DAY 4 - Istanbul - The Turkish Islands

The draft plan for today was to go to the Turkish Islands. We wanted to drop by a few of them as Tugcen and I have seen Princes Island before. Since we slept at 5am, getting up early was a challenge.

Oltz woke me up at 10am to get up for the Islands. I think I screamed at him and told him to go back to bed. Poor kid! Eventually I was the last one out of bed except for Seyda. She couldn't get up for work today so she called in sick.

We had breakfast and prepared to go to the islands. Seyda stuck her head out and told us she isn't coming. We caught a cab to Kadikoy ferry terminal. Here we decided to split up. Bill went home to get changed. While Tugcen, Oltz and I had to catch a cab to Fenerbache stadium as Oltz wanted to get tickets to a soccer game.

We arrived outside the stadium and made the taxi stop. Tugcen stayed in the taxi while Oltz and I ran inside to buy tickets. Before we made it to the cash register, Oltz found himself a Fener jersey. We quickly decided he should buy it. We approached the register to pay for the jersey and buy tickets to the game. We got told that we have to buy them from Biletix (Which is Turkey's ticketek). There's one around the corner from the stadium apparently.

So Oltz pays for the jersey and we storm out of the shop running to Biletix. Meanwhile Tugcen's still waiting in the taxi. We stormed up to the window of Biletix and demanded 2 tickets to tonight's game. This is when Oltz realised he doesn't have enough money to pay for the tickets because he just spent the money on the jersey. So I have to fund this adventure for him.

We rush back to the taxi to see a very disgusted Tugcen. The taxi storms off back to the ferry terminal. You see there are only a few ferries to the islands a day. It takes close to 2 hours to get to them. This is the last ferry for the day.

We jump off the taxi and race to the gates to catch the ferry. Meanwhile Bill is still missing in action. The ferry is starting to board and they will lock the gate down in a second if he doesn't hurry up. We see Bill running towards us from a distance and luckily he just makes it.

We board the ferry and we spend the next 2 hours standing on the ferry because there is no seats left due to fuckin Bill running late. The entire trip we listened to Bill's divorce story again. Eventually we found seats to sit down in. Just when I got comfortable I gave my seat to an old lady.

I decided since we were almost there I might as well go outside and take some photos. The below pic is the 1st island:

Another island:

Island from far:

Approaching the 3rd Island:

Preparing to dock on the finally Island called Princes Island (Buyuk Ada):

As you can see its every man for himself. I don't understand why people rush off these things. You have to be careful not to be trampled on.

Princes Island from the boat:

Walking to the centre of Princes Island:

We did a quick lap of the islands centre before buying an ice cream. It was stinking hot today again. Meanwhile this conversation happened:

Bill - Is the fayton (horse carriage) comfortable?

Oltz - It's not a mercedes man!

I was in stiches laughing at these two. We approach the horse carriages to have a group discussion on whether to do the little tour or big tour. Bill was disgusted but went with the big tour for 70 minutes as thats what the rest wanted. I dont know what he is worried about. I think the thought of riding a horse carriage is sending panic streams up and down him.

We started the horse carriage tour to see the big expensive houses:

This little kid decided to get a free tour with us by hanging on to the edge. Bill demanded money off him:

Some of the expensive houses:

Our horse:

You can tell a Greek lives here:

Hope to be my future house:

We arrive to the hill top for a tea break. Tugcen panics thinking this is the end of the ride. The guy has to confirm that were just having a break while all the horses rest:

There's no cars on this island. If you want to get anywhere it has to be with a bike or a horse carriage.

Tugcen asked me to take a photo of her at this spot. Don't ask me why. There's so many beautiful spots and she chooses here:

Meanwhile fuckin Bill manages to step in dog shit:

Many donkeys on this island:

Group shot of doneys. Give me a beautiful donkey!

This photo kills me. It's like the horse has been busted for something:

Mediterranean views:

We head back to the horse carriage and Tugcen questions the tour guy what the tour consists of. The tour guy seems disgusted with the question and tells her that the big tour starts now.

Along the way we get to see some of the stunning mediterranean water views:

The horse carriage comes to an end and were all hungry by this stage. We decide to go grab some food before the last ferry back to Istanbul city. We decide to settle for Kumpir (Baked Potato). We squeeze into a small shop to have lunch.

We leave the shop where Tugcen decides to go get ripped off by paying $5 for half a kg of plums.

We head towards the ferry and notice that the sun is about to set:

We line up at the prison gates. I tell the guys its like were going to war or something and the minute the gates open everyone will run like armed lunatics.

Now I'm not kidding the second those gates open, everyone ran for their lives. Oltz got caught up in the moment and ran with the crowd. Tugcen and Bill started laughing their heads off and nearly got trampled on. In situations like this you need to run otherwise the crowd will stomp all over you as well. They dont accept anything in their way.

We board the ferry and for some reason were all tired. We have naps on the ferry and arrive back to Kadikoy. Bill decides to head home to rest before him and Oltz go to the soccer game. I cant go as I promised to meet up with a friend tonight.

We arrived back at Seyda's house to find her dad here. His been travelling in Turkey for the last few months. His going back to Sydney in a few days so his back in Istanbul to spend some time with Seyda.

Seyda's prepared dinner for us tonight. The menu has Seyda's famous lasange and salad:

Seyda's lasange:

Seyda cutting up the lasange. I told her its going on you tube:

After dinner the boys head off to the soccer game. Tugcen prepares to do maintance work apparently. I leave to meet my friend Sina at Altindamla pastanesi. I haven't seen Sina since last year. We briefly caught up at a bar in Istanbul.

We decided to grab coffee at Kahve Dunyasi (Coffee World). This is like Turkey's Max Brenner. We ordered fondu and coffee while catching up on the previous year.

Making Sina pose for my photos: