| Besiktas to Kanlica |
 • Keep watching the left (European) side.As you leave Beşiktaş, the next building is one of the private universities of Istanbul (üniversitesi). In front of the building, you'll see people fishing—either for sport or to catch dinner. Many local fisher folk have favorite spots along the Bosphorus. These embankments are even more crowded on weekends, with people walking, fishing, enjoying the day with their families—sometimes even (gulp!) swimming. Keep an eye out for barbecue grills, to cook up the fish as they're pulled from the water. Past the university, the building under construction—formerly a state guest house—is the new Four Seasons hotel. Next to it is the Çırağan Palace (chuh-rah-ahn), another late-Ottoman residence. This was built two decades after Dolmabahce Palace in the same eclectic style by the same architect. In 1910, it mysteriously burned to the ground—some say because of faulty wiring, others say arson. Only a chunk of the facade remained standing, and a local soccer team used the empty space for practice. More recently, an international hotel chain restored the palace in exchange for the right to build a hotel complex next door, the Çırağan Palace Kempinski Hotel (with the big swimming pool in front). Presidents Clinton and Bush (the Elder) have both stayed here (though not at the same time). It has theme restaurants and a ballroom, as well as a popular—and expensive—jazz bar in the basement, which moves up to the waterfront in summer. The next building is a maritime high school (easy to recognize, thanks to the ship's mast in front). Past that are three long buildings standing side by side, painted various shades of yellow. These were the 19th-century Ottoman Assembly buildings. In the late days of the Ottoman Empire, when it was becoming the "Sick Man of Europe," pressure from elsewhere in Europe—and from forces within the empire, especially the military—compelled the Sultan to agree to the creation of an advisory committee. The parliament lasted only a few decades, and vanished with World War I. Past the assembly buildings, we enter the lively Ortaköy (or-tah-koy) district (with the towers of Istanbul's business zone in the background). Just before the Bosphorus Bridge is the striking 19th-century Ortaköy Mosque— with a Western style similar to the Dolmabahçe Mosque we passed earlier. Right next to the mosque is a 19th-century mansion that once belonged to a sultan's daughter. After the birth of the Republic, it was used as a depot to store tobacco. It burned down in the 1970s and was left in ruins for years. Eventually the tenants took matters into their own hands, redecorated with stylish glass and metal elements, and converted the mansion into a banquet hall. They organize dinners, cultural activities, and mini-concerts Now you are under the first bridge ever to connect two continents—the Bosphorus Bridge. It is the first of two suspension bridges over the Bosphorus. Built by a Turkish-British corpora tion, it was completed in 1973, on the 50th anniversary of the Turkish Republic. It is almost two-thirds of a mile long (a little more than a kilometer), and carries six lanes of traffic between the continents. • Now look to the right (Asian) side. Just to the left of the bridge is Beylerbeyi, the late-19th-century summer palace of the sultan. The hill rising behind the palace is Çamlıca (chahm-luh-jah). Half of the city's TV and radio transmitters are on that hill, the highest point in greater Istanbul at roughly 1,200 feet. • Back to the left (European) side. Just past the bridge, on the European side, is a string of nightclubs—some of the most popular places in the city for the jet set. There's even a small island that belongs to a private sports club. We've been cruising along the European coastline since leaving Beşiktaş. Now the boat will adjust its course and head for the other side of the strait. As the boat passes the center of the strait, watch for groups of dolphins on their way to the Black Sea. • As the boat heads for Asia, so should your gaze. Look right. Coming up on the Asian side is a very wide, two-story white building. Named Kuleli (koo-leh-lee; "With Towers") for the towers on either end, it was built in the early 1800s as an army barracks. Today it's a military high school. Beyond Kuleli, the population starts to thin out. There used to be many small fishing villages along the shoreline, but in recent years, the simple fishing boats have been replaced by luxury yachts. Especially along the Asian side, from Kuleli all the way to the second bridge, you will see lots of impressive, private waterfront mansions belonging to