 Even in an era of super-cheap, no-frills airline tickets 30 cents struck me as good value for a journey from Europe to Asia.
It was 8 o'clock in the morning and I was still nursing my second cup of takeaway Turkish coffee as I boarded a boat for a short voyage to 'The East.' I climbed to the upper deck and wobbled on land-lubber's legs to the stern to watch Europe drift away. My fellow passengers were clearly oblivious to the fact that their daily trip to work was taking them to another continent.
A friend in Istanbul had laughed at what she saw as my childish excitement about a voyage to Asia. "A tourist once asked me if they speak the same language on the Asian side," she had chuckled. "He wanted to know whether he would have to get his passport stamped when he got off the ferry!"
I was not entirely sure what to expect either: it's not every day that you get to disembark from a boat in a new continent while remaining in the same city. In fact, Istanbul is the only city in the world which spans two continents.
Most travellers stay in the Sultanahmet quarter, within reach of the historical centre. This area is as excitingly full of eastern promise and tantalising sensations as a mixed box of lokum (Turkish Delight), but if you stick unreservedly to this relatively small peninsula old Istanbul is one of the easiest cities in the world to find your way around. As the Bosphorus runs its course from the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara, it carves this sprawling metropolis of 11 million people into convenient bite-sized pieces.
 The Bosphorus has always been the life-force of Istanbul and since the first days of the city's history it has been seething with vessels of all sorts, from the earliest Anatolian and Trojan fishing boats, to Byzantine and Persian slavers, to Roman galleons and Arab fire-ships, to Greek and Venetian traders. The minaret-studded skyline is instantly recognisable, but only from the water can you get a clear perspective of the lofty positions that the Blue Mosque and the Aya Sofya hold over 'Old Stamboul.'
We quickly left the busy European marketplace of Beşiktaş behind and motored towards the little Asian fishing harbour of Beylerbeyi. The domes and minarets were barely receding into the dawn mist when I turned to catch my first sight of the Bosphorus Bridge. While the rumble of heavy traffic droned far above our heads the little ferry puttered between bullying cargo ships and past tiny, wallowing fishing skiffs.
On the Asian shore we began to see the old noble homes that are known here as yalı. Traditionally built all of timber, these lovely waterside mansions were once the retreat of Ottoman aristocracy. We cruised past the spot where the clean water of the Göksu Deresi (the Heavenly Streams) flowed into the café-au-lait of the Bosphorus. Whereas previous sultans had contented themselves with a picnic blanket, Sultan Mecit had built Küçüksu Kasrı, along the lines of the wedding-cake school of architecture that was prevalent in 1856. It is one of the most intriguing buildings on the Bosphorus and is worth a visit if you can coincide with the erratic opening times.
The second bridge (the Fatih Bridge) was built at the narrowest part of the straits (slightly less than half a mile). This point has always been strategically important and the 15th Century 'Fortress of Europe' at Rumeli Hisarı still looms above the western shore while, on the eastern, lies the ruins of the 'Fortress of Anatolia.' Greek legend has it that when Zeus's lover Io fell out of favour he turned her into an ox here and sent a horsefly to sting her on the rump until she swam across to exile in Asia. 'Bosphorus' is derived from the Greek for 'Ford of the Ox.'
 At the little village of Kanlica I placed my first ceremonial footstep of the trip on Asian soil. There were of course no entry formalities and no discernable differences between the people here and their compatriots across the water, but the peaceful little plaza with its shaded terraces could not have felt farther from the mid-morning scramble of Istanbul.
I had been told that Kanlica is famous for the 'best yoghurt in the entire world' and I soon realised that the open-air terrace of Asırlık Kanlıca Yoğurdu café is one of those places that just exudes contentment. So, I soaked up the Asian sun while I spooned yoghurt that was tooth-achingly sweetened with honey.
I spent another peaceful hour wandering around the market at Kanlica and bought a lucky charm that was guaranteed to protect me from the evil eye. A few old men lined the harbour wall with their fishing rods. They talked occasionally but in general seemed to be heedless to everything but the gentle tug of another catch...and the ubiquitous cats that rubbed hopefully against their legs. I had noticed from the boat that every patch of unclaimed waterfront land was occupied by ranks of men brandishing fishing rods at their scaly enemy. It seemed surprising that there were any fish left in the Bosphorus at all, and yet, each time a line was reeled in I counted as many as a dozen silver fish, flapping on their hooks.
