Around The World In 72 Days - Istanbul - Part II - Neighborhoods and Food

More from our fully packed day in Istanbul. 

We went to the neighborhood of Kadikoy. It turned out to be a very, work-a-day, regular kind of place. At first we were wondering what we would see of interest to photograph. But, sure enough, as we wandered the streets, we found more and more of interest.

 Kadikoy

 

 The number of ATM's lining the main road in front of the ferry terminal was mind blowing. I wonder if it has to do with the intense inflation Turkey has suffered with in recent years where people probably only want to take out the cash they immediately need so it does not lose value sitting in their pockets.

Wandering the Streets

Something about the parking lots and their offices that generated a lot of odd stuff

Architecture we've seen before in Istanbul from the late 18th to 19th century

The local food scene. We ate nothing. We were so stuffed from breakfast (see below)

A real deal Turkish bath with separate entrances for men and women

On to Beyoglu

As mentioned in the prior post, we ended up in Taskim Square which is just little ways from where we were staying in the Beyoglu area of town. Taskim is not particularly thrilling photographically. I was wondering whether we should take a taxi back to the apartment. But Google Maps (spawn of Satan that it is) said it was only a 15 minute mostly flat walk to our place. I will simply say, IT WAS NOT FLAT except for the last 20%. Despite this there was a lot to shoot.

Taksim Square

Walking down to the apartment

Eating

Travel to different countries is a constant adventure of surprises due to not fully understanding things. This was the case with having breakfast. We go to this place right across from our apartment. We ask for breakfast. The server shows us a picture. We assume we are buying one item. We are not.

Yes my friends, that is our breakfast. Cheeses, vegetables, olives, borek (savory phylo dough cake), sweet pepper spread, butter in honey, fried potatoes, fried bread, eggs with sausage, braised beef. And washed down with Turkish tea. I'm not a great tea drinker but I love Turkish tea.

This was a feast and I'm proud that Wife and I did a very respectable job finishing a good portion of this off. However, we had absolutely no appetite for anything until the early evening. Then wandering our neighborhood we came across a bunch of kebab places. Kebab in Turkish means roasted. They will have a bunch of meats on skewers like this.

You pick out what you want and they grill it for you.

You get a salad

I had spicy ground lamb while Wife had chicken wings

It was accompanied by a large fresh baked flat bread and pilaf of bulgur wheat. There was a hot, smoked chile condiment with it.

SIGNS OF THE WORLD

Pointing is Prohibited

Around The World In 72 Days - Istanbul - Part I - Water

I will forgo the long history of Istanbul/Constantinople/Byzantium. It has been around for millennia, reeks of history, is still an incredibly important crossroad of the world. It is also a city Wife and I have visited numerous times. It was one of the first we went to during our period of Eldership adventuring. We're comfortable with it. We know how to get around. And it never ceases to please the eye and provide new visions as well. 

With only a day, we wanted to make the most of our time. Istanbul, as it spans the waters the Bosporus Straits has an extensive ferry system as part of its mass transit that is very efficient, low cost, and can give as good a view of the city as one can get purchasing a much more expensive tour boat seat.

 We got an Airbnb in the Beyoglu section of the city. It is very close to Taksim Square in linear terms, not in vertical terms (we'll get to that later). It's an area that has been gentrifying over recent decades but still has many long established neighborhoods. We wanted to go to a part of the city we'd not seen before. A little research settled on Kadakoy, a neighborhood on the South coast of the Asiatic side of the city. 

Here was our itinerary for the day, After we had some breakfast (more on this in the next post). Then we grabbed a cab and went to the Karakoy area which has a ferry terminal and the famous Galata Bridge. We crossed the bridge and went to the Eminonu side across the Golden Horn. We caught our ferry there, went to Karakoy, returned via the ferry back to Kabatas. There is a funicular that takes you from the coastal Kabatas transit terminal (ferries, trams, buses) right up to Taksim Square. From there we did the '15 minute' walk back to our apartment (more on that in the next post. On to the photos.

 Arriving and walking to Galata Bridge which is (always) covered with people fishing

 

What's in season 

WHAT! Espouses Fotograficus? Evidently she is in migration mode as well.

Soooo many people fishing

And under the bridge? Restaurants...lots of restaurants

Making our way to the ferry

Ferry Ride to Kadikoy

The water is high

 

 

 

Passing the famous historic center

On encounter the ancient enemy

Approach to Kadikoy

Great example of late Ottoman Era Architectural Repair Scaffolding

We Arrive!

From our Airbnb window from Dawn to Dusk