We sailed down the Bosporus today to the Black Sea on this boat.
The boat stopped at Maiden’s Tower on a small island. It is unknown when Maiden’s Tower was first built. It has been used as a watchtower, prison, hospital, radio station, naval base, radar station, repository of cyanide to kill bugs and rats, and other purposes. It appears that there used to be a fresh water cistern underneath with tunnels to the shore. Maiden’s Tower is the subject of many legends.
Kempinski Hotel stands along the shore of the Bosporus. Their Presidential Suite costs $27,000 per night with helicopter and yacht service included.
We passed under 3 large suspension bridges connecting Europe and Asia. This bridge marked the dividing line between the Bosporus and the Black Sea. Loud music by Michael Jackson was playing on the boat.
It was fun to jump off the boat and swim in the Bosporus.
Our captain had planned to take us into the Black Sea, and we almost made it there. But at the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge, we turned back. He said that the sea was too rough today and the winds too strong.
There are a large number of dogs roaming around Istanbul – maybe 100,000 to 150,000. Nobody really owns them. The city captures the dogs, checks them out, gives them vaccinations, fixes them, and them releases them. Notice the green tag on this dog’s ear. In some neighborhoods people will put bowls of water and dog food outside. The dogs seem to sleep outside except in the winter when people will take them in at night, and the city will put out some dog houses. All of this is controversial, although it doesn’t seem that the dogs are dangerous.
Edward has a FitBit. He said that yesterday we walked over 20,000 steps – 10 miles.
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