Istanbul
Arwenofbosham
Rob and Jacky Black
Sun 29 May 2011 10:14
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40 58.27 N 28 52.6 E
Atakoy Marina Istanbul Wednesday 25th - Sunday 29th
May
We had a peaceful night along side the fishing boat
apart from a visiting cat which left it's spray on the dinghy cover! Left at
0530 first light and were soon sailing with a great
wind, two reefs in the main and 1/3rd of the genoa
wind speeds around 15 knots. We made good speed for an hour then the wind went
ahead and died for an hour so the engine went back on.
The seas were fairly flat as we were protected by
the proximity of the land and even later when we had 25 knots of wind it was a
fast passage even with three reefs we were making 7.5 knots at
times.
We arrived off Atakoy Marina having passed through
a huge ship's anchorage just to the west off a container terminal - I counted 46
ships at anchor here, at 1100 and were soon all fast on F pontoon
Kiwi Volant (from the EMYR last year) were on the
head of the pontoon so we met up with Bruce and Mandy later for a catch-up
chat.
The marina has alongside finger pontoon berths
which made a pleasant change from lazy lines, the showers were good but a long
walk from our pontoon! There is a very large Migros some 400 metres out of the
marina
so we were able to stock up the stores easily. the
office staff were most helpful and we soon had plenty of information to get
ourselves into the city to explore.
Bus number 81 goes from a bus stop on the hour and
half hour (approximately) which is just east of the marina on the main dual
carriage way. It took us 30 minutes in the rush hour and 20 later in the day to
reach the ferry port of
Eminonu from where trams run up to the main tourist
area of the Sultanmet. We were at the entrance for the Topkapi Palace at 0850 on
Thursday morning to get our tickets and beat the crowds for our first
sightseeing expedition.
This Palace was the home to the Sultans and their
extended families and staff for some 450 years; many additions being built by
various monarchs. The setting was lovely an elevated position with views across
the Golden Horn ,up the Bosphorus and across to the Asian shores. Much of the
sight has shaded gardens and courtyards with separate palaces and buildings
arranged around these. We visited the Harem first where we heard about the
various rooms and protocols
practiced here. Everywhere you looked the walls
were covered in elaborate tiles and huge doors inlaid with mother of pearl.
There were marble floors and columns and water features abounded. All very
ornate and almost decadent!
We next viewed the Treasury rooms where the most
amazing collection of jewels, turban adornments, daggers, gem-encrusted boxes
and other richly decorated items were displayed - some of them incredibly old
dating from pre BC others from as late as 19th Century. Emeralds seemed very
popular and there was one diamond the likes of which we have never seen before
it was enormous!
After this we spent another hour wandering around
the various other buildings taking pictures and enjoying the warm sunny day
before eventually heading for the Golden Horn and lunch. We decided to go to the
traditional fish cafes on the Galata
Bridge where we ate fish in bread - delicious and
cheap too at 3 TL per portion. After this we headed for the nearby Spice Bazaar
and spent another hour wandering this maze of alleyways full of stalls selling
anything from nuts to baby clothes
and anything else you can think of! All wonderfully
colourful with delicious aromas emanating from the kebab stalls and spice shops
- fantastic! It was pleasant to be able to look at goods without too much
hassle from the stall holders although the carpet and kilim shops all had the
usual selling line - 'let me ask you one question....?'
We returned to the boat around 1800 ready for an
early night.
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