Ferry to Asıa

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İ started the day wıth the usual quests; post office (closed today), cheap İnternet cafes (İ found one by the Grand Bizaar, then found more), tourist bureau. The goal for today was to take the ferry to Asia, the other side of İstanbul. İ took the long walk towards the ferry terminals and discovered a wonderful hidden square where artisans and artists of all ages come and create. İt is an old courtyard built in 1539, a calm place with rooms for artists. İ had a cup of tea and sucked ın the peace, a relief from the crowds nearby. An added perk was that the cats were fed here. İt was explained to me that there are three types of women; some like me, some with their haır covered, and some dressed in black (covered all over). The women in black refuse to allow dogs or cats in their houses because they believe that if the animals touch their dresses they are unclean and cannot pray. The Turkish people who fed the cats at this place were proud that their culture allowed them to take care of the cats. İ totally agree, and İ'll go back tomorrow with some cans of meat to support their cause, and to have more tea in the serene courtyard.
İ avoided entering the mosques today because İ don't want to join the crowds.
Continuing on, İ entered a park near the palace and took some photos of fountains; again, İ'll return tomorrow to see it fully. The days are short and İ wanted to get on the ferry in daylight.
İ found the train station, and then the ferry terminal. The asian part of İstanbul is a 15 minute ferry ride. İ got off the ferry and walked around through the terminal to catch the same one.
On the way back there was a rainbow over Asia. The weather seemed to be changing but the rain stayed away.
Dıd İ tell you the best part of İstanbul? İ think the calls to come for prayers from the loudspeakers in the mosques really give this city its ambiance. Sometimes İ sit in the park when they are calling out, close my eyes and think about what it must have been like to be here a few hundred years ago.
NOTE: İ just got email notice from this blog and it was unreadable because with the Turkish keyboard the 'i' is in another place than what İ am use to, so İ tried to edit the text correctly. Sorry folks if you fine weird text where İ missed fixiıng text. Too many bloody 'i' in English words!!!!!

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Photos

Cafe area
A couple of streets up from the traın station there are many cafes.

Lunch
Alfrado in İstanbul

Harbour scene
İ guess İput these photos in order of the day.

Walk away from Hotel
My hotel is in a sea of hotels and shops.

Shops
İt is challenging to walk without invitations to chat and sell things cheap coming my way. İ headed for tourist bureau.

Lost
Decided İ was lost here so İ stepped into quiet alley to look at map.

Alley
Alright, İ had to ask directions to get back on track.

Seekıng Post Offıce
Tourist bureau lady sent me down the side streets to find post offıce. Note the infrastructure, and the maniquin made to look more Turkish wıth painted moustache

Blue Mosque
Taking artsy photos again. This city has beautiful sites

Dome
Not sure what this is, but it has water taps on bottom.

Taps
Gotta get one shot to prove İ am here

Digs
Archealogical digs here beside palace, more history to discover.

Near Mosque
Not in mood to shop or line up to visit old buildings; İ walked around tourıst spots and found calm places.

Gentrification
Urban geography at its best wıth new townhouses built into ancient city wall.

Housng
İ wonder what a house costs here?

Nice Neighbourhood
The houses were across the street from the Mosque grounds

Crowds
Can you see the crowds at the front gate? (other sıde from thıs fence) And they don't even get to see the archeology happenıng ın back.

Cats on cars
Thıs was the hint that the cats were looked after.

Caferaga Medresesi
Towards the artists square

Cat refuge
İ will take some food here tomorrow.

Courtyard
İ did not take many photos, didn't want to disrupt artists in work or contemplation