Some birds outside of the gallery. The one on the left is unnamed, but they all inhabit the rafters. The one on the right is named Salvador (in my opinion, the greatest name for a peacock I've ever heard).
If you ever get the opportunity to go to Turkey, (and I know I'm going to regret saying this later, but just promise not to judge me too harshly) be a tourist (yes, really), and go to a carpet gallery. Let them woo you into buying a beautiful carpet and enjoy the process. It's a fine art--both the weaving itself and the way they present the beauties to you--and it's all carefully orchestrated.
They walk you through the entire process, beginning with the dyeing of the yarns and their "secret recipes" for the various dyes.
They then take you inside where there are about a dozen women, all making these amazing carpets. There are two types of knots that can be used, and they can be as concentrated as 200 knots per square inch.
The preparing of the silk
After you're shown all of the steps in the process, they take you back to a large room, filled with carpets. All different colors, styles, materials, and about five men, awaiting a lift of the above man's finger to present the carpets. They start with the dowry rugs (the least expensive, of course), and progress to combinations of silk and wool, and, of course, and end with the magnificent, beautiful, and detailed silk rugs.
Just look at the expression of complete, unadulterated glee on this man's face. He loves what he does; how could one not envy that?
Did I mention that they also try to win you over with a delicious, traditional cup of tea?
These were my (and Hannah's) personal favorite: Noah's ark rugs. Made with silk and wool, they are made by nomadic tribes in eastern Turkey (near Mount Ararat, where Noah's ark is believed to have landed).
Who knew I'd ever be a sucker for carpets, especially considering I don't even have a house of my own and therefore a place to put a carpet (or maybe a few... if I had the money)? I can also understand the notion of magic carpets and flying through the star-blanketed sky like Aladdin and Jasmine... just saying.
"A well-composed book is a magic carpet on which we are wafted to a world that we cannot enter in any other way."
-Caroline Gordon
Not totally related, but I still love the quote.
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