The ferry was just a short walk from the hotel. Thanks to Rick Steves, we had a good heads-up about what we were going to see, and even which side of the boat we should be on. It was a good thing because there was no time for study along the way. Sights came into view and disappeared faster than I could process what I was seeing. Most of the buildings were of recent vintage (within the last 200 years), and therefor of little interest to me. In Istanbul, I could only focus on the most ancient of structures.
Views of the city as we sped by:
Ports of call along the way:
World famous yogurt to tide us over:
Suspension bridges connecting two continents:
Views of the city as we sped by:
Boats, Boats, and More Boats:
Ancient fortifications:
Our traveling companions:
Finally, our destination - Anadolu Kavagi, Asia! The name means (loosely translated) Controlled Pass in the land to the East. It doesn't take much imagination to know this has historically been a strategic checkpoint for vessels going through the Bosphorus. Beyond this small fishing village lies the Black Sea and a whole different world. That has to wait for another trip.
We found a delicious dinner:
Then, it was time for the long trip back to Europe.
Ancient fortifications:
And lots of shopping opportunities:
