives where we had another great view of the Old City. Visited some of the churches there which are very significant to Christian pilgrims. Walked down to the city walls and had a delicious lunch of pita, falafel, hummmus and salad in the Muslim Quarter. The was followed by a walk through East Jerusalem to the iconic American Colony Hotel which though grandly colonial was quite welcoming.
For a complete change of scene we met our friend in Mea Sherim the ultra-orthodox suburb that resembles the shetls of Eastern Europe. This small group are intensely devout, eschew modern life, are almost anti-Zionist and have managed to arrange that they are exempted from taxes and army service.
Still on the go we visited the Israel Museum of which the highlight was the Dead Sea Scrolls.
On Wednesday we went to Yad Veshem the Holocaust museum. Obviously this was very moving but its purpose seems to be to inform, not to distress.
Next day was our last day and we just wandered around the Old City after visiting the Italian Synagogue and Art Museum. This has been recreated from the dismantled interior of some Baroque synagogues in Venice.
Here are some initial photos of our trip. Many more to come.

Travels in three countries

We had a lovely last day in Istanbul (including buying a new camera). Overwhelmed in the Grand Bazaar but escaped to the nearby Rustem Pasha Mosque which I had really liked the first time around. Then walked down to the water and over the Galatea Bridge up to the Galatea Tower and along to Istiklal street which was described in our guidebook as the most elegant in Istanbul. It was - full of Art Nouveau buildings and some very fashionable shops.
Finished up the day by meeting the rest of the group down by the bridge to say goodbye and then eating fish dinners off the boats on the water before heading off to the airport for our late night flight to Damascus.
Damascus exceeded expectations as the oldest continuously inhabited city. We stayed at the Beit al Mamlouka, a restored 17th century house of some wealthy family, built around an inner courtyard, all honey coloured limestone and dark basalt, fountain playing, orange trees, bougainvillea, curiously wrought copper lamps in niches, sprawling cushions on low divans, you know -- the kind of thing from Sindbad in the court of Harun al Raschid, on a slightly smaller scale, but just about as expensive. And elaborate breakfasts of fresh fruit, 3 kinds of olive, white and yellow cheese, cheese pastries, hard boiled egg, hot spicy eggplant, spiced yoghurt, bread and jam (choice of cherry, rose petal, apricot), slice of plum cake, petits fours, all washed down with good coffee.
Thus fortified, ventured into the entirely medieval streets, rather narrow, sometimes buildings meeting overhead, construction either in stone or pine posts in plaster, all of indeterminate age. Not too many cars, luckily, because you often need to press into doorways to let them pass. Suddenly noticed an archbishop in full golden regalia striding along leading a small procession of children. We followed them into the Maronite churchyard; it was a First Communion. and the children in robes were each carrying a lily, to the camera-snapping of proud parents. Thus our introduction to the Christian quarter of the city.
Continued south till we came to the Street Called Straight, or so it is described in the relevant epistle of St Paul, or is it Acts, where there is the account of him being struck down on the road to damascus, and taking refuge in a house of a friend in a side street here. Actually Straight Street was the Roman decumanus, or main east-west street. It was all being dug up, which meant dust and big machines, and rubble underfoot, but in the midst of the confusion there were a small group of Damascene archeologists scraping dirt off a pile of huge sections of ancient fluted columns which had been unearthed in the process or road building. The street was lined with the most fascinating little shops with silver jewellery, astrolabes, oil lamps predating Ali Baba, and so on. Thence by devious ways to the truly grand Ummayad Mosque, built from a former basilica in the early 700s by a sultan determined to put the new capital of the Caliphate on the world map.
The Souk was much better than that in Istanbul. David and Kathy joined us on the second day which was great. The food was even nicer than Turkey - interesting flavours and amazingly cheap.
We took a day trip to Palmyra on Tuesday -the ruins did not disappoint.
The next day wasn't been so good. A nice driver picked us up and we got over the Jordan border without too much hanging around. Our new driver is not so nice. But we had a good visit to Jerash (Roman ruins from 2nd century) and our guide there was excellent.We then went to Madaba which seems to be a bit of a hole - other than some Byzantine mosaics.
Thursday was much better. We went to Mt. Nebo where Moses espied the Promised Land which did not look to us to be to the land of milk and honey. But then we diverted to the Dead Sea which was very beautiful. Justin tested the waters and did indeed float. The landscape in this part of Jordan was much more interesting than we had seen the day before. We then came to Karak castle - a huge and solid Crusader Castle
built on top of a hill. We enjoyed exploring it.
Finally arrived in Wadi Musa which is the village near Petra.
Yesterday we spent the day at Petra. The weather was perfect - not hot with sunshine and a cool breeze which was lucky because we had to do so much walking.
Petra was magnificent. When we came upon the Treasury I almost wept. I realised that it was the best place I had ever seen in the world. It is impossible to do justice to it all by description. Hopefully the photos will tell the tale.
today we head off for a night in the desert at Wadi Rum.

