Since March 12,I've been calling the Prinsendam ship my home.
It's relatively small as ships go, making it possible to maneuver through the tight Bosphorus Straits bordering two continents -
Europe on one side and Asia on the other.
Europe on one side and Asia on the other.
From our balcony, we could see old mosques, fortresses, castles, and palaces.
From the water, we absorbed in some fabulous history in visuals.
Above is the summer palace of the Sultans - late 1800s.
BELOW are the gates to another Ottoman palace on the other side of the Bosphorus.
It was built by the fellow who took the throng, shortly after the above palace was constructed.
This kind of lavish spending led to the demise of the Ottoman Empire.
Yes. I saw all of this from my bedroom balcony.
Isn't that a mind-blower?
(Comment: traveling by ship is the cheapest way to go. I promise. You just need to learn the ropes.)
We spent several days in Turkey and I couldn't get enough of that Turkish Delight!!!
BELOW are the gates to another Ottoman palace on the other side of the Bosphorus.
It was built by the fellow who took the throng, shortly after the above palace was constructed.
This kind of lavish spending led to the demise of the Ottoman Empire.
Yes. I saw all of this from my bedroom balcony.Isn't that a mind-blower?
(Comment: traveling by ship is the cheapest way to go. I promise. You just need to learn the ropes.)
We spent several days in Turkey and I couldn't get enough of that Turkish Delight!!!
Himalayans of Turkish Delight!I did succumb. Every flavor had to be tried, after all.
I also loved the carts full of bakery twists covered with sesame seeds.
Add some fresh-squeezed pomegranate juice and it passed for a meal.
It takes exactly three pomegranates to fill a glass.
I passed on the Ant Egg Oil, even though I was given a convincing pitch of it's virtues as a tonic.
I also passed on the street corn. Why must they scorch it, for heaven sakes?
I am not exactly attracted to the long beards which are often seen around Istanbul and Kusadasi.
Additionally, the Turkish noses appear to grow more prominent with age
. . . and can actually be a bit scary.
. . . and can actually be a bit scary.
Some women don black from head to toe, but others wear colorful headscarves.
Many individualize with the headscarves but stick with black elsewhere.
It was t-shirt weather, but you wouldn't know that when you saw the women.
(Sorry for the grainy shots, but I did not want to be indiscreet in photographing strangers
and so I took some of these shots at a distance.)
I strolled through block after block of stores with head scarves.
and so I took some of these shots at a distance.)
I strolled through block after block of stores with head scarves.
ONLY ITEM FOR SALE = HEAD SCARVES.
The head scarf shops took me up several staircase after staircase of ancient pathways.
I was blissfully lost. I absolutely LOVE losing my way in a foreign country.
Can't explain why, but somehow it's the ultimate freedom.
I was blissfully lost. I absolutely LOVE losing my way in a foreign country.
Can't explain why, but somehow it's the ultimate freedom.
So, I had a full and delightful day of wandering combined with encountering kind strangers en route.
The traditional women didn't interact with me very much, but the men certainly did.
I sure wanted more contact with those women. They are draped and inaccessible.
But I traveled their paths and watched their world from a distance.
With our expansive itinerary in Turkey,
I felt like I experienced enough to be enticed and get the itch to return.
I felt like I experienced enough to be enticed and get the itch to return.
Bonsey, you can count on that!
Parting Shot:
Gotta love those Turkish TAKSIs!
2 comments:
You are in your element, wanderer! I wonder about the disconnect that occurs when an American woman who is NOT draped to the max muddles around the alleys and walks frequented by the muffled ones. Did the men think you were super sexy because they could see your legs and hair, I wonder? It is not a part of the world that fascinates me, though from this couch, your pictures are a delightful journey in my imagination. My exotic dreams have more to do with the sud de France and riding horses in Ireland. Still, to sit in your bedroom and see the empires of the world float by . . .
Wow, thank heavens I don't live there, seriously could not do those outfits, especially in the heat! So fun to see your adventures from a distance. I am drinking up my sweet little Reese as much as I can.
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