My Stray Cat Expedition in Istanbul, Turkey – Part 6

Our last full day in Istanbul.  Today, the plan is to take a cruise up the Bosphorus.  Anyone who’s read Orhan Pamuk’s book, “Istanbul” knows the importance the Bosphorus Strait plays in the lives of the people of Istanbul.  The 19 mile-long Bosphorus serves as Istanbul’s main highway, hosting a never-ending stream of vessels, from little fishing boats to humungous…

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My Stray Cat Expedition in Istanbul, Turkey – Part 5

Today I thought we’d try something a little different.  Today we’re gonna pop on over to the Asian side of Istanbul. Our destination is Uskudar, a charming district easily accessed  by ferry and teeming with historical mosques. Exploring Uskudar gives us a chance to experience the streets  of a quiet, everyday neighborhood, without the opulent  architecture, modern style and throngs …

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My Stray Cat Expedition in Istanbul, Turkey – Part 4

To fully appreciate the urban Istanbul of today, you must leave the Old Town and plunge headfirst into the hip, happenin’, lively, upbeat, European-feeling New District, and that’s what we did.  After spending the first two full days exploring the classic sites of the Old Town, we indulged in the part of the city where our hotel was located.  We…

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My Stray Cat Expedition in Istanbul, Turkey – Part 3

Today turned out to be one of the most exhausting days of the trip.  We decided to tackle the famous Topkapi palace. This is the place where the Ottoman Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror decided to set up shop after capturing Constantinople.  It ended up serving as the sole administrative palace for Ottoman sultans for more than 400 years.  It housed…

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My Stray Cat Expedition in Istanbul, Turkey – Part 1

After many months of being very busy practicing veterinary medicine, in which it seemed that every cat in the city was sick and they all wanted to come to my hospital, I finally got to take a much needed vacation.   The destination:  Istanbul, formerly Constantinople, formerly Byzantium, the city that straddles two continents, the city where east meets west.  Insert…

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