Birds and Boats

One of the many joys of being here in Istanbul is living without a vehicle, as I've mentioned before. Some people love to drive - and I am not one of them. Though even if I did, the thought of driving in any European city would be enough to turn me off. Too much traffic, narrow roads, unfamiliar rules and signage, crazy taxi drivers, and just too much plain chaos - all would make for a rather stressful experience I would imagine.

In the act of not driving, a whole new world opens up to us between our apartment and our destination - in-between spaces like metro stations, docks, bus depots, as well as the conveyances themselves, trams, funiculars, buses, ferries and underground subways. Our kids are at an age where getting somewhere is a new way is still entertaining to them and since our route and means of transport varies, they never get bored.

Hands down, the favourite way for us to get anywhere in Istanbul is by boat. There are bridges over the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn, and an underground metro line too - presumably, I have never used it. Why would you, when you can be on the water instead?

This past week we took a ferry to the Asian side of the city, and saw dolphins in the water, and threw bread to the trailing gulls who would snap the pieces right out of the air.

All in a day's meandering around the city! Here are some other great photos from that ride across the Bosphorus: