Istanbul Day 4

Istanbul Day 4

This day was everything we planned. It all went smoothly with the check out of the hostel and getting on the train out of Turkey. The train was not until 10 pm, so we still had some time to see things. Stacie, our new friend from San Francisco, was able to spend the day with us which made for a pleasant time. We had a slow breakfast and then hung out in the lobby of the hostel for a bit. We all then headed out in search of a Bosphorous cruise. After the walk along the trolley train line, we arrived at the ferry port area of the city. This is a bustling area with shops, people,and many restaurants. We were approached by a man yelling about his cruises he had to offer. He said 15 lira! So, we checked out his map and took a look. Stacie told him that we were in search of the guys down the way a bit that had tickets for 10 Lira. This worked on him like a charm and he told us to hop in the van for a shuttle to his boat and we could all 4 go for 40 Lira. Heck yeah! Our wheeling and dealing in this city had finally paid off thanks to Stacie our Turkish bargaining master. I guess it could have worked on this guy because she was so intent on going to the other guy down the way. Or, it could have been that his van was not full at all and he needed people. Who cares? I feel like we got a deal and it was a wonderful boat ride. The boat went out around the Golden Horn and up the Bosphorous to the second large bridge. The first huge bridge we went under and had a cool sight when we looked up. Along the route we had a huge yacht on the west side of the strait. This thing was so large, it had a helicopter on the back! I guess that's an interesting way to get into port. You just anchor your ship out a ways and take the chopper to land. Wow. After the hour and a half ride we ended up back where we started. The ride was breezy and cool with lots of boat activity to witness. I highly recommend if you can get the price down a bit.

On the way out from the boat ride, we were in search of the famous fish sandwiches at the bridge. We knew that there were restaurants under the bridge, but we came across a crazy frenzy of people congregated around 3 bobbing boats in the harbor. These boats were rocking in the waves all cooking fish on huge grills. I guess we had found the place. The chefs on the boats cooked and prepped the sandwiches and then handed the finished product to the men on the land. This was a feat to see with the boats tilting 15 degrees each direction. We wondered how the fish even stayed on the grill. Finding a place to sit was difficult in the pursuing mayhem. But once seated and ready to eat, Andrew chomped down into an entire fish backbone! Nice work guys. I guess it is customary to leave that in? After wrestling the sandwiches and taking part in the famous event, we headed to a place recommended by a friend of Stacie's. All we had was a name and that this baclava bar was at the end of the bridge to the right.... Ok. We had to ask a few people where it was and after a little foot pursuit, we got there. This was obviously the local hangout for all things baclava. There were glass counters all around and chefs behind them whipping up there special delicacies. We were not sure how to order since there were so many choices. Stacie ended up just grabbing 4 of the chef's favorite and we had a seat. Very yummy stuff! Luckily, we had eaten those fish sandwiches previously, since this stuff was so pricey. It you needed to load up on baklava, you might just break the bank. I had never tried it before and what a great place to do so. Maybe once again sometime, and thank you Stacie for your treat!

Once back at the hostel, this would be our last visit before departing. That was time to get your last WiFi fix and use a restroom without paying for it. That restroom thing is surely getting old. I think the locals all have a trick to get in somewhere or maybe they go in the backs of buildings? Who knows? The hostel lobby is also where I like to reorganize my bag and triple check placements for everything. That is not easy to do out in public where everyone is there to watch you and your gear. We got some drinks at the friendly restaurant just down the street and headed out to the train station. No real dinner, but grabbed some snacks for the train trip.

Istanbul was voted the European capital of culture in 2010, and by just a short visit of 4 full days, I can understand why. There were people of all kinds with varying religions, and races all working together in an intriguing city. Much of Europe is not as diverse as Istanbul, but coming from the USA, you are accustomed to a great mix of people, especially at the universities and large cities. In a modern era with mass transportation and the media, we are able to quickly bombard others with differing ideas and customs. We all have to take on this understanding of human difference and try our best to smoothly work together. Istanbul, to me, seems like a city presenting itself as a role model for others to follow, and I can only hope that they do. For our short time there, it was only a glimpse into the inner workings of a truly great city. Istanbul, you have much to offer, thanks. I just don't like to pay for the toilet.