I still had a long way to go so I decided against lunch in the lovely (and amazingly inexpensive) restaurant in Hıdiv Kasrı palace and instead rejoined the next northbound ferry. We puttered across to the pretty European yachting cove at İstinye and zigzagged through the sleepy fishing villages of Beykoz (Asia) and Sarıyer (Europe). Shortly before the ferry pulled in at Tarabya (once known as 'Therapeia' for its blessed climate) we began to feel the force of the Black Sea swells. Waves, coming straight from the Crimea, crashed against the bow as the ferry struggled over to the last stop at Anadolu Kavağı.
 At Yedigül fish restaurant I celebrated my arrival at the Black Sea with a meal of excellent fresh anchovies and a glass of ayran (salted drinking yoghurt). Alcohol is not often available at these village restaurants but I figured that I had time for an invigorating afternoon walk and could still make it back to Istanbul in time for a raki sun-downer in the Kiz Kulesi lighthouse, overlooking the lights of what might be the world's most romantic city.
On the cliff-tops above Anadolu Kavağı stands the 10th Century fortress that has been guarded at various times by Byzantines, Genoese and Ottoman forces, and now the Turkish defence force. Much of the coast where the Bosphorus meets the Black Sea is a militarised zone and I resisted the temptation to take photos until I was at the viewpoint in the grounds of the historical fortress itself.
A seemingly endless procession of cargo ships and tankers were threading themselves into the narrow channel at the mouth of the Bosphorus. As they ploughed their way towards the Sea of Marmara, and the Mediterranean, they could almost be trying to drive an iron wedge of commerce between the sleepy little European and Asian fishing villages. Somehow, I had the feeling though that even when the mighty tankers have been replaced by the space-age mega-transporters of the future there will still be little old men patiently casting their fishing lines into the timeless waters of the Bosphorus.
Factbox
Getting there: Easyjet (www.easyjet.co.uk) flies to Istanbul daily from Luton.
Getting around: Travel around Istanbul city by tram, underground, bus or taxi is convenient (at least out of rush hours) and, by northern European standards, inexpensive. The return ferry trip up the Bosphorus from Eminonu to Anadolu Kavagı takes anything from 4 - 6 hours (or 1.5 hours on a faster TurYol boat).
Where to stay: Hotel Empress Zoe is probably Istanbul's best boutique hotel. Star Hotel ('Star Hotel and Guset House' according to their business cards) in Sultanahmet offers good value and friendly service.
Where to eat: Hıdiv Kasri (on the hill above Kanlica) is one of the most enchanting spots on the Straits. Despite its palatial appearance you can get a wonderful meal here without breaking the budget.
In Sultanahmet, eat at Lale Pudding Shop, the favourite haunt of a million hippies and - after going through a few grubby years - once again become an Istanbul institution with good local food and friendly service.
What to do:
For general info see www.istanbul.com
Ferries - IDO (www.ido.com.tr) or TurYol (www.turyol.com).
Hotel Empress Zoe - Akbiyik Cad. Adliye Sok. No:10 Sultanahmet - Tel: +90 212 518 2504 - www.emzoe.com
Star Hotel - Akbıyık Cad. 10, Sultanahmet - tel: +90 212 638 2302 - www.starhotelistanbul.com
Hıdiv Kasrı restaurant - tel: +90 216 425 0603 - www.beltur.com.tr
Lale Pudding Shop - Divanyolu Cad. 6, Sultanahmet - tel: +90 212 522 2970
Costs
Ferry tickets: With standard commuter ferries, just 30 cents for each leg. Get off whenever you want and just pay again.
Two nights (based on two sharing) at Hotel Empress Zoe: every room is different but prices vary from $260 to US$550 for 2 nights B&B.
Two nights (based on two sharing) at Star Hotel: US$140
A glass of çay (tea) - 15 cents
An Efes Pilsen in a local bar - US$2.80
Midday meal at Hıdiv Kasri: Between US$10 and US$16.
Midday meal at Pudding Shop: About US$4.
A nargileh water-pipe: US$4.
|
"He who dies with the most experiences wins"
return