This was breakfast yesterday. It was fish, greens, and bread. A fish sandwich, as it were. Delicious.
HE'S STILL SINGLE, LADIES!
Delicious baked goods that needed to be consumed. Everything in these stores, from the cookies to the breads, are absolutely amazing.
The train station is the old building across the water. Notice how acclimated all of the passersby are to this scene. How could you get used to this? It's beautiful!
Live performers by the docks were playing Turkish music. I have no idea if it was traditional or a more modern piece, as I have yet to train my ear to the differences (except for a phat techno beat in the songs. I know for a fact that's an ancient tradition)
Smile at the daystar!
This is the ferry we would board for the day's adventure.
Last afternoon our group set out to Beshiktash (I apologize for not having a Turkish keyboard - just pretend the sh are an s with a squiggle from here on out). The ferry was extremely windy, and I stayed looking out over the railings the entire time. The other two were wimps and hid inside for most of the trip over. Why would you not want to be buffeted by wind and sea spray for half an hour? It is beyond my understanding.
I have been threatened by this one that, should I ever post an unflattering image of her upon the face of the internet, I should be destroyed upon the spot. I like testing hypotheses! Let's see if I'm still posting tomorrow, folks.
We pass by these immense loading cranes often during our ferry rides. They're bent at the bottom in that fashion to allow cargo trains to pass under them.
You can see the whitecaps along the Bosporus. That spray of water you see was thrown up as I was taking pictures, and immediately barraged my person and lens with salt spray. Worth it!
The end of the line. The stations look so cool, don't they?
Artsy shot!
Upon arrival in Beshiktash, we set out on foot for Ortakoy, an area with an absolutely gorgeous mosque and an amazing view of the bridge.
This was on the way. I have no idea what it was, but it certainly looks cool.
Jeremy told me the place was "like something out of a tourist brochure". I don't see it.
(Seriously, though, this place is gorgeous)
The entrance to the mosque.
I keep trying to create a caption for this image involving the words "cute" and "sexism", but every time I do it seems worse and worse to say. Let's just move on, shall we?
Photography is not allowed during prayers in these mosques. These people aren't worshiping during the prayers, however, so I felt almost no guilt taking this shot.
I want to congratulate whoever designed this mosque. The light in the afternoon fills the room with such a subtle, dappled effect. It is a place glowing with peace and quiet introspection.
Oh, yeah. This place is also huge. (Honestly, though, what place isn't in this city?)
The back of the mosque. Note all the people taking shelter from the sun in its shadow. Vampires, or mere tourists?
A bit better angle of the place in this shot.
This bridge is over 1.5km long. It spans the Bosporos.
Notice this gigantic cargo ship? See the clearance it has from its tower to the bottom of the bridge? This bridge is scary big.
It was super windy still, and the water was churning against the edge of the docks below the mosque.
WATCH OUT SOMEONE IS BEHIND YOU
I trusted a complete stranger with my camera for this photo. I am glad he took a picture instead of laughing and flying away on a magical unicorn made of stolen consumer items. I think about these things quite often.
I FOUND IT AGAIN
This is the delicious dill bread that I have no clue how to make. I shall discover this secret, and shall inflict it upon all who know me upon my mastery of its alchemy.
We did not go to this shop. I was intrigued by the method of cooking the flatbread, though. There are stalls like this around many of the areas we've been to.
True love.
After browsing the nearby market stalls for a time, our group had an evening at Taksim. Some of Sonia's friends where in the city, and we met up with them for a time.
Dawwww!
Eventually, as with any good night at the bar, the chess board was pulled out and things got serious. I mercilessly destroyed Sonia right out of the gate, but soon found myself flagging under an onslaught from the combined forces of Sonia and Jeremy. 1-2 overall. Next time, Chapman! Next time!
-Hyde
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