Crossing the Bosphorus 4 Times Today
Crossing the Bosphorus 4 Times Today
I started today by walking to the Golden Horn again
through a different route to explore more of the
ancient parts of Instanbul. Once I got to the Horn I
boarded one of the ferryboats to the Asian side for
some siteseeing from the water again. Boat type
number one for the day.
After completing my round trip from European Istanbul
in the ancient city area to the Asian side I followed
street car tracks that I knew would lead me to the
Blue Mosque and Hagga Sophia that I have visited each
time I have come to Istanbul that past three years.
This morning the gardens around both were more
beautiful than before: many different types of
flowers, richly green shrubs, grass and trees
including weeping willow. The last time I saw these
magical buildings was at night last year when Blair
Miller (CPSI) and I viewed them through a light mist
at midnight after a fantastic day in Bursa with our
Istanbul friend, Halim Erganulp.
That night they were brightly lighted from the ground
with hundreds of seagulls floating gracefully around
their domes. That sight was more than magical.
After some slow wandering remembering that nights view
I continued on in order to return to my hotel and meet
up with Esra again. Briefly after leaving Haggia
Ifound my hotel from last year. This may not seem
like a major accomplishment for most people but in a
city with the complexity and tremendous size of
Istanbul it is a major accomplishment.
Along the way I found a typical Turkish restaurant to
have some Birek, filo crust pie filled with white
cheese.
Then it was off my bus to catch a boat across the
Bosphorus out into the Marmara Sea to visit 3 of the
Princess islands: Kinaliada. Burgazadasi and
Heybeliada.
We got off and toured Heybeliada by foot and then
completely up and around the very hilly island by
horse surrey, yes with fringe on it. We treated
ourselves to a Turkish traditional bread sold on the
streets throughout the city: simit....sesame covered
bread circle, 6 to 8 inches in diameter.
The island is filled with many fine examples of
Ottoman style architecture from 19th century. The
streets are lined with beautiful trees many flowering:
white. pink, purple, blue. Above 1/2 way up the
hill(s) of the island the land turns to a very green
forest. The breezes and smells (well not all of them
ha ha) were great.
At the base of the hill again in the harbour area it
was time to walk through some of the streets and a
weekly market in the streets.
Then onto a 3rd type of boat today: Sea Bus which
takes only 1/3 the time the regular boat to the
islands.
Back from Taksim area by a private company bus to my
hotel to reconfirm my flight and 3:30 am taxi to the
airport and for friends to say goodbye once again.
Tonight it is rest up time in preparation for my day
of flights from Istanbul to Amsterdam to Copenhagen
for 3 days.
Good Night from Wandering Alan from Istanbul
I started today by walking to the Golden Horn again
through a different route to explore more of the
ancient parts of Instanbul. Once I got to the Horn I
boarded one of the ferryboats to the Asian side for
some siteseeing from the water again. Boat type
number one for the day.
After completing my round trip from European Istanbul
in the ancient city area to the Asian side I followed
street car tracks that I knew would lead me to the
Blue Mosque and Hagga Sophia that I have visited each
time I have come to Istanbul that past three years.
This morning the gardens around both were more
beautiful than before: many different types of
flowers, richly green shrubs, grass and trees
including weeping willow. The last time I saw these
magical buildings was at night last year when Blair
Miller (CPSI) and I viewed them through a light mist
at midnight after a fantastic day in Bursa with our
Istanbul friend, Halim Erganulp.
That night they were brightly lighted from the ground
with hundreds of seagulls floating gracefully around
their domes. That sight was more than magical.
After some slow wandering remembering that nights view
I continued on in order to return to my hotel and meet
up with Esra again. Briefly after leaving Haggia
Ifound my hotel from last year. This may not seem
like a major accomplishment for most people but in a
city with the complexity and tremendous size of
Istanbul it is a major accomplishment.
Along the way I found a typical Turkish restaurant to
have some Birek, filo crust pie filled with white
cheese.
Then it was off my bus to catch a boat across the
Bosphorus out into the Marmara Sea to visit 3 of the
Princess islands: Kinaliada. Burgazadasi and
Heybeliada.
We got off and toured Heybeliada by foot and then
completely up and around the very hilly island by
horse surrey, yes with fringe on it. We treated
ourselves to a Turkish traditional bread sold on the
streets throughout the city: simit....sesame covered
bread circle, 6 to 8 inches in diameter.
The island is filled with many fine examples of
Ottoman style architecture from 19th century. The
streets are lined with beautiful trees many flowering:
white. pink, purple, blue. Above 1/2 way up the
hill(s) of the island the land turns to a very green
forest. The breezes and smells (well not all of them
ha ha) were great.
At the base of the hill again in the harbour area it
was time to walk through some of the streets and a
weekly market in the streets.
Then onto a 3rd type of boat today: Sea Bus which
takes only 1/3 the time the regular boat to the
islands.
Back from Taksim area by a private company bus to my
hotel to reconfirm my flight and 3:30 am taxi to the
airport and for friends to say goodbye once again.
Tonight it is rest up time in preparation for my day
of flights from Istanbul to Amsterdam to Copenhagen
for 3 days.
Good Night from Wandering Alan from Istanbul
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