Day 2 in Istanbul – The Bosphorus Ferry Tour
After much misnavigation to get to the Dentur ferry in Kabatas, I boarded the Dentur Hop On Hop Off Ferry, with stops in Besiktas, Ermigan, and the two castles in Emirgan, Küçüksu, and Beylerbeyi. Paying 20 TL (Turkish Lira) I rode the ferry to Ermigan, where I got off to have a lunch of Adana Kebap on a little side street. For 17.50 TL, I had full meal of Adana Kebap (slightly spicy lamb), with pita, green salad, onion and parsley salad, and tomato flavored pearl barley with a bottle of water. It was a pleasant price surprise after Sultanahment, where I had been paying about 25 TL for one course of a meal.
From Emirgan, we crossed to return along the Asian side, where the homes along the water seemed larger and wealther. One of these areas was the first Jewish settlement in Asia, and where the Greek Orthodox, Turkish Muslims and the Jewish all settled together, harmoniously.
On both side of the Bosphorus are old palaces, large and ornate and very hefty in stature. One of these was built in the 900’s and has been recently restored.
This trip was recommended for different reasons – to experience the sea as part of Istanbul, to see Istanbul from the sea, and to see historic architecture that no longer exists except along the Bosphorus. The buildings on both sides were a mixture of modern with lots of glass,large old ornately decoated wooden structures with closed shutters, and palace from the Sultans.
Aside from the architecture, I have now scouted seaside restaurants for a future visit.
