Tuesday, May 20, 2008

On the Bospherous


This afternoon was spent mostly on the water. We were picked up from our pension and carried by bus through a labyrinth of streets, mostly very narrow, to meet up with our boat for a trip on the Golden Horn (principle harbour of the Byzantium Constantinople) and the Bospherous. A most interesting afternoon taking in sights firstly, around the shores of the Golden Horn, and then, the European side of the Bospherous. The Dolmabache Palace and other luxurious buildings brought sounds of ‘oohh’ from fellow travellers.

Following that we turned shortly after Rumeli castle and followed the Asian shore before returning to the Golden Horn. The tour company had a bus waiting to take us to Pierre Loti (named after the French writer), a lookout located above a cemetery high above the city. The only way to describe the scene was ‘magnificent!’ We descended via a cable bar to where our bus waited for the return to Sultanahmet.

I have always been a fan for direct experiences to aid children’s learning and I have to say that would be true also for adults. How much more interesting and meaningful the Byzantine Empire would have been had we been taken to see it while we were learning about it!














Looking out from Pierre Loti













European side of the Bospherous.













Asian side of the Bospherous.


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