Day 4 - Bosphorus & Ayasofya

26 Nov 09, our final day here, but not for my parents, brother & aunt. They have another day. So we decided to take the famous cruise boat along the Bosphorus Strait. The Bosphorus connects the Marmara Sea to the Black Sea and is the dividing strait between Eastern & Asian sides of Istanbul. Our cruise started at a harbour near the Golden Horn, a river which enters the Marmara Sea. The boar ride was about 1 hour & 30 minutes from start to end of the strait and along the way; we could see the Dolmabahce Palace, Boshphorus Bridge, Fatih Sultan Mehmet (Bosphorus II) Bridge, Rumelihisari Castle and mansions worth USD 80-100 billion. One scenic view was the meeting point between the Bosphorus, Black Sea, European side & Asian side of Istanbul (see 7th photo below). On the boat we also enjoyed some Turkish cay (tea) and yogurt topped with sugar powder. At the end of the boat trip, i.e. near entrance to the Black Sea, we exited the boat and had lunch at another mall, Istinye Park. We then took the van back to Sultanahmet.

Some more info on the Bosphorus: Also known as the Istanbul Strait, The Bosphorus is a strait that forms part of the boundary between the European part of Turkey (Thrace) and its Asian part (Anatolia). The world's narrowest strait used for international navigation, it connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara. It is approximately 30 km long, with a maximum width of 3,700 m at the northern entrance, and a minimum width of 700 m between Kandilli and Aşiyan; and 750 m between Anadoluhisarı and Rumelihisarı. The depth varies from 36 to 124 m in midstream. The shores of the strait are heavily populated as the city of Istanbul straddles it.

Back in Sultanahmet, we headed to visit the Ayasofya Museum or also know as Hagia Sophia. This building was first a church, then it was converted to a mosque and after that it was turned into a museum. There were many stories behind this historical structure and all was told by our same tour guide as the previous day. Among the interesting features in this museum are the mosaic art, its high central dome and other ornaments & art. It was a very interesting place to visit.

Here are some photos inside the museum.

Some info on Ayasofya Museum: The Hagia Sophia church was built in Trebizond during the reign of Manuel I between 1238 and 1263. After Mehmed II conquered the city in 1461 the church was converted into a mosque. During the brief period of the city in Russia's hands during World War I, the site was used by the Russian military as a makeshift hospital and depot. Afterwards it was put back into use as a mosque, until 1964 when it was turned into a museum which it remains to this day.

That’s the end of the Istanbul Getaway for me. My husband continued the night shopping for more Pashmina shawls, key-chains and fridge magnets for souvenirs and gifts. Then we packed our luggage to prepare for the morning flight to Ashgabat the following day.

I felt very lucky and fortunate to have this opportunity to visit such a beautiful country, full of history, amazing culture and wonderful places to see. We didn’t manage to cover too many sites, 4 days were obviously not adequate. In fact, there’s more to Turkey than just Istanbul and there are various tour packages covering other parts of Turkey for those interested. I would definitely recommend Istanbul to those who wish to have a holiday.