We crossed the Galata Bridge, picked up some dried apricots, and boarded the boat.
We cruised north, and passed by some amazing landmarks, including palaces...
...mosques...
...and castles.
We continued north, zigzagging from the European (west) side to the Asian (east) side of Istanbul. There was some amazing beachfront property that must have been worth millions.
After about 90 minutes, we arrived at the northernmost point on the tour, which happened to be a small fishing village called Sarıyer.
It was a perfect moment, listening to the waves crash against the shore and watching Turkish gentlemen literally tie their own fishing nets from scratch, strand by strand, knot by knot. Part of me never wanted to leave.
After about 90 minutes on the boardwalk, we got back on the boat and made a U-turn back towards Istanbul. In the distance, we could see the mouth of the Black Sea on the horizon.
And for 90 more minutes, we just sat back and enjoyed the cool breeze and the beautiful aqua green waves.
Just before docking, we caught a glimpse of another famous Istanbul landmark, Kız Kulesi (The Maiden's Tower). Legend has it that an oracle predicted that the sultan's daughter would die on her 18th birthday from a serpent's bite, so he built this tower and imprisoned her there to protect her. Tragically, the prediction came to fruition when, on her 18th birthday, after the sultan brought her a birthday basket of exotic fruits, an asp hidden in the basket bit the daughter and she died in her father's arms.
After an invigorating boat ride, it was time to eat. We found a restaurant called Güney Restaurant (3440 Serdari Ekrem Ave.) that served excellent lahmacun (pizza). The flatbread, covered in herbed tomato meatsauce, is topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, squirted with fresh lemon juice, folded in half (like a taco) and enjoyed. Yum!
Just as the sun was setting, we decided it was time ascend the Galata Tower. Admission: $10 TL. This tower was built in 1349, and gives an unobstructed, panoramic view of Istanbul. (Note: the image used in header of this blog was also taken atop the Galata Tower.)
I don't think we could have asked for a better day. Good night Istanbul.
