THE BLACK SEA
After spending a few days doing all the touristy things in Istanbul with Cynthia and Kylie we said goodbye to them. They headed off to explore some of Europe.
We made our way up the Bosphorus to the Black Sea. It’s a narrow straight about 15 miles long and at its narrowest point only 500 metres across. With the strong current running, the ferries crossing from one side to the other and the numerous ships you have to have your wits about you.
On arrival in the Black Sea we anchored for the night at a funny little fishing village. We were the only cruising boat there, but we were told that for a couple of months of the summer the Turkish come here for their weekends. It was difficult to imagine as the place was totally run down. It has probably got something to do with the weather as it is now autumn, the duvet has been bought out and the all over tan is beginning to fade – time to think about going to warmer climates!!
The weather in the Black Sea can be rather nasty, The cruising books advice you to be out of the area by the end of September, so we decided to head back to Bodrum and start getting some maintenance work done on the boat ready for next cruising year. Also, we had no charts for the area.
Everywhere in Turkey there are tea houses and tea gardens where all the men gather and drink tea, have a chat and play backgammon and smoke cigarettes. Boy! Do the Turkish smoke!! It’s very seldom, if ever that you see any women taking part in this daily activity. It’s now Ramadan and the men still gather for their chat but without the board games, the smokes and the tea.
