Bosphorus Dinner Cruise Istanbul Turkey

Over the weekend, I went on a Bosphorus dinner cruise with traditional Turkish music and dancing – hoping it would be as enjoyable as the Vltava River cruise in Prague. It wasn’t what I imagined but fun!

Ortaköy Camii and Bosphorous Bridge

I sat at a table with three lively women travelers in their 30s. One was an Australian now living in England and the other two were friends from Northern California’s Santa Cruz. They were fun and well-traveled with interesting lives and lots of fun! The other cruise members were placid Turkish families with children – not as much fun…We enjoyed chatting and dancing and it was fun hanging out for the evening. They were on 2 – 3 week trips and unlike me, they were only spending a few days in Istanbul. The evening was rainy, so taking photos outside the boat was difficult, but I managed a few interesting shots and got wet again….

Princes’ Islands, Dervish Performance, Hamam

When the weather clears, my plan is to spend time riding day and night Bosphorous ferries to explore the Princes’ Islands and admire Istanbul from the water. This weekend, I’m looking forward to a whirling dervish performance by the Hodjapasha dancers! The dancers perform in the circular of a 550-year-old converted Hamam – Turkish Bath.