Once we were settled in the Seabird plane, the pilot took us up the Golden Horn a bit so he�d have enough runway for take-off.
He smoothly maneuvered the small plane around. Quickly, we found ourselves gazing down at the Golden Horn and Suleymaniye Mosque as we lifted off into the air.
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| The Suleymaniye Mosque in Istanbul as we flew by in the Seabird plane. |
The Old City of Istanbul flashed by us, and I was ready with our camera. As you can see from the photos below, we flew over the Blue Mosque, Ayasofya, Nuru Osmaniye Mosque and even a portion of the Grand Bazaar.  |
| Flying over the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, October 2012. |
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| Flying over the Ayasofya in Istanbul, October 2012. |
I found it easiest to use the camera�s sports setting so I could take numerous photos in a row and worry about deleting them later. Some of them turned out a bit fuzzy, but overall I was happy with the photos documenting our first seaplane experience and capturing my favorite city on film.
On our return flight from the Turkish island of Bozcaada, we flew closer to the Asian side so we saw parts of Kadik�y, the Fenerbah�e Stadium, Haydarpasa Train Station and the main Istanbul port.  |
| Flying past the Haydarpasa Train Station & Kadik�y Iskelesi in Istanbul. |
Then, the pilot turned the plane toward the Golden Horn and we continued past the Galata Bridge, Galata Tower and the Beyoglu neighborhood.
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| Aerial photo of the Golden Horn & Beyoglu neighborhood in Istanbul. |
Suddenly, the murky waters of the Golden Horn splashed under the plane, and we had landed. The landings were so smooth you really couldn�t tell you had landed except you heard the sound of the water.
Being in a small plane like this gives you a whole different perspective on Istanbul. You see the diverse contrast of old and new Istanbul merging together like some kind of giant puzzle. I was able to see my favorite historic sites as a whole rather than just pieces or the front fa�ade at one time.
I hope you enjoy these aerial photos of Istanbul. Which photo is your favorite?
Next week: Exploring Beautiful Bozcaada
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| Here's the main Istanbul port where boats are loaded and unloaded as well as the Bosphorus Bridge in the background. |
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| Flying Seabird over the Fenerbah�e Stadium in Istanbul. |
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| Another view of the Blue Mosque with the Marmara Sea in Istanbul. |
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| Flying over the Nuru Osmaniye Camii and Grand Bazaar area in Istanbul. |
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| Flying over the Galata Bridge and surrounding neighborhood in Istanbul. |
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| An interesting overhead shot of the Galata Bridge from the Seabird plane in Istanbul. |
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| Notice all the Turkish flags displayed to celebrate the bayram holiday in Istanbul. |
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| The initial takeoff along the Golden Horn in the Seabird plane in Istanbul. |