Two for the Road

The color of the Bosphorus, the strait that divides the city of Istanbul, changes daily. In the early days of May, under clear skies and bright sunshine, the Bosphorus flows a deep sapphire blue. Even up close, the water retains its dazzling brilliance as we climb unsteadily onto a ferry just steps away from the Spice Market taking us on a tourist cruise (15TL) away from the Old City’s hubbub. As we begin sailing, a new hubbub arises. This time from the calling seagulls that follow our boat. Children and grown-ups alike begin to toss pieces of simit, the Turkish version of a bagel covered in sesame seeds, which the seagulls catch midflight. It's hard to know who’s trained whom; the delighted tourists feeding the birds or the seagulls themselves in their intricate weavings in the sky that feels like an interactive video game – yours for the price of a simit.

Our ferry ride is brisk and breezy as we've chosen to sit outside and take photos al fresco as we pass the town of Ortakoy, the first Bosporus bridge and Rumeli Hisari – an imposing 15th century fortress with a series of towers and stairways. The trees surrounding it are soft green and every so often, a budding Judas tree punctuates the fact that spring has arrived.

We jump ship in Kanlica and make our way directly to Kanlica Yogurt, to the right of the ferry landing. There we order our reward for all our previous hard work of sightseeing. Kanlica Yogurt is famous with Istanbulites. It is a favorite of my friend, who spent her childhood devouring this treat on special occasions. The presentation is homey and the height of convenience as it’s served in unassuming white plastic cups that proclaim it to be original and historical. The yogurt inside, however, is anything but unassuming. It’s an intensely flavored cow and sheep milk combination that is as thick as pudding and served with a towering bowl powdered sugar. We sprinkled this on our yogurt again and again as we greedily made our way to the bottom of the cup. Some had their yogurt with honey, but my friend proclaimed the powdered Everest of sugar before us was the most traditional accompaniment.

After indulging in the privilege of adulthood and ordering a second round, we ambled over to the peer where we paid 5TL each for a small boat across to the European side. Our 6-seater "yacht" was quite the bargain. We landed in Emirgan and then onto 25E bus, which took us to where we began in the Old City, relaxed and happy after our tangy adventure.