My Favourite Times In Sailing The wind lashes and hurls through the masts Howling a gentle warning to all brave children of the sea. Whitewash waves crash against the harbor wall Standing guard, loyal to the bitter end, in a losing battle. A shiver down my spine reminds me of how small and vulnerable we are When we play with the unforgiving power of the ocean. Like a lion tamer, a single second of disrespect is all it takes. Yet beyond the cautious thoughts of my mind I always feel an eagerness to take on the challenge And surrender to the thrill and excitement of an ocean ride. These are my favourite times in sailing. When the cold bites, the rain pelts and the wind whips But all goes unnoticed in my little world of survival to stay upright. Gasps of breath between salt spray and fatigue When I call upon my outer strength But discover an inner strength. No longer is it a cut-throat battle of competitor versus competitor Often driven by pride and ego. It is now survival Us versus the elements Together we are One Brave children of the sea. - Alesha Thorpe.

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While sightseeing in Istanbul, one of my hands-down favorite discoveries was the Topkapi Palace.

The grounds of the palace complex were quite beautiful. Courtyards and buildings bedecked in decorative tile created stunning walkways. Residence of the Sultans for four hundred years, at its peak thousands of people lived within its walls.

I was especially impressed by the treasury section of the vast palace complex. In these halls, I viewed the most extensive and lavish collection of jewels, thrones, Chinese porcelain and jade. There were ornate objects from all corners of the globe - either spoils of war during the Ottoman Empire or gifts to the various Ottoman rulers.

When I shared with a co-worker about how much I enjoyed the Topkapi Palace, she replied by telling me I should watch the film called Topkapi which was shot on location in Istanbul and at the palace. This film from 42 years ago was a delight to watch on several levels. Firstly, I could ooh and ahh at scenes of Istanbul and the palace that I recognized. Secondly, towards the end of the movie the suspense was riveting. The movie was about an attempt to steal the Sultan's emerald dagger (the emeralds are the size of golf balls).

Peter Ustinov won an Oscar for best supporting actor (he was truly the highlight of the cast) and the heist details were so compelling for that time that the TV series Mission Impossible was modeled after this movie.

Whether or not you have ever been to Istanbul or the Topkapi Palace, be sure to catch this humorous and suspenseful movie.

Related Links:

More about the film Topkapi

Overview of Topkapi Palace from Bilkent University.

My Turkey Trip Nov/Dec 2006 Photos

I grew up in Auckland with my Mum, Dad and two brothers. We lived in Saskatoon , Canada for three years when I was two but all I can remember about that was the first time I saw snow. My older brother and I woke up really early one morning to a magical white wonderland out our bedroom window. By the time Mum and Dad woke up a few hours later I was blue in the face, still in my pyjamas, lying in the snow carving angel wings with my arms. And loving it! It was so much fun to have an older brother to share adventures with. He is three years older than I am and we were the best of friends when we were young.

My little brother took seven years to join us on earth, but when he was born I thought all my Christmas' had come at once. It was a miracle! One of my doll's had come alive!! I took him to school to show him to everyone. I read him bedtime stories and patted him to sleep every night. I was so proud of him, but I have to say he was an exceptionally cute little kid and hilariously funny. He wouldn't leave the house without one of his many fancy dress costumes on or his captain's hat.

Our family had a yacht that we would go away on in the school holidays. My grandparents would often accompany us. Poppa taught me how to tie all sorts of knots, and how to find North from the sun. I learnt navigation and how to read a weather map. I loved adventures so my older brother and I would row ashore and find caves and huts. We collected all sorts of strange things that we found and took them back to the boat to create new inventions out of. I always felt seasick on the long voyages so it became my job to be 'captain' for a lot of the sailing. I would sit up on deck with the wind in my face and concentrate on sailing the boat so I didn’t feel sick. Now I think about it, this was actually quite a blessing and was probably the cause of me going further in sailing.

My most favourite memory of these trips was sailing under moonlight on our way to Great Barrier Island. I always liked to sail the boat through the night and let mum and dad have a rest. I would be wrapped up in a blanket sitting on deck with the tiller in hand, watching the sails and the faint outline of land I was heading for on the horizon. The waves lapping against the boat causing a gentle rocking motion. It was so peaceful. I felt as though I was the only one out there, just me and the vast powerful ocean and the beautiful starry sky. The gentle wind always reminded me of a playful little puppy, darting about not really knowing where it was heading. Dad would pop up every now and then from below to check on me, humming quietly to myself. I will always appreciate the trust and respect Dad had in us all, even at such a young age. He always gave us responsibilities and made us feel that we were also very important and could make a difference.

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