Tuesday 12 August 2008

Trip up the Bosphorus (The Boğaziçi)

On one of my last days in Istanbul I took a boat ride up the Bosphorus.  That's the waterway that separates Europe and Asia.  My original plan was to go all the way to the Black Sea, but I found out that trip was going to take something like 8 hours!  I've done that once before, and it's very cool.  There's an old Genovese fort overlooking the Black Sea and you can stop and have some great seafood - in fact, you have to stop for it because you have something like 3 hours at that last little port before you get to come back!  But, I had plans to see Nuran and Boran that evening so I couldn't take that long. 

It was really cool and there are some good photos I hope.  I've split them into three sections.

I.  The Rumeli Fortress.
Mehmet the Conqueror built this fortress as he prepared to conquer Constantinople.  There's a very small companion fortress on the other side of the Bosphorus.  I read in a biography of Mehmet that he stretched a chain from the fortress in Asia to this one in Europe to block the Bosphorus to any of Byzantium's allies during his final attack.  



II. Buildings and views on the Bosphorus
This is the small mosque at Ortaköy

This is
Dolmabahçe Palace.  As part of the modernization campaign of the later Ottoman sultans, this European-style imperial palace was built.  It's one of several that date from that period.  You can see Topkapı palace (the original imperial palace) if you look down the Bosphorus from here. 


One of the small villages along the shores of the Bosphorus

The Shoreline with who knows what part of town in the background!

Cruise ships on the Bosphorus

III.  Views of the Golden Horn
The Galata Bridge - tons of fishermen on the top level; restaurants and cafes on the lower level.

Fish shops where you can buy a grilled fish served on bread.  It sounds good but it doesn't taste that good!  It's charred fish (with skin) on bread!

The Plaza in front of the Ferry Landing

The Egyptian Market (also called the Spice Market)

Galata with the Galata Tower at the top.

The New Mosque (or the Valide Sultan Mosque)


This is about it for the Istanbul trip.  I think I have a few more photos to show, and then you'll catch up with me!  Istanbul is a truly amazing city!  I think everyone should go there at least once!

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