Flying to Beautiful Bozcaada – Our Favorite Turkish Trip in 2012

How a Turk came to our rescue

How can it be the middle of January already?

I feel like I’ve had zilch time to look back on our busy year of 2012 and reflect on anything. There are hundreds of photos still to edit and so many blog posts I’d love to write, but I wonder where does the time go?

Earlier this month over Friday night cocktails, hubby and I talked about our favorite trips in Turkey during 2012. We hit quite a few destinations this year including Safranbolu, Gaziantep, Mount Nemrut and Fethiye.

But out of all the thousands of miles we logged by car and plane, our favorite Turkish trip involved taking a brand new seaplane from Istanbul to the Turkish island of Bozcaada. 

That’s right – you can now FLY from Istanbul to the lovely wine island of Bozcaada in about 80 minutes! 

We watched the Seabird plane land along the Golden Horn.

This sure beats the 6+-hour trek we made here in 2011 via two ferry boat rides and three hours by car. We nearly missed the last ferry from Geyikli to Bozcaada after narrowly running headlong into a herd of sheep crossing the road around midnight.

Last summer, a new company called Seabird Airlines started offering flights via a 19-passenger seaplane to Bozcaada, Bodrum and Alaçatı. This small airline is staffed with Canadian pilots and air technicians whom have flown all over the world, including the North and South Poles. These specialized Canadian captains also are normally accompanied by a Turkish pilot. 

We waited as our Seabird plane was refueled before we took off from Istanbul.

In October, we booked a weekend trip to Bozcaada through Seabird Airlines at the end of the bayram. We left our apartment early because we weren’t exactly sure where to meet the plane along the Golden Horn near the Rahmi M. Koç Muzesi. In typical Turkish style, we didn’t see any other passengers nor a seaplane anywhere.

We panicked. 

Jason called the company’s phone number, trying to find someone who spoke a little English to no avail. We understood the guy told us to wait, but our flight was due to depart in about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, I spied a few Turkish fishermen along the dock and went to ask them for help. One of the fishermen repeatedly told me we were waiting in the wrong location. 

“Burada değil.”

He pointed to the other side of the Golden Horn near the Ayvansaray Park.

Now, panic really set in. 

I thanked him, ran back to Jason to tell him our misfortune and thought ‘how the heck are we going to get over to the other side in time to make our flight?’

Within a few minutes, the lone fisherman pulled up to the dock in his small, puttering fishing boat. He already had a lit cigarette between his lips too.

 “Gel.” 

You didn’t need to tell us twice. Jason and I jumped onto the back of the stranger’s boat with our backpacks.

Once again, we were saved thanks to a Turks’ helpfulness! We thanked our Turkish fisherman profusely and slipped him 20 lira.

The waiting passengers looked at us with curiosity. I bet they were wondering why two yabancılar were pulling up to the dock like this.

Well, we made our first seaplane flight, which ended up being slightly delayed because of the winds.

Shortly after take off, I took this photo out the window as we flew over the Golden Horn.

Flying in this small aircraft was truly amazing – motion sickness be damned! The views of historic Sultanahmet, sprawling Istanbul, the Prince’s Islands and the Çanakkale coast were spectacular! I couldn’t take photos fast enough using the camera’s sports setting.

Saying good-bye to Istanbul as we flew past the Haydarpaşa train station.

Flying by the electricity windmills along the Çanakkale coast.

During the short flight, I marveled at the changing landscape from cosmopolitan Istanbul to small red-tiled rooftops in Turkish villages to open farmland and even lush forests. I couldn't help but think how lucky we are to live in Turkey!

Peeking into the cockpit of the Seabird plane. This is how close we were to the pilot!

Flying over clouds, sea and land in Turkey.

Our Twin Otter aircraft made a perfectly smooth landing on the crystalline waters of the Aegean Sea at Bozcaada.

Surprisingly, one of the boutique hotel owners of Aika Hotel, Claudia, greeted us at the dock and whisked us off to the hotel. The seaplane dock is located about 3 km outside of the city center. Lucky for us, late October was the end of the tourist season so the island was fairly tranquil.

This is shortly after we landed at Bozcaada.

Looking back on 2012, this seaplane ride was the most unique aspect of our Turkey trips!  It's one of our top travel highlights in Turkey and an experience we will always remember!

Note: If you want a quick way to reach Bozcaada, I highly recommend taking this new seaplane service. We snapped up the promotion tickets for 298 tl per person. The cost is a little expensive, but it saves a ton of time, and the fast ferry boat we took with the car to Bandirma in 2011 was over 250 tl.

Stay tuned for more photos about our relaxing weekend on Bozcaada.

Update August 2015: The Seabird Airlines has stopped flying to Bozcaada, according to the Turkish news.

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The Busy Bosphorus in Istanbul: Photo Post

No matter what the season is, one of my favorite things to do in Istanbul is take a ride on a vapur.
 

