Exploring Büyükada

Saturday — April 24: Part III

The largest of the Adalar (Princes Islands) is appropriately named Büyükada (Big Island).  The island is one of nine that was used as a place of exile for royalty during the Byzantine period.  The island also served as the exile site of Leon Trotsky following his deportation from the Soviet Union in 1929.

We took a one-way carriage ride to the center of the island;
walked up and down the steep path to Hagia Yorgi;
then walked back down to the town following the phaeton route.

Except for service vehicles, there are no motorized vehicles allowed on the island.  Visitors can explore on foot, rent a bicycle, or take a horse-drawn carriage to get around.  We did all three — sort of. 

Considering the hundreds of other people who got off the ferry with us,  there was no time to dally if we wanted to take a fayton (horse-drawn carriage) to the center of the island.  We went straight up the street from the ferry landing, took a left at the clock in the square, and joined the short line at Fayton Meydanı (Phaeton Square).  Our wait was brief; soon we were clip-clopping away on a partial short tour. The ride was a bit odoriferous, if you get my drift; but we survived!  In the meantime, Hakan was off on his rented bike to meet us at the Luna Park, the former fairgrounds.

Left: The clock tower is straight up from the ferry landing.
Right: Antique shopping anyone?

Our chariot arrives to take us on a tour of the island.

A&M are on one side of the “surrey with the fringe on top” …

… mom and I are on the other side; a bit chilly in the shade.

Another fayton is close on our heels.

The Luna Park is the jumping off point for the hike to Hagia Yorgi.

Mom and Aylin passed on the next part of our visit, the hike to Hagia Yorgi, which is located at the highest point on Büyükada (approx. 663 feet (or 202 m) above sea level).  Making our way between stalls filled with keys, beads, and other “adak” (pledge) gewgaws, we started up the hill (less than 1 km, one way).

This is where I admit that the hike was less than pleasant.  It wasn’t the steep grade that bothered me.  Rather, it was the filth.  The entire length of the path was strewn with litter from start to finish!

Tradition has it that if you walk up to Hagia Yorgi, praying and unraveling a spool of thread along the way, your wishes will come true.  These things don’t hold water with me, but others believe in them.  For that reason, perhaps I could have overlooked the thousands of strands of colorful thread caught on the branches on either side of the cobblestone path.  But what about all the empty spools, plastic bottles, bottle caps, paper sacks, plastic bags, and what have you that covered the ground!!! People, people … did you really have to throw these things on the ground???  Couldn’t you have packed them out with you???

The cleaning crew we encountered half-way up was trying to clean up, but it looked like a losing battle to me! (I later found out that April 23 is one of two days each year when those who believe in “adak” come to Hagia Yorgi en masse to make their pledges. Still; no excuse for the filth that was left behind.)

Once at the monastery, we went in for a quick look see.  It was very dim inside, but there was enough light to see the icons and murals on the walls.  Unfortunately, no photography is allowed inside, so I have nothing to show you.

The monastery of Hagia Yorgi was built in the 19th century
over the 10th century ruins of another holy site.

Though hazy, there's a nice view of the Marmara Sea from Hagia Yorgi.

Back in the square at the bottom of the hill, we joined up with mom and Aylin and started our downhill trek to the town center.  The road was a lot more crowded, with many more people going up than going down. At times, we had to jump out of the way of kamikaze bicyclist and carriage drivers, but we eventually made it down safe and sound, stopping occasionally to peek into gardens and study the architectural details of some of the more interesting houses along the way.  Some of the buildings were lovingly cared for, while others were in desperate need of some TLC.

If I thought that Büyükada was crowded when we arrived at 10:15a, I was sadly mistaken.  While we were exploring the island, four more ferries and countless water buses/taxis had dropped off load after load of passengers.  The square near the clock tower was wall-to-wall people, with the carriage line snaking all the way down to the ferry landing.  Mamma mia!

Left: Just a small portion of the fayton line near the clock tower.
Right: The road leading to the ferry landing is wall-to-wall people. (photo: Hakan)

We didn’t need the clock in the square to tell us that it was well past noon; in fact it was almost 1:00p and our tummies were letting us know that it was time to eat … now!  Looking around, we settled on Antebi, a kebap restaurant on the ground floor of the Princess Hotel.  We would have taken a seat at one of the sidewalk tables, but the waiter suggested we dine away from the commotion in the square.  Sounded like a good idea, so we followed him to a poolside table overlooking the Marmara Sea.  (Don’t ask me why I didn’t take a photo; I just didn’t!  The mini-pic I posted here is from the Princess Hotel website.)

I ordered an İskender (döner/gyro served with tomato sauce and yogurt on the side).  The others ordered some of the specialty Adana kebaps (traditionally quite spicy).  We all agreed that while the food was good, the setting in which we ate our lunch was better.

Ice cream to wrap up our stay on the island.

Deciding that any other sightseeing could wait until another time (though I’m not sure there will be one, unless it’s during the quieter off-season), we headed to the ferry landing for the 3:00p ferry departure.

Next Up: Wrapping up the Day on the Mainland