Buyukada, Istanbul, Turkey
Literally meaning 'big island', Buyukada is the largest of the nine Princes' Islands with an area of 5.46 square kilometres. Rich in history and culture, the island is inhabited by more than 7,000 people. Having two peaks, it's a perfect destination for a day trip for those who enjoy trekking.
We reached Buyukada by
ferry from Eminonu before noon. The town area near the ferry terminal is lively with lots of shops and restaurants.
 |
| Mado = Maras (its birthplace city) + dondurma (Turkish ice cream) |
 |
| The main square is marked by a clock tower. |
We decided to trek first before having lunch, so we took one of the paths that'd lead us out of the town centre.
 |
| Two dogs and a cat lazing around~ |
The history of Buyukada goes back to 569, when a Byzantine Emperor that goes by the name Justin II ordered the construction of a palace and a monastery. Other monasteries were built one after another, which eventually served as prisons for exiled individuals.
 |
| What's your most favourite ice cream flavour? |
 |
| Splendid Palace Hotel (3*) has been around since 1908. |
 |
| It's an Armenian church. |
 |
| Is that health centre still running? |
Take a look at my sister doing a handshake with a dog.
With the exception of service vehicles, all forms of motorised vehicles are forbidden. It's common for residents and visitors alike to take horse carriages to travel around the island.
Here are two short video clips to see some of the horses in action.
We came across a large abandoned building.
 |
| Based on what my sister gathered, it probably used to be a tax office. |
How about some natural colours?
 |
| Olives, anyone? |
 |
| A few of my friends have known about this, but here's foreshadowing for the rest! ;) |
How often do you get to see cats dating? I quickly took these two photos lest I got scratched by the black one.
I spent some time caressing an adorable dog.
We hardly felt tired, thanks to the cooling December weather.
 |
| I wonder how old that tree is. |
 |
| That's the mansion of Con Pasa who started the ferry services to and from the islands. |
Dilburnu Nature Park was our next stop, which shall be featured in the next post before Buyukada (Part 2).
Comments
Post a Comment