Bosphorus Walk Part 2

Yesterday, I walked north up the Bosphorus from Arnavutkoy.  It was finally sunny and warm, your stereotypical Mediterranean weather.  I visited the enormous Fortress of Europe, built by Mehmet the Conqueror during his campaign against Constantinople.  Its walls and towers climb up the steep hill on the European side of the narrowest part of the Bosphorus.  Across from the Fortress of Europe is the Fortress of Asia, its smaller and older twin.  As you can see, visitors are allowed to climb up the narrow, unguarded stairways and walk along the ramparts... which of course would never happen in the US.

While at the fortress, I had one of those "small world" incidents.  I ran across a woman who I knew from a Turkish class I took in DC who now works at the American Consulate here.  She was at the fortress with her husband and very pregnant belly taking pictures before she gives birth.  She is one of two people I know in Istanbul, and it was crazying running into her.  We escaped the heat and caught up at a cafe.

I then walked up to the little town of Istinye which has its own mini bay.  This is a view of the second Bosphorus bridge from Istinye (you can also see the bridge in the fortress pictures).

I caught a bus back to Arnavutkoy and spent some time wandering around its steep, winding streets.  Many of these streets end in narrow alleys or steep steps and are therefore better suited to foot than car traffic.  Tomorrow I am moving across the straight to a neighborhood called Kadikoy.  I hope it is as pretty as Arnavutkoy.