23July Princes' Islands

There are 9 islands in the Sea of Marmara, that body of water with the Dardanelles at the bottom (south) and the Bosphorus at the top (north). Of the 5 or so inhabited ones, we visited the largest yesterday, aptly called Buyukada (bew-YEWK-ah-dah), which lies about 20 kms SE of the Istanbul. The ferry ride over was crowded, but the throngs of people heading out of the city for the day thinned with each stop. Ours was the last, and well worth the hour or so it took to get there. Secil (Seh-CHEEL, our program coordinator, and one of the most elegant and sophisticated women I've ever known) explained that many of Istanbul's fashionable and moneyed people have second homes on the island. She said to be on the lookout for the Beautiful People of Istanbul, and I laughed. Aren't they all?? The harbor where the ferry unloads is lined with cafes and the road leads up to a central clock and little square where the queue forms for horse drawn caleches to haul visitors up to the island's main draw: the Hagia Triada Monastery. Pilgrims (both the devout and the curious) climb--or more likely are borne by the old-fashioned caleches--to a large open square near the top of the island. From there you can purchase a charm (?) to make a wish. I remember those for health (which I got), children, love, marriage, work, but there were half a dozen others. So with charm in hand (mind was a little metal elephant and an inch of thin white satin ribbon on a used-to-be-gold safety pin) you climb the cobblestone street to the very top of the hill, about 680 feet above sea level. Writing that now, it doesn't seem like much at all. But in the noonday sun, it's a reminder that we're getting out of shape from all our Anatolian hikes. The legend says each pilgrim should start with a roll of thin string at the bottom of the hill and unwind it as he ascends (for the record, I almost wrote "she"...I hate that English makes you make a choice.) The point is to make it to the top without your string breaking. You visit the church, pray, make your thematically-appropriate wish, relevant of course to the charms you purchased. Then you bring your charm back down and when the wish comes true, you either throw the charm into the sea, give it to someone you love, or bury it. But how will I know if my "health" wish comes true? Hmm...

We had a(nother) amazing lunch at the cafe beside the monastery. Gorgeous view of the Marmara, so blue, so inviting. So not going swimming. I walked back down rather than ride the caleche. Much of the island is punctuated with the strong smell of HORSE, horse poop in particular. Ew. There were 1000s of tourists there by midafternoon, and the 3:15 ferry was well-timed for our departure. I got a bit too much sun on the way home, but it was worth it.

Mom arrived safely, I ran into her out on Istiklal. She was pretty easy to spot, walking at .004 miles an hour looking up in all directions. She says her head's on a swivel. We had a stroll, a coffee at the base of the Galata Tower, then a drink at our hotel's bar, the one with the magnificent view. Then Jim, Mom and I walked across the Galata Bridge, went into the huge and lovely New Mosque, then had a quickly but affably served dinner at Ali's favorite Kebab house, the Hamdi. My yoghurtli kebab was succulent...minced lamb, yoghurt and spices. Humminah. We walked back along the pedestrian stretch under the Galata Bridge, packed with fish restaurants doing very brisk business at 11:00. We had a beer (2?) in the streets of Beyoglu, then called it a night around 12:00. In fact, we just woke up a few minutes ago and have to head out for a university visit this morning. Our farewell dinner is tonight and that makes me sad. No more Ali and soon no more Secil. Bummer.

Rats. The time here is coming to a close. But at least Mom's and my chapter is beginning. That'll be fun.

Upload pics later. Ciao!