My posts are falling a couple days behind, and I’m going to go ahead and blame WordPress’ new uploading system. To say it functions at a snail’s pace would be generous.

But I shall overcome. Yagmur and I spent an afternoon down by the Bosphorus, walking, chatting, and enjoying the sunshine and sea air. We started in an area closer to the city attractions, but it was pretty crowded, so we took a bus down the shore to an area called Bebek, which is known for its old money, nightclubs, yachts, trendy restaurants, and celebrity sightings. It really was a beautiful day, and it was nice to see a place so clean and quiet so close to the city. It felt like a summer getaway, full of water and rich people!

I’ll let the photos do the talking, and I’ll have another post or two coming up soon!

My companion and host, the lovely Yagmur! Our day started with a nice lunch before heading to the Bosphorus.

The Bospohorus Bridge connects the European side of Istanbul to the Asian side.

My mother would say my shades make me look like a bug, but when I wore them with my scarf the other day, a little girl called me Miss Hollywood. So there!

There are rows and rows of food stands here, most of which offer waffles or baked potatoes. Waffles in Europe are eaten as a dessert, and the stands make them fresh and offer several toppings. The most impressive customization comes from the potato stands, though, which have display cases full of different meat and vegetable options. Forget sour cream and bacon bits – these potatoes are a completely different level.

Like I said, the city area wasn’t conducive to a relaxing time, so we took a bus a little further down the water. This is where we began our walk along the sea. Yagmur estimates the houses and apartments here are easily over $1 million, and says that there are no renters here – only owners.

This is the Fatih Memet Bridge, also known as the Second Bosphorus Bridge. Like the “First” Bosphorus Bridge, is connects the continents.

This is a cemetery where famous poets and writers are buried. Supposedly they all drew their inspiration from the Bosphorus when they wrote their odes and stories of love – you can see the hearts carved along the stairway’s bannisters.

Fishing along the boardwalks and bridges is of the norm on the Bosphorus, where little silver finger-sized fish seem to congregate. Long lines are fitted with several hooks at once so fishers can fill their buckets faster.

Tulip symbols are everywhere in Istanbul.

Yachts! Some serve as restaurants or clubs. A few are used as residences, and others you can hire.

A bit of the town.

Pretty little cafes and bakeries were everywhere, and most had beautifully-arranged displays featuring their various treats. I liked this Easter display, despite it being a little out of season. ;)

We got some ice cream and stopped to sit at a park.

Prime real estate.

Streets are narrow and mostly uphill when going into town. We stayed along the water, but I’ve heard the view from the top is fantastic, if you can conquer the steep climbs.

The sun began to set, as did our energy. We hopped a bus and headed home. Bebek was beautiful, though, and I’ll definitely be stopping by again!