No matter what the season is, one of my favorite things to do in Istanbul is take a ride on a vapur.
From early in the mornings until 10 p.m. or so, you too can take a ferry boat ride across the Bosphorus strait � the large waterway that divides the city between Europe and Asia. The vapur schedule varies so it�s best to check ahead of time here.
A few weekends ago, my husband and I took the vapurfrom Besiktas to Kadik�y. I love sitting outside on the top deck during the 20-minute ride. I need to feel the cool air on my skin so I can avoid getting seasick. It�s also the best place to be if you want to take pictures and watch the seagulls follow behind the vapur.
Locals often toss pieces of simit to the seagulls. You can see flickr photos of that here.
We both remarked how we never get tired of taking the vapur from one side of the city to the other. I suppose if we had to do it every day, we might think a bit differently. But the views of Istanbul�s minaret-studded skyline and the Old City are spectacular!
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| One of the city's commuter ferry boats passing by the Galata Tower. |
Also, taking a 2-hour ferry boat ride from Emin�n� is a requirement for any of our guests visiting us here. Our grandparents certainly enjoyed their sunny ferry boat ride back in September. I prefer the IDO Sehir ferry boat short tours that depart at 2:30 p.m. every day because these boats are larger.
While you�re waiting for your boat to depart, you�ll have time to watch the heavy boat traffic in the Bosphorus. I�m always amazed by how many boats and the varying sizes of boats that are coming and going all day.
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| How many boats do you see in this photo? |
The Bosphorus is a busy place to be!
Hope you enjoy my Bosphorus photos taken at different times while we�ve lived here.
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| A small vapur passing by the Dolmabah�e Palace in Istanbul. |
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| One of the first photos I took in 2010, near Ortakoy. |
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| Another photo showing the busy Bosphorus. |
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| Seagulls, boats and the Bosphorus taken near dusk. |
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| You'll often see large freight boats like this one too in the Bosphorus. |