Boating the Bospherus

Dinner last night was over in Beyoglu, the european side of istanbul and considered the modern city.  this was definately the case with European style buildings and even a cable car.  the embassies are here as are the international business Turkey offices.  Street muscians, including some dressed as American Indians, ice cream vendors, toy vendors all mingled with the pedestrians on the 'no car' road - Isticklal Caddesi. It is lined with cafes, bars, art galleries, book stores and restaurants

We tried a manti restaurant called Hala. Manti is the turkish version of ravioli, but as miniature balls.

Istanbul is unique in so many ways. Just one is that it is the only city that sits on 2 continents - Europe and Asia - split by the Bospherus which connects the Marmaris Sea and the Black Sea. We decided to explore the Bospherus today via Istanbul ferry boat and made it north, almost to the Black Sea.

 Europe side has alot fewer mosques than Asian site, the farther north you go-the less inhabited and more woodsy the terrain becomes, there are ALOT of boats on the Bospherus ranging from tankers to rubber rafts with engines and they are traveling all over the waterway, its nice to see the old ottoman houses along the shore being renovated - though it is so costly as the work is always extensive to these wooden multistory homes.                                                

We came ashore and made our way to Sariyer, after disembarking at Rumeli Kavagi to look for a Byzantine castle..which apparently is really across the water. In Sariyer I dragged the boys (mark and ali) to the Sadberk Hanim Museum which is housed in a renovated ottoman house. the house was stunning with beautiful wood floors and ceilings plastered with wreaths and other designs. The exhibits included coins and artifacts through the centuries, but also gold, silver and pottery items from ottoman times to early Turkey history. My fave tho was the exhibit of ottoman woman clothing. Gowns of intricate embroidery with lace and crocheted finishes, silks and velvets, jewelry, shoes and head coverings that included coins and tassels. It was interesting to see the same intricate crochet work as I see today done by Mark's mom and sisters - so nice to see it continue.

For dinner tonight, we went to cafeteria where you point to the platter for each type of food you want and they dish your choices onto your plate. You sit at long tables with other families. Everyone is eating, somewhat quickly because there are hoards of hungry turks waiting for your seat. At 8pm, those who are fasting for Ramadan will be arriving. The food was good standard homestyle Turkish food. But I know we'll have even better when we get to Mark's family in Selcuk.

Then off to the park in front of the mosque for beer, to watch the evening Ramadan. festivities. There were vendors selling roasted corn, roasted chestnuts, a candy that is made from dipping a stick into gooey candy which, when it cools, becomes like a long lollypop, gyro maker, vendors selling toys that light up in the night, cotton candy vendors, bottled water.

roasted corn vendor

Roasted chestnut vendor

Whirling Dervish in front of Mosque

watermelon vendor

Chocolate fountains in Beyoglu