Some months ago, my lovely wife asked me to frame a few of my Bursa photos to hang on the wall in the salon above the dining table. She had even thumbed through my photo library and picked out a few of her favorites. My wife likes doors, windows, rustic, and the color blue, a combination that’s not at all hard to find when wandering the streets and alleys of Bursa and surrounding villages. After she set aside what she liked, I clearly had my work cut out for me.

I am honestly flattered by her admittedly biased appreciation for my photography. But, like any good husband, I drug my feet on this task for quite a few months and kept it on the honey-do list alongside a few other chores I was putting off. Finally on a rainy day not too long ago while recovering from being under the weather, I tackled the job and knocked it out in a few hours. To her delight, she now has some photos of old blue doors and windows on the salon wall. And to my delight, she really does seem to like my photographs hanging in a prominent place in our home. Makes me wonder why I had put this little task off for so long.

So as this week’s featured fotoğrafı, I thought I’d share these photos with you as well. These are some of my wife’s favorite selections from The Best of Bursa photo library…

Blue door in stone wall, Hisar district near Tophane

The above photo you might recognize if you’ve visited The Best of Bursa’s Gallery. This teal-colored door gives passage through a stone wall into a garden in Bursa’s Hisar neighborhood. The Hisar neighborhood is one of the oldest areas in Bursa as it sits within the original Byzantine-era walled city (“hisar” means “citadel”). The Hisar district is a great place to explore if you’re hoping to stumble upon old and interesting things.

Blue door in Gölyazı

This door and window belong to an unoccupied house along the main street in the village of Gölyazı. Gölyazı is a picturesque little burg nestled on a peninsula jutting out into Uluabat Lake just a few kilometers west of the city. It is famous for its fishing industry, its wildlife, its fresh-baked bread, its centuries-old weeping plane tree, and its Greek heritage. Photo opportunities abound in Gölyazı.

Cumalıkızık window with flowers

This window sits in the wall of an old Ottoman house in the village of Cumalıkızık. I have written about the merits of visiting Cumalıkızık before. It is an absolutely must-visit if you’re looking for a place to eat a good breakfast and take some great photos. It’s simply beautiful.

Open window, Yeşil Tomb.

This photo is also from The Best of Bursa’s Gallery, and it is my wife’s absolute favorite. The Yeşil Tomb is the final resting place of Sultan Mehmed I Çelebi (1381-1421) and is arguably one of the most beautiful buildings in Bursa. Part of the UNESCO-recognized Yeşil Külliyesi (social/religious complex), the tomb is lined inside and out with intricately detailed, blue-green Īznik tile.