From early in the mornings until 10 p.m. or so, you too can take a ferry boat ride across the Bosphorus strait – the large waterway that divides the city between Europe and Asia. The vapur schedule varies so it’s best to check ahead of time here.

A few weekends ago, my husband and I took the vapur from Beşiktaş to Kadıköy. I love sitting outside on the top deck during the 20-minute ride. I need to feel the cool air on my skin so I can avoid getting seasick. It’s also the best place to be if you want to take pictures and watch the seagulls follow behind the vapur.

Locals often toss pieces of simit to the seagulls. You can see flickr photos of that here.

We both remarked how we never get tired of taking the vapur from one side of the city to the other. I suppose if we had to do it every day, we might think a bit differently. But the views of Istanbul’s minaret-studded skyline and the Old City are spectacular!

One of the city's commuter ferry boats passing by the Galata Tower.

Also, taking a 2-hour ferry boat ride from Eminönü is a requirement for any of our guests visiting us here. Our grandparents certainly enjoyed their sunny ferry boat ride back in September. I prefer the IDO Şehir ferry boat short tours that depart at 2:30 p.m. every day because these boats are larger.

While you’re waiting for your boat to depart, you’ll have time to watch the heavy boat traffic in the Bosphorus. I’m always amazed by how many boats and the varying sizes of boats that are coming and going all day. 

How many boats do you see in this photo?

The Bosphorus is a busy place to be!

Hope you enjoy my Bosphorus photos taken at different times while we’ve lived here.

A small vapur passing by the Dolmabahçe Palace in Istanbul.

One of the first photos I took in 2010, near Ortakoy.

Another photo showing the busy Bosphorus.

Seagulls, boats and the Bosphorus taken near dusk.

You'll often see large freight boats like this one too in the Bosphorus.

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Hearty Homemade Noodles & Chicken Soup

Since it’s been cold and snowing here this week, I decided to dig back to my Midwestern roots for an old-fashioned recipe.

My Aunt Eva in Nebraska always makes these hearty noodles and serves them in a rich chicken broth-based soup. The result is similar to a chicken and dumpling recipe probably heralding back to our German roots on the farm.

My aunt shared this recipe with me years ago, and it’s followed me every time I’ve moved from NYC to Washington D.C. to Baltimore and now to Istanbul. I think everyone needs one of these family recipes that you can pull out whenever you want a taste of home.

While I was cooking the soup, I took a photo on my cell phone to tease my husband with his upcoming dinner at home. I’m not sure if it was the snow or the soup that made him come home early that night!

This recipe is definitely a crowd pleaser and one that will warm you up when it’s cold outside.

Afiyet olsun!

Perfect comfort food - homemade noodles and chicken soup!

Homemade Noodles

Serves 6-8 people.

5          Tablespoons    cold water

2          cups                 all-purpose flour

2          ea.                    Large eggs

2          tsp.                  sunflower or vegetable oil

1          Tablespoon      salt

In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together. I used a hand blender for part of it. Then, knead the dough together by hand for a couple minutes, until you have a smooth ball of dough. If the dough seems dry, add a splash of water. If the dough seems too wet, add a little flour.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let rest in the refrigerator for one hour. (While the dough is resting, work on the soup ingredients.)

Divide the dough in half. Liberally dust your counter with flour. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough fairly thin.

Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into thin strips to make your noodles. Mine were about ½-inch wide by 2-3-inches in length.

Make sure your soup is up to a rolling boil at this point and drop in the noodles a few at a time. If you drop in the noodles too fast, they can clump up together.

Continue rolling out the rest of the dough the same way and drop into the soup as well.

The noodles will need to cook for 15-20 minutes in the soup.

Note: If you have leftovers, you will need to add more chicken stock or water to the soup. The noodles really absorb any liquid once left to sit for awhile.

Chicken Soup Base

Ingredients:

2          T.                     sunflower or vegetable oil

3-4       ea.                    Carrots, peeled and diced small

2          ea.                    Medium onions, diced small

2          cups                 celery or leeks, diced small (I had a lot of celery to use up.)

1          ea.                    large potato, diced small

2          ea.                    Chicken breasts, chopped small

1-2       teaspoons        dried thyme

4-5       ea.                    bay leaves

To taste                       salt and pepper

2.5       quarts              chicken stock or water (If you use water, drop in 2-3 chicken flavored bouillon cubes.)

In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, add the oil. When hot, add the carrots, onions and celery or leeks. Saute’ for a couple minutes until the vegetables are soft.

Then add the potatoes and chicken. While stirring, cook the ingredients for a few minutes.

Add the spices and cover everything with the chicken stock or water. Add lid. Bring soup up to a rolling boil before you drop in the noodles.

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Exploring Banklar Caddesi & Salt Galata in Istanbul

Not every street in Istanbul is picturesque.