wealthy families. The generic name for these mansions is yah (yah-luh). Pay attention to those made of wood. Quite a few are over a century old, but many have been renovated. Laws used to prohibit the use of non-original materials in renovating historic buildings. But many historic, wooden buildings burned down mysteriously, and were quickly replaced with new, modern constructions. This phenomenon led to a recent compromise: The core of the structure can be rebuilt according to modern specifications, but a replica of the original wooden facade must adorn the front. Regardless of their historical value, these multi-million-dollar homes on the Bosphorus are among the most expensive in the city. Next you'll pass the Cape of Kandilli (kahn-dee-lee; "With Candles"), named for the lamps lit to warn ships of the strong current here. The cape is marked with a huge electric pole on top of the hill, transferring high voltage wires across to Europe. At the tip of the cape is another radar tower. Next to it is the yah of Edip Efendi, a two-story, white-and-gray wood mansion on the water. • Now look left (European side). Across from the cape is the trendy Arnavutkóy district (named after early Albanian settlers), and following that, Bebek Bay (beh-behk; "Baby"). This town on the bay is known for its almond paste, sometimes flavored with pistachios. The apartments and condos here cost a small fortune to buy or rent. Notice the many private boats anchored in the bay. To the left of the bay, the unusual-looking gray building with a French-style roof and large flag is the Egyptian consulate. • Back to Asia (right). Beyond the cape, the Bosphorus makes a sharp turn into a bay. Watch for more impressive homes, especially the terra-cotta-painted one with three antique columns in its garden (it belongs to one of the wealthiest families in Turkey), and the very wide, single-story, 18th-century yah with the fancy second-floor balcony. Deeper into the bay, you will notice the Western-looking, 19th-century hunting pavilion of the sultans, named after the nearby freshwater creek, Küçüksu (kew-chewk-soo). It was a remote getaway for the royals, who were hunting peace and quiet more than anything. Less than half a mile from the pavilion, past the pink building (a teachers' social club), notice the round and square towers of an old fortress rising among the houses. This is the Anatolian Fortress (Anadolu Hisarı; ah-nah-doh-loo hee-sah-ruh), built by the Ottoman Sultan Beyazıt at the end of the 14th century. Known as "Thunderbolt" for his speed on the battlefield, Beyazıt built this fortress at one of the narrowest points of the Bosphorus to cut off aid to Constantinople during a siege. Fifty years later, Beyazit's grandson, Mehmet II, conquered Constantinople by following his grandpa's example across the strait... • Now look across to the European side (left). Here you see the much bigger Rumeli Fortress (Rumeli Hisarı; roo-meh-lee hee-sah-ruh)—built by Sultan Mehmet II a year before the conquest of Constantinople in 1453. Construction was completed in a record time of 80 days. Once the Ottomans had fortresses on both banks of the Bosphorus, it was virtually impossible for a ship to pass through without permission. This one-two punch of mighty fortresses was a key component of Mehmet's ultimately successful siege of Constantinople. . • Back to Asia (right). As you near the second bridge, look for the oldest surviving yah on the banks of Bosphorus: the mansion of Hüseyin Paşa. Run-down but currently under renovation, this terra-cotta-painted yah was built by the Ottoman Grand Vizier around the year 1700. It's taller than you'd expect for a single-story building, because it rises up on wood supports above a stone retaining wall. Next up is the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge (locals call it FSM for short). Newer than the Bosphorus Bridge, it was built in 1988 by a Turkish-Japanese corporation and is longer (almost a mile) and wider (eight lanes) than the Bosphorus Bridge. While the first bridge is used mostly for local city traffic, the FSM sees more intercity and international travel. Trucks are required to use the FSM. As we approach Kanlıca, enjoy the view of impressive yahs, many with drive-in "garages" for private boats. Kanlıca is a popular weekend spot, with many cafeterias and eateries along the water where locals enjoy a cup of tea while soaking up the beautiful scenery. Kanlıca is also famous for its yogurt, served in small plastic containers and sprinkled with powdered sugar. As you leave the port, servers will scamper around the boat selling fresh yogurt just picked up at the port . (s3) |