Istanbul, Turkey: Day 1
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| Clearly we weren't the only ones in town this week... ferries, trains & cruise ships galore |
So with suitcases bumping noisily over cobbled
pavements, off we marched to negotiate Sultanahmet’s labyrinth of narrow
streets and lanes. We lucked in and easily
found the wonderful Ambassador Hotel, our base for the week. The Cap’n is now master and commander of his
smartphone – or at least the street maps & GPS component of it.
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| Contrast |
Given our sleep deprivation (from the overnight bus
trip), we decided that a relaxing Bosporus
Cruise was in order for the afternoon.
It is quite a good way to get your bearings, both geographically and
historically as the narrow Bosphorus, separating Europe from Asia, is lined
with palaces, fortresses, mosques and homes of the well-to-do from all
eras. No wonder conquering commanders coveted
its strategic location and Mark Twain (in 1867) waxed lyrical about
Constantinople’s impressive skyline.
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| Excuse me madam, you're sitting in my seat... (well ok, only if you share that nice fish sandwich) |
We made a mental note to visit the opulent Dolmabahce
Palace, admired the Fortresses of Europe and Asia at the narrowest point on the
Bosphorus, lusted after the quaint, waterside yali (mansions) of Yenikoy and
had a fresh fish sandwich at Anadolu Kavagi, a small fishing village and our
only stop. From here we were able to peer out to the Black Sea and wonder if we
would ever have time to visit on WJ3.
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| Sultan's Summer House (always painted red) |
Sailing the
Bosphorus is not for the faint-hearted, we decided, happy to let others captain our ferry.
This narrow waterway, a funnel connecting the Black Sea with the
Mediterranean, is strewn with big ships, ferries and tourist boats. Add to this mix challenging currents, choppy
waters and few suitable anchorages, this is not the place to be outside
daylight hours - unless you're really brave...
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