Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Bosphorus Journey Sept 15









We rode the tour bus along the 'Golden Horn' and were delivered to a tour boat which took us for a long cruise up the Bosphorus. The Bosphorus is the strait between the Black Sea and the Marmara Sea which dumps into the Aegean. According to a treaty signed in the 1930s there is no cost to any commercial ship that ply these waters. It is used by many freighters and they have to wait their turn in order to get through the narrow opening.

Our boat travelled along the shores of the Bosphorus, under a suspension bridge or two, viewing many gorgeous buildings. Mosques continued to dot the landscape, always visible because of their minarets. Many beautiful old buildings with very ornate features, some university buildings, military buildings and grand old mansions were all along the way.

There are hundreds of grand, old wooden houses that are very interesting. They were built right by the shore and up the hillside too. It is now against the law to change the outside design of these houses which are considered very special and antique.

It was a relaxing trip. We were with a French tour group and a Portuguese tour group and there was still space for more on the top deck where we all chose to sit.

Finally off the boat and the bus picked us up again and took us to a nearby restaurant where we were given a very nice lunch.

I do like the food here. It is usually gently flavoured with herbs, including mint.

3 comments:

  1. FUN - did you do the Bosphorus Bop? - seems like any good Canadian couldn't be on the Bosphorus without thinking of The English Patient.

    I love the art & architecture you've shown so far. So lovely!

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  2. Fabulous houses and architecture - some of the big white houses remind me of somehing you'd see along the Mississippi in the the deep south. Very grand.
    sure looks like a great place to travel and see amazing sights. Looks like you've had a little cooler weather there too - it's be a nice change I'm sure.
    Laurel

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  3. Weather has been very tolerable.

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