But there are many streets that tourists often overlook because they’re too busy looking for the main sites such as the Blue Mosque, Ayasofya and the Galata Tower.

Lucky me, I live here as an expat and can take my time exploring the winding, cobblestone streets as often as I want. There’s plenty to see if you are willing to look around with fresh eyes.

Over the weekend, we took the historic Tünel tram from Beyoğlu down to Karaköy (surprisingly hubby’s first time on the tram). We had to walk back uphill one block so we could get to our destination - Salt Galata located on the often missed Banklar Caddesi (also known as Voyvoda Cad.).

Banklar Caddesi in Istanbul is fairly quiet on Sundays.

At first glance, this street may not look like much, but look again at the imposing buildings and their grand architecture and you’ll notice they date back to the late 1800s and early 1900s when the Pera neighborhood was in its heyday. Most of these buildings once housed the city’s big banks, hence the street’s nickname.

The front facade of the former Ottoman Bank, now home to Salt Galata.

You’ll still find the Istanbul branch of the Turkish Republic Bank, the former Ottoman Bank, which now is home to Salt Galata, and a couple other banks such as HSBC and Vakifbank.

Notice the old Ottoman sign above the HSBC nameplate.

The Turkish Republic Bank building on Banklar Caddesi.

Before I talk about the main building here, look on the right-hand side of the street for some fancy, curvy steps that look out of place in this neighborhood.

You can take the Kamondo Steps if you want to reach the Galata Tower.

The Kamondo Steps, built in the 1880s, were paid for by a Jewish banking family to provide a shortcut for their children to get to school. I’ve walked up and down these steps, leading to the Galata Tower, many times and didn’t know their significance. Now, I know thanks to author Pat Yale of Istanbul: The Ultimate Guide and her website Turkey From The Inside.

After exploring Banklar Caddessi, we headed indoors to Salt Galata, a cultural institution, exhibit space and restaurant, that once housed the head office for the Ottoman Bank from 1892 to 1999, which was purchased by Garanti Bank. In 2009, the building was closed for restoration work and reopened in late 2011 as Salt Galata.

The large building, designed by French-Ottoman architect Alexandre Vallaury, was the first “modern bank” building of the period in Istanbul. The front façade, on Voyvoda Street and facing the western districts of Galata and Pera, reflected a neo-classical or neo-Renaissance style, consistent with most European bank buildings in the 19^th century. However, the rear façade, looming over the backstreets of lower Galata and facing the Golden Horn, bore traces of neo-Orientalist style for which Vallaury had often shown great interest. This conscious contrast between the two facades spoke of the position of the bank between the East and West. Vallaury also designed the Pera Palas Hotel.

On the building’s lower level, you’ll find a permanent exhibit of the Ottoman Bank Museum which includes bank notes, banking documents, old photographs, customer files and personnel files. You can even wander through several of the old bank vaults and peruse banking documents. My banker husband was able to geek out in his elements!

Jason checking out the thick customer files in the old bank vaults.

Interestingly, a majority of the bank’s early customers were foreigners from France, Germany and Greece. Ottoman artist Osman Hamdi Bey also was a bank customer.

Though I may not have enjoyed the museum’s collection of pie charts and banking documents as much as my husband, I still did like learning about another piece of Istanbul’s infinite history. In particular, I liked looking at the old photographs and seeing the changes in fashion and the men’s mustaches.

Looking at these photos you'd think a men were required to have mustaches in the early 1900s in Istanbul!

After dorking around the banking exhibit, we headed upstairs for a late lunch at Ca’d’Oro. The restaurant’s second floor offers all-window seating and some great views over the Golden Horn to the Suleymaniye Mosque. The restaurant features an international-Mediterranean menu as well as breakfast in the mornings.

Our view from Ca'd'Oro restaurant at Salt Galata.

We decided to go with the homemade pasta menu options as well as some wine followed by dessert. There were only three or four tables while we were there so the service was fairly spotty, but we did have a table right by the window.

Butternut squash ravioli with a sage-brown butter sauce - 20tl.

Homemade pasta with a rich lamb ragu - 25 tl - with a glass of Turkish rose wine.

However, our pasta was arguably the best pasta I’ve ever had in Istanbul. Tender, al dente pasta with fresh, homemade sauces. My browned butter sauce was to die for and reminded me of pasta I’ve enjoyed back in NYC!

Last January, I enjoyed a girls’ lunch at Ca’d’Oro and remembered having some of the best international desserts I’ve ever eaten in Istanbul. I learned the pastry chef is either from France or Italy, but can’t remember which country. Anyway, I give high marks to the desserts as well, and that compliment doesn’t come lightly from this professional pastry chef!

Sticky toffee pudding cake - yum!

If you’re in Istanbul, take the time to stroll through some of the less touristy streets like this one. You never know what you may discover.

And remember to save room for dessert!

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