Today was an up and at-em day again!!! Needed to catch the one and only ferry along the Bosporus that left at 10:50 and was a 35 minute walk and we didn’t know where we needed to be to catch it. We were able to get a cup of coffee and a quick bite of cheese and meats bought yesterday before running off at 10. When we got to the dock at Beşiktaş we went by the dock we needed and got to the end and started asking for the 10:50….. everyone kept saying go back left…. So we ended up with only a minute to spare to get the tickets and run onto the boat. The boats dock/unload/load in whatever time it takes to move the people. There is no waiting!!
Though it again was somewhat hazy it was sunny and nice. The ride, stopping at several locations, took about 1h 10 min from Beşiktaş. We got off at the end of the line, a small fishing village that was completely tuned to tourists. An enormous number of restaurants and cafes along the waterfront and up the little main street. We walked up and watch the price of coffee drop, on the notice/menu board, and when it went from 10tL to 5tL we stopped!
We then headed up the hillside, on the road, for the 25 min walk to the castle/fort at the top. You can’t get in, it’s completely fenced, but it offers a fabulous vantage point to look out to the Bosporus and beyond. Though it was hazy, and you couldn’t really see it, the Black Sea was out there! Turkey is also building another bridge across the Bosporus east of the fort location and you can see it in it’s half completed state. Two tall towers with 2 long sections of decking held by cable stays. The middle third of the bridge hasn’t been built yet!!
We walked down from the fort and stopped, again at a café with a great view, for some lunch. It was nice to not have a lot planned for the rest of the day. Take the ferry back at 3, and arrive in Istanbul at 4:10. We decided it was wise to take the underground funicular again, up to Taksim and try to find the bus stop. We need to be quick about getting there for the 8AM bus tomorrow so it was really helpful to locate it. It’s sort of like the Bolt Bus, as they keep changing the location and no one really ever knows where it is for long! It’s currently behind the Pointe Hotel. They just queue up and park 2 or 3 buses making the next runs to both airports. We also confirmed the trip time on a Sunday at 8AM should be more like 60 minutes and not the standard time of 90 minutes.
We were pretty much done for the day so decided to pick up the intrigueing shaved chicken or meat toasted pita wraps, pick up some beer at the neighborhood market and come back and organize, clean up, and pack for tomorrow’s departure.
Tomorrow we fly to Kayseri, rent a car, and drive to Goremem for our visit to Cappadocia. From Sunday to Thursday, when we fly to Izmir.
Off we go !!!!
