Saturday, May 12, 2012

Carry on up the Bosphorus

I'm informed by that old queen Lord Kinross that Bosphorus translates to Oxford but you can't wear a fez up  the Cowley Road without being arrested these days (err what? Ed.).

Family duty over, Miss N and I explore Constantinople.

Aghia Sophia - complete with post 1453 Ottoman adornments.

Turkish nutty stuff serves as seismic roller bearings.

Sultanahmet area with the Bosphorus and Blue Mosque in view .

Anyone for a Double decker  bus tour?

The Golden Horn - note to Miss N - we are not about to cross into Asia

The traditional scooter crush manouvre developed by the Ottoman's over centuries of conquest

Turkish made FIAT taksis.

Foreground - piles.  Background - Mosque

Byzantine city wall



In search of my childhood memories I discover that the ferries to Buyukada have moved to the other end of town since my last visit to the island some 35 years ago


On Buyukada no cars are permitted - the odour of dung prevails but the roses grow well there.

My Grandparent's former house revisited after 35 years.

Food at one of the many Buyukada promenade restaurants - these are starters and fish is cooked to order (€€€€)

That's where the cat went!

View to the Asian shore from Buyukada promenade

In former days these ferries were steam powered and were built in Scotland.  Now diesel and Turkish made.

Our Hotel in the old city

Fast food and even "upstairs"!

In the Grand Bazzar - Miss N is negotiating in that shop...hours and hours

On the left Constantinople or for us modernists Byzantium - Europe.  On the right Uskudar - Asia.

No need for paper here.

Coming up:  A jaunt around the Peak District and the first bug splat of the year

7 comments:

  1. My, your family really had a nice slice of real estate back in the day. It's amazing how history can be scrubbed out - Cluj, where I live, was an overwealminging Hungarian town until Ceaucescu in the 60s, and the buildings in the centre are all delightfully Hapsburgian. But Romanians tend to view the Austro-Hungarian empire (and all that they built) as a mere blip in the historical time-line linking them with their supposed Roman forebears.

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  2. It is great that your grandparents' house is still standing. It looks well taken care of.

    Is that cat licking a shoe under the table?

    Oh, and incidentally, am I the only one that is now singing Istanbul (not Constantinople)?

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Istanbul_(Not_Constantinople)

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  3. This is shaping up to be a spectacular trip! I love hearing your walk down memory lane. It sounds like all of the family has left the area?

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  4. Wonderful photos N - must show Jennie as she'll be there in about 3 weeks as part of her "girlie" cruise!

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  5. Lovely pics. Sometimes it's nice to travel down memory lane.

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  6. Great song that Trobairitz - new to me, thanks !

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  7. that shot of the Blue Mosque is beautiful....I'm going to have to bump Byzantium up the travel list ahead of Morocco, I think.

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