Dear Friends ~

As some of you know, a few years ago I fell head over heels in love with Istanbul, and last year I ran the first (of what I hope will be many) Istanbul Poetry Workshop at the Hotel Kybele in Sultanahmet. We had a glorious week, those eleven poets and I, reveling in the charm and sensuality of this ancient, mysterious city and writing our hearts out. I’m happy to say that our friends at the Hotel Kybele – a wonderful band of brothers who run this small, lovely, quirky hotel they created as a work of art– have offered again to host our group at astoundingly affordable rates.

The Hotel Kybele (kybelehotel.com) is located in the Sultanahmet district, in the heart of the heart of Istanbul — a few minutes stroll from the Blue Mosque and the Aya Sofia in one direction, and the Grand Bazaar in the other direction. Outdoor cafes line the sidewalks, and small shops where vendors stand in the doorways and invite passers-by to come in and look at their wares. In all my travels, I’ve never met more passionately friendly, gracious people, nor ever been to any place more magical. The Bosphorous glimmers; minarets pierce the sky; the call to prayer echoes in the evening air. I invite you to join us and fall under the spell, to spend an intense and enchanting week immersed in the poetry of Istanbul.

The Kybele Hotel in the heart of the Sultanahmet District

The workshop has space for a maximum of 11 poets. Although most of these spaces have already been spoken for, I anticipate having spaces for three or four more poets.  Here are this year’s details …

All workshop participants will stay in the Hotel Kybele, which becomes our shared home for the week. Rooms are small, by U.S. standards, but comfortable, individually air-conditioned and beautifully furnished. There is wifi throughout the hotel, and a computer and printer in the lobby. Best of all, the Kybele is full of lovely “nooks” for writing. Workshop sessions will be held each day, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., in a large space under the eaves and just off the rooftop garden, filled with Turkish carpets and known as “the museum.” The focus of the workshop will be on new poems generated by participants in response to the sights and sounds of Istanbul and our reading of the work of ancient and contemporary Middle Eastern and Ottoman poets. There will be time in workshop sessions to read aloud and discuss works-in-progress, and a new writing assignment each afternoon/evening. There will also be optional afternoon and evening activities – meetings with local writers and artists, a performance of Sufi dancing, a boat ride across the Bosphorous to Asia. American writer and long-time resident of Istanbul, Roxanne Rogers, will serve as our local guide, and will be happy to help organize visits to the sites that fascinate you most, and to sites you’d never discover on your own. The friendly staff at the Kybele will also be happy to assist you with everything from arranging airport transportation to navigating the tram system — a breeze — to visiting a hamam.

Dates:Sunday, July 29 – Saturday, August 4, 2012

Cost (workshop + 6 nights lodging + 1 meal per day*)

            Workshop & shared room: $1,475 (w/discount)/$1,525

            Workshop & single room: $1,650 (w/discount)/$1,700

Notes: Once you have registered for the workshop and paid your deposit, you will be able to book additional nights (at a substantial discount) directly with the Kybele. Workshop participants who wish to share a room with a non-participating partner or spouse should contact me regarding special rates. All room prices include a sumptuous breakfast/brunch buffet, served each day from 7 until 11 a.m.

To reserve a space, a deposit of $500 is due no later than April 2, 2012; please make checks payable to Cecilia Woloch with “Istanbul Poetry Workshop” in the memo line. Please confirm your participation via email (CeciWo@aol.com) and I will provide you with my mailing address so you can send a check.

 Deposits are non-refundable after May 1; because I will be out of the country beginning in May, I can offer a discount of $50 for balances paid by May 1, bringing the total cost for workshop and shared room to $1,475, for workshop and single room to $1,650  Otherwise, the balance for payment in full will be due, by electronic transfer only, by June 1.

Istanbul is a city that offers inspiration at every turn, situated at the junction where Asia meets Europe, where Romans, Byzantines

and Ottomans have all left their indelible stamp, an exotic mix of the ancient and contemporary. I’m in love with its magic and exhilaration and calm — the echoes of the call to prayer floating through the sounds of summer rain, children laughing in Gulhane Park, women rushing past in billowing robes, the dome of St. Sophia and the minarets of the Blue Mosque sharing the sky — a place where I feel my spirit fling itself wide open. I look forward to sharing it with you.

~ Cecilia

The Grand Bazaar