Turkey ~Istanbul “Ferry Ride; Europe Side to the Asia Side”

• October 26, 2020
• By Pen
• 0 Comment

We crossed over to the Asia side of Istanbul on a ferry, from Europe. The marine layer is thick with the Black Sea merging to the grey sky. The sea is smooth with seagulls trailing behind looking for ground up fish from the unintended prop. We slowly emerge from the ferry and spill onto the harbors edge. Asia awaits our arrival. Hordes of people mingle the narrow granite paved streets, the rough surface feels safe, as we rise on the inclines. 

People are so varied in looks and tones. The eye color and hair is much like the US, a mix from all descriptions. Mask are worn by almost everyone. 

One street had vegetable, meat markets and fish mongers. We saw Baklava markets with Turkish Delights adorning the shelves. Quaint restaurants fill the street corners. A lady gets a salad and the waiter poured olive oil and the balsamic vinegar; which poured as thick as honey. 

We see a KFC and made a bee line for the Colonel. We always want what they don’t sell so it takes a while to get the order right. Bunny see a shiny object as I wait, and she comes back with new clothes. My maps takes us to a barbershop close by. I get a scissor cut and get to pay 33% more, when he finds out I am from California. Big deal, that is only $4.00 for a haircut. 

We head back to the ferry and when entering the turn-style Bunny goes through with our Metro card. When I scan it for me , it was empty. The lady behind me was impatient, and pushy. She scanned her card, when I was still trying to figure out my card. I flew through, and then she started yelling at me, but I don’t speak Turkey. She is locked out because she used the last of her Metro card on my entrance, and the ferry was ready to pull out! Bunny gives her some money and the rude lady’s voice faded as we got on the ferry. We don’t know if she made it or not. I felt bad but she should not have been a diesel pusher, when it was clearly my turn.

The ride back was peaceful but the waters had turned a little rough. The sun was casting long shadows with the call to prayer sounding off from four different shoreline mosques. The sound of the call can sometimes be beautiful when you are not right next to a speaker. The sounds float above the waters, all on a separate, yet same timeline. 

Our ferry pulled into port, so we departed and hailed a taxi for our final segment of our day’s journey.  In our room the Colonel catered our dinner that we shared with an energetic cat, she could not get enough of that chicken stuff!