An Afternoon On Büyükada – Princes’ Islands, TURKEY

My travel companion and I visited the island of Büyükada of the Princes’ Islands on the recommendation of an Iranian man we sat next to on our connecting flight from Canada into Turkey.

 

Accessed via ferry, these islands lie just over 10 miles off the coast from the bustling city of Istanbul.

 

While I don’t regret our visit (you never know till you go!), I must say that sadly, we were unimpressed.

 

It was one of those moments I felt like a real spoiled brat traveler because I didn’t know if it was perhaps because I’d been to so many much more beautiful islands before that I was subconsciously comparing it to that prevented me from seeing much beauty or soul in the place, or if really it just wasn’t something to write home about.

 

We couldn’t understand what the attraction was, other than if people’s sole purpose in visiting was really just to escape the craziness of Istanbul for an afternoon.

 

If not for being able to photograph the seagulls on our ferry ride back (click here to see the pictures), I wouldn’t have felt like we had missed out if we had skipped the island altogether for another day to get lost in the chaos of Istanbul.

 

The island was overrun with gimmicky horse drawn carriages & tacky tourist shops.

 

Fleeing the baby “downtown” in search of what else this island had to offer, our short stay there was far from the beach escape I thought it would be.

 

Read on to see how we made the most of our time on this random little island in the Sea of Marmara.

 

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Pulling out from the shore in Istanbul.

 

 

We were afforded views of the Hagia Sophia & the Blue Mosque.  (Amazing!!)

 

 

 

 

There is Büyükada ahead in the distance.

 

 

 

Arriving into the tiny port.

 

 

 

 

Upon disembarking we walked along the water’s edge just enjoying the sea air.

 

 

 

 

 

There were lots of little jellyfish bobbing through the gentle sea current and we watched their graceful bodies billow through the green hued water.

 

 

 

A stroll through the downtown led us quickly out to country roads and up into the fiery hot summer hills.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We were met with lots of cats along the way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

After we’d walked for what seemed like miles through the sweltering heat, we stopped at the side of the road and sat on the ground for a crass picnic and admired the nature around us.

 

 

We were on a mission to find a beach (I had worn my bathing suit under my clothes and was eager to bask in some sand and sunshine – for me the whole purpose of our visit!) but it seemed there were none to be had here.

 

All we saw were a couple signs for some private paid beach accesses – and who knew how much longer it would take us on foot.  And the photos on the signs didn’t do well to beckon us any further to find out – instead they turned us away with their faded colors advertising unappealing gimmicky looking manicured cramped looking corners of a beach, seemingly almost manufactured with their perfect little platforms & rows of identical lounge chairs. (bleck)

 

So abandoning our quest for the beach, instead we walked out into the woods and discovered beautiful empty snails shells everywhere.

 

 

 

What I would describe as the anti-climatic nature of this island was perhaps meant to remind me of something — to not forget to just take your time, look at the small things, and stop and smell the roses.

 

You don’t always have to be chasing after some big thing.  Searching for that epic crescendoing denouement.  Sometimes just the quiet present moment is enough.  A long walk through the heat.  Jellyfish.  Snail shells.

 

 

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LEAVE A COMMENT & TELL ME: Have you ever been to a locale that was so hyped up but not what you expected it to be? What did you take away from your visit there? How have you learned to “stop and smell the roses”?