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Published: October 13th 2023
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As I write this post, I am looking out the window of our beautiful cruise ship, at the setting sun over the Marmara Sea. The Star Legend is a small, 200 passenger vessel in the Windstar Cruise Line. It provides all the amenities of the larger cruise lines, minus the crowds. We sailed out of the harbor at precisely 5pm, waving goodbye to the Istanbul coastline with its striking minarets and ancient coastal history. The sea is calm and skies are clear which should make for a peaceful night of sailing.
Before we boarded though, we had one last highlight of ancient Istanbul to explore, the Galata Tower. As I previously mentioned, it was the highest point of the Genoese walled city. Built in 1453, the Genoese could watch the strait for uninvited ships. Sounding an alarm, loud enough to be heard across the strait, they raised the chain from both sides to deter the invasion.
We took an elevator to the 7th floor but from there we climbed another 70 steps to the top of the tower on the 9th floor. Once we reached the top it was easy to see how far the Genoese could see and
how well they could monitor both cities. None of us were brave enough to venture out onto the narrow ledge, surrounded by only a 3ft iron fence. We were happy to stand in the doorways, have our pictures taken and admire the beautiful views.
We managed to squeeze in a little shopping on the way back down the very steep hill. A couple of dresses, a belt and a new pair of eye glass frames were the last items purchased and to be packed away for the upcoming cruise.
After boarding, we grabbed a quick lunch then visited the lounge at the bow to watch as we left the harbor. Being in the river gives you a completely different perspective of the two walled cities. It was easy to spot Topkapi Palace, nestled into the best spot on the European side right at the harbor. Behind that, the domes and minarets of Hagia Sofia and Sultan Ahmed mosques were easily visible. Then across the river, the Galata tower, where we could easily see people standing where we had been earlier in the day.
The river itself is a very busy place. I counted 27 ferries moving across
various points of the river, some with cars, some only with passengers. There were three larger cruise ships across the river at the newer terminal. This time, Norwegian, Holland America and Princess all had huge vessels docked; a stark juxtaposition to the old city beyond. In addition, there were numerous pilot boats, private yachts, sight-seeing tour boats, coast guard vessels and cargo ships transiting the river.
One of the interesting things we spotted from the tram yesterday and again today, were the hundreds of fishermen with long rods over both sides of the bridge. Ample space was made for them including a pedestrian walk, space for the metro train in two directions and four lanes for cars. I saw lots of rods bobbing up and down but I didn’t get to see anything caught while we were stopped on the bridge. Surely some of the fresh fish from dinner the night before came from one of their rods!
We have two more stops in Turkey on our cruise, Kusadasi and Bodrum, but then we must bid farewell to our beloved Turkey. Tomorrow we dock in Lemnos, the first of many Greek Islands we will visit in the next
8 days.
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