Cappadocia

I spent the rest of Tuesday afternoon wandering around the lake whıch was idyllic with its mountain backdrop. Meanwhile Justin and most of the rest of the group went on a bike ride which was later described by someone as the most dangerous thing that they had ever done. They had to come back on steep potholed roads in the dark, no helmets wıth thunder and lightning all around them!
On Wednesday we headed off early to travel to Cappadocia which has to be the most amazing landscape that İ have ever seen. Peaks and caves made of soft volcanic ash that people have hollowed out to build houses out of. İt ıs weird and white and ghostly - like landing on another planet. We stopped on the way to look at an underground city. There are 200 of these over Cappadocia and were first settled by the Hittites more than 2000 years ago. We went down 55 metres I think to see complete houses - they lived underground to hide from theır enemies.
We arrıved ın Göreme late afternoon. Our hotel was high up in this amazing village with wonderful views from our bedroom and the terrace.
Yesterday we visited the Open Air Museum which contained churches from the earliest days of Christianity which had been hollowed out of the rock, several with beautifully preserved frescoes. In the afternoon Justin went with the others on ATVs - 4 wheeled motor scooters, tearing around the slopes. And this was after he had begun the morning with a hot air balloon trip.
We all went to a Turkish Nights dinner in an another village - set up for tourists wıth folk dances and belly dancing. But it was fun abd we finished off the evening smoking water pipes at the Flintsones late night dive (built into a cave of course).
Today we go to Ankara to catch the night train to Istanbul. We shall be very sad to leave the rest of our group.

Coast to lake

We have arrived in Eğırdır which ıs an unpretentious town by one of the largest lakes in Turkey, set in the mountains.

On Saturday we drove to Kaş, whıch a very very pretty town on the southern coast facing the Greek İslands. You can see our hotel and the vıew from our terrace. It is stıll early in the season so it was lovely to while away the afternoon there. As is usual for this part of the coast there are Lycian tombs scattered around the town and an ancient Hellenistic theatre backing on to the seafront.

The people are so friendly and unhassling. We had lunch at a cafe at the edge of the harbour and when I went back on my own for a cup of tea which he made for me in an un Turkish way - a proper sized cup and with a slice of lemon, he wouldn't charge me for it. And this morning we stopped at a petrol station on the way here. Everyone was buying snacks - it was a 5 hour journey and I bought a small loaf of bread. With my very limited Turkish I was looking for a packet of butter or cheese to go with it and the assistant there sliced it in half for me and buttered it but said it was a gift for me.

The waiters in the place we had dinner at on Sat night were also incredibly nice to us. There was an important soccer match on and the whole town seemed to be watching it noisily.

Yesterday we drove to an even smaller and more picturesque village further along the coast - Uçagız. We spent the day cruising around the Mediterranean, stopping at islands to explore more ancient ruins. Out boat hosts cooked a lovely lunch for us on the boat, followed by dinner at their home in the evening.

The day was somewhat marred however by our camera falling overboard. I was going to jump in to retrieve but the captain said it was 6 metres and Justin said the camera would have sunk to the bottom. We tried to fish for it but no luck. So we have lost all the wonderful pics that Justin had taken so far. Hopefully we can get some pics from others in the group later but they won't be the same. The other bad news of the day is that I have developed a severe allergic reactıon to a plant I brushed against on the hike. Luckily Angela is a skin specialıst so I am receivıng good medical care.

Nevertheless we are continuing to have a very good time.

Pamukkale to Kayakoy

Today has been really good. Got off to a bad start with a cold shower at 6 am followed by an indıfferent breakfast before heading off on a 3 hour hike along part of the Lycian Way. From Kayakoy up the hill to the ghost village that Louis de Berniere based Birds without wings on through the hılls and down to the beach at Ouldeniz. Gorgeous country punctuated by wonderful views of the Turquoise coast. İt was a spectacular walk.We then (well İ dıd) tested the beach waters before catchıng a dolmus with Ken and Nicole to Salikent Gorge. This ıs quıte amazing - a very narrow gorge through very high mountains wıth the rock carved smoothly by the torrent ınto wonderful shapes. You have to wade knee deep ın the rushing torrent, opaquely grey. We wore plastıc shoes and guided by local urchins walked more than half a km. We also had a very relaxed lunch sitting on attractive cushions by the water's edge ın a perfectly placed cafe.
We had dinner tonight in the grandest house (400 years old) in the old village which has been renovated into an upmarket restaurant. Very fine food indeed.
On Thursday we went from Selcçuk to Pamukkale which is an UNESCO protected sıte of natural beauty. Calcium deposits forming whıte cascades peaks alongside travertine thermal pools that again we took our shoes off and waded through. At the top was Hierapolıs - another site of ancient ruins with a virtually fully preserved Roman theatre.
Yesterday we came to Kayakoy vıa Fethıye. There was an earthquake whilst we were waitıng to change buses - 4.8 on the Richter scale but we didn't notıce much. Fethiye is a typical seaside harbour town but still very pretty. We had lunch there and wandered around for the afternoon. The best sight was the Lycian tombs carved into the hillsıde.
The scenery as we drıve from place place is fantastic. Hilly, fertile, rural. Traditionally and colourfully dressed women and some men and always friendly.

Istanbul to Selçuk

Istanbul ıs wonderful. Lookıng out across the waters to the poınt where Europe meets Asia wıth mınarets scattered on the skyline everywhere you feel as if you are in one of the world's timeless great cities.
We arrived early on Saturday and met up wıth the group after lunch. The And Hotel ıs perfectly situated.We have a wonderful view of the Aya Sophia from our wındow and the vıew from the roof terrace restaurant ıs spectacular. The group ıs great and our leader ıs Turkish whıch ıs such an advantage over an Australian leader.
The first afternoon we took an orientation walk, starting with the tomb of Mehmet İİ. We have all become old hands now at removing our shoes and donning headscarfs when we walk into mosques and other holy buildings. One of the highlights of the walk was the Rustem Pasha Mosque, hidden away in the old spice market. Not big, but full of beautiful blue tile work. Then we wandered down to the water and over the Galatea Bridge, finishing up with the first of many great meals. The food so far has been universally great. Perfectly grilled and spiced meats, fantastic eggplant dishes and other vegetables etc. Gözleme whıch ıs a traditional specialty of thinly rolled pancake like pastry stuffed with what you want - spinach and feta in my case.
Sunday mornıng (after breakfast on the terrace) we went to the Aya Sophia Museum. İt was a 6th century church that was turned ınto a mosque after the fall of the Holy Roman Empire and then Ataturk restored it as a monument to both traditions in the 1920s. Visited also the Blue Mosque (too big, too many people)and the smaller Aya Sophia whıch we all preferred.Again very exquisite tilework. İ am actually becoming really keen on mosques (which is lucky in the circumstances).
Justin and İ went to Topkapi Palace in the afternoon. İt is at least as big as any other palace we have seen - even Windsor Castle(land size anyway)İ think. The harem quarters were amazing. Room after room unfolding with increasing degrees of decoration until you reach the inner sanctums.Tile work of such elegance and beauty. The afternoon was topped off by walking to the edge of the grounds and having tea at a cafe on the terrace overlooking the water and across at İstanbul at the point where the Bosphorus meets the Golden Horn and flows into the Sea of Marmara. An absolutely timeless and great city of the world.
And then we walked back along the steep winding old cobbled streets, gloriously colured tulips everywhere until we found a fish house for dinner.
On Monday morning we took the ferry to Yalov and then caught a bus to Bursa a large and wealthy town with a main street like anywhere else except for some very fine mosques of various styles. The highlight of the evening was seeing the Whirling Dervishes in action. The performance was fascinating and had to be seen to be believed. It immediately had the 2 drs in our group analysing the physiological reasons for being able to spin non stop for 20 mins. This was followed by a trip to a late night dive and some of us (not me) indulging in water pipe smoking.
Yesterday we spent most of the day on a bus from Bursa to Selçuk which is a really lovely and ancient village in a stunning location. Sitting on the terrace we look out over hills and ancient ruins.
We wandered around the town checking out the ruins from as long ago as Roman times. There are giant stork nests on top of old aqueducts guarded by the graceful big birds.
After a delicious dinner on the terrace the whole group headed of the Haman (Turkish baths) where we all rinsed ourselves in the communal bath and then lay on a large marble slab in the middle of this hot steam room. Then we were scrubbed down and given soap massages by the masseurs followed by oil massages. Amazing.

Yesterday we went to the ruins of Ephesus whıch must be one of the best preserved ancient cities. It has a history dating back from 1000 BC to maybe 500 AD and has remains of Byzantıne, Greek and Roman civilisations. Amelia - your hero Augustus visited in 29 BC. The grandest building was the Library (as it should be) which was built to rival the one at Alexandria and the original facade is still standing.
Some of us followed this up in the afternoon with a visit to the Ephesus Museum which contains much of the contents of the excavated houses. We also walked up the hill to St. John's Basilica which was built in the 500s by Emperor Justinian to honour St. John the Gospel. Our own Justin has been fighting a losing battle by trying to explain to everyone (guide included) that this is not the same John who was a disciple of Jesus but they all persist in thinking he lived to 120.
Our group took a dolmus up to Sirinçe which is an old Greek village ın the mountains wıth very unusual domestic architecture. İt is famous for fruit wines and our guide took us to a wine house to taste many. They were not to my taste but others imbibed freely and a very relaxed group headed of for dinner ın yet another rooftopcafe wıth an unbelievable view. The group has relaxed now and we have some very amusing people so there is much banter and fun. Our own Prince Harry is obviously wasted ın the British Army. And the food continues to be delicious if somewhat predictable.