Accidentally in Asia

To say that we ended up in Asia “accidentally” seems to infer that we intended to go to another clear, identified destination.

In reality, our unfocused meanderings around Sultanahmet took us through the tranquil Gulhane Park by the Topkapi Palace to the foot of the Galata Bridge, which spans the Golden Horn.  We could walk across the bridge or we could see where the adjacent ferry takes us.  Clearly our assumption was that we would cross the Golden Horn.  However, it was no big deal as our ferry crossed the Bosphorus bound for Asian Istanbul, threading between north-southbound freighters.  We had no particular destination in mind for today. And this was no particular destination.  Mission accomplished.

As a side note, our round-trip journey cost us the equivalent of $2US per person. There were a number of touts on the docks selling Bosphorus cruises at a much higher price.  I suspect we probably got as good, if not better, value from our excursion.  The scenery were the same, the people-watching much better.

Not certain what we would find when the ferry docked, we hit the guidebooks to identify what sites to see at our destination.  Our books mentioned two stops in Asian Istanbul accessible by ferries.  While neither was a major tourist draw, one of them had a few interesting museums and sites to see.  Our ferry was bound for the other.  There was nothing terrible about where Uskudar, but it was more residential, suburban.  There have not been a lot of Western visitors there since the Crimean War.  It did give me the opportunity to indulge in one of my more favorite explorations when traveling: going to the grocery store.  The grocery store, in my opinion, provides a great snapshot into day to day life. No real revelations.  They sold Turkish delight by the pound in the sweets counter at the front, if you are into that sort of thing (I am not).

Back to Europe and successfully across the Golden Horn – via tram, this time – we took a funicular to the top of the Galata Hill and one end of the new district pedestrian zone.  The area had a Vienna / Madrid feel: restaurants, shops and markets.  Lots of commerce and pedestrian traffic.  Since it was a bright, clear day, it was perfect for people to be out.

It was also a great day for a protest.  A group of individuals bearing placards assembled on the street and then continued ahead of us, chanting and cheering.  When we caught up with them, they had rallied outside the Galatasaray school – maybe about 50 to 60 of them.  About 50 yards away, a well-equipped set of law enforcement officers watched the group with some bemusement.  They leaned casually on their riot shields and toyed with the batons hanging from their belts while joking amongst themselves. The officers seemed in no immediate hurry to don the gas masks and helmets that lay at their feet.  Groups of pedestrians crossed the buffer area between the parties as though this were an everyday event.  It had the air of feeling rather routine.  As we made our way back to our lodging, the police were loading up the last of their equipment and personnel and the protesters were not visible.  Looks like all ended quietly.

Observations: lots of cats on the streets and mustaches have never gone out of style.  Every fourth man under the age of 35 sports the Freddie Mercury ‘stache.

• Istanbul
• Turkey