Istanbul - pt. 4
On Thursday I rode the ferry to the Princess Islands. You can get off on any of them, but I chose to wait to get off at Buyukuda (which literally means "big island") because I wanted to hike up the mountain to the Monastery of St. George.
I opted to take the horse drawn carriage from the ferry to the base of the mountain, and area called Luna Park, where you can rent a donkey to ride up if you choose, or just walk. I figured the steep climb would be more than enough excercise. There are no cars on the Islands, which are like a Turkish version of the Hamptons. 6,500 people live on Buyukuda for most of the year, but during the summer that number climbs to an astonishing 40,000. There are some vehicles, but they are mostly work trucks, or belonging to the rich summer dwellers. People walk, ride bikes or rely on horses for transportation.
The hike was hard on my feet and legs, and I was wearing good sneakers. What is with crazy women who wear heels to hike up a mountain?? Just before the crest, I stepped off the cobbled path and followed a dirt path into the woods, to a clearing that allowed me to look over at the asian shore of Istanbul along the Sea of Marmara, where I smoked a joint. (Side note, I have always sucked at rolling, it takes me half an hour at least to roll a rather small and unsmokeable joint. But somehow, here in Istanbul, I've managed to roll nice fatties that smoke well in just a couple of minutes. It just clicked finally. Only about 13 years after I first learned how to roll one). It was peaceful and nice.
Back on the cobbled path, I made my way to the top. The Monastery structure is rather unimpressive, but I climbed all around the top of the mountain on the rocks that line it, and had breathtaking views of both Europe and Asia. From some places, there is almost a 360 degree view, and it was absolutely stunning. Something about my pilgrimage made me feel like I was climbing the Tor at Avalon.
I sat on the rocks for a long time, sometimes taking pictures, but mostly just meditating. This is a short blog entry even though it was quite a long day, because most of it was spent in self-reflection. I think I managed to figure a few things out, but they're not necessarily for posting here.
There is a cafe on the top of the mountain that has a limited, though delicious menu. For 13 lira, or about $10, I had a meal of kofte, fried eggplant, a really fragant melon, sparkling water and apple tea. You cannot beat the value you get for your money in terms of food in Turkey.
It started to sprinkle, so I walked back down to Luna Park, and took the horse buggy back to the ferry. The ride back was crowded and uncomfortable, but I used the time to write about Paris in my journal (I'll post it here later).
Back in Istanbul, I went back to my hotel and rested a bit (and tried to call Hasan for the first time), before heading to a well-known backpacker restaurant near by called Doy-Doy. I ordered the mixed kebab, which turned out to be a plate of food that would easily feed 2, perhaps three people. I tried a bit of everything, but except for the two small pides (turkish pizzas), I finished none of it. For 11 lira.
I opted to take the horse drawn carriage from the ferry to the base of the mountain, and area called Luna Park, where you can rent a donkey to ride up if you choose, or just walk. I figured the steep climb would be more than enough excercise. There are no cars on the Islands, which are like a Turkish version of the Hamptons. 6,500 people live on Buyukuda for most of the year, but during the summer that number climbs to an astonishing 40,000. There are some vehicles, but they are mostly work trucks, or belonging to the rich summer dwellers. People walk, ride bikes or rely on horses for transportation.
The hike was hard on my feet and legs, and I was wearing good sneakers. What is with crazy women who wear heels to hike up a mountain?? Just before the crest, I stepped off the cobbled path and followed a dirt path into the woods, to a clearing that allowed me to look over at the asian shore of Istanbul along the Sea of Marmara, where I smoked a joint. (Side note, I have always sucked at rolling, it takes me half an hour at least to roll a rather small and unsmokeable joint. But somehow, here in Istanbul, I've managed to roll nice fatties that smoke well in just a couple of minutes. It just clicked finally. Only about 13 years after I first learned how to roll one). It was peaceful and nice.
Back on the cobbled path, I made my way to the top. The Monastery structure is rather unimpressive, but I climbed all around the top of the mountain on the rocks that line it, and had breathtaking views of both Europe and Asia. From some places, there is almost a 360 degree view, and it was absolutely stunning. Something about my pilgrimage made me feel like I was climbing the Tor at Avalon.
I sat on the rocks for a long time, sometimes taking pictures, but mostly just meditating. This is a short blog entry even though it was quite a long day, because most of it was spent in self-reflection. I think I managed to figure a few things out, but they're not necessarily for posting here.
There is a cafe on the top of the mountain that has a limited, though delicious menu. For 13 lira, or about $10, I had a meal of kofte, fried eggplant, a really fragant melon, sparkling water and apple tea. You cannot beat the value you get for your money in terms of food in Turkey.
It started to sprinkle, so I walked back down to Luna Park, and took the horse buggy back to the ferry. The ride back was crowded and uncomfortable, but I used the time to write about Paris in my journal (I'll post it here later).
Back in Istanbul, I went back to my hotel and rested a bit (and tried to call Hasan for the first time), before heading to a well-known backpacker restaurant near by called Doy-Doy. I ordered the mixed kebab, which turned out to be a plate of food that would easily feed 2, perhaps three people. I tried a bit of everything, but except for the two small pides (turkish pizzas), I finished none of it. For 11 lira.
posted by Serrephim | Sunday, June 11, 2006
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