Bosphorus walk part 1

I am currently staying in a gorgeous little neighborhood called Arnavutkoy, situatued about a third of the way up the Bosphorus.  My Turkish classes are starting Monday and are located about 3 miles away in Taksim.  Despite the overcast skys and light rain, I decided to take a walk down the Bosphorus, eventually making my way to Taksim.  My goal was to purchase a transport pass and find my way back to Aranvutkoy via public transportation.

Arnavutkoy is a tiny clump of twisted roads squeezed between a steep hill and the straight.  It has dozens of gorgeous yalis, wooden houses along the shore line which date to the 19th century or earlier.  Many of these ornate structures have elsewhere disapeared and even those in Arnavutkoy are peeling and worn.  Boats boats crowd along the concrete sea wall, competing for space with the dozens of fishermen collecting tiny fish on their multi-hook lines.

Heading south, I walked under the Bosphorus bridge, one of two huge suspension bridges that span the waterway. Just south of the bridge is Ortakoy, another little seaside neighborhood with a gorgeous 19th century mosque and streetside vendors catering to tourists.  It is located on a little clump of land sticking out into the water, giving it great views of the surrounding area.

Two massive, ornate palaces are located along the waterfront.  First I encountered the gates of Ciragan, a 19th century palace which is now a luxury hotel.

 Next I saw the massive gates and walls Dolmabahce Palace, which served as the seat of government for some of the last Ottoman Sultans.  It is now a museum but I decided (due to its hefty price tag) to put off visiting till later.  Its side gates were bizaarly guarded by soldiers in glass boxes (though when I passed later on the bus, the soliders were gone).

I found that just past Dolmabahce is Kabatas, a major transportation hub with access to Taksim square to its north via the Funikular, one of several one stop rail lines in Istanbul.  The Funikular acts as sort of an underground, less steep incline train, bringing you up from the water front to Taksim. I searched for a bus map, schedule or anything resembling this to no avail.  However, the buses have the major stops on their route listed on their windows.  With a little luck, I found a bus the stops just down from my hostel, thus solving my current transportation issues.

Tomorrow, as long as the weather holds out, I plan on walking north along the Bosphorus and taking some more pictures of Arnavutkoy. And now, for Andrea, a picture of a sokak kedi stalking pigeons in Ortakoy.