How is that I get lost in Los Angeles - Visiting Princes' Islands

But have no trouble taking the metro, to the funicular to the ferry to visit the Princes' Islands in a completely foreign country?   This just makes no sense to me.  I couldn't take the bus from home to work in Los Angeles but somehow can figure out any other countries public transit system in no time!

Well enough about my poor sense of direction in my home town.  Let's get back to the Princes' Islands.  I had read about them over a year ago and they were one of main places I wanted to go while visiting in Istanbul.   I had read they are just about an hour by ferry from Istanbul and that there are no cars on the islands.  Everyone gets around by foot, by bicycle or horse drawn carriage.  It sounded like a step back in time and an opportunity to take some great photos!

So of course, it was one of the first places I asked the concierge about when I arrived and I was more than a little disappointed when he told me it would not be worth my time to go.  It's completely off season, so he  said there wouldn't be much to do.

As usual, I didn't listen to advice and I'm glad I didn't.  He was right about there not being a ton to do, but it's not like I wanted to go and lie on the beach anyway!   I wanted to wander around and see what it was like and hopefully take some great photos.
 
Now there are five islands in all and you can visit four of them.   Given my limited  time, I went to two of the five, Heybeliada and Buyukada (the largest of the five).   I spent a little time wandering around Heybeliada and then grabbed lunch.  Lunch consisted of some chips I bought at a little store and a panini this elderly man made me at what I guess was a cafe.   I'm not exactly sure what it was but it was delicious!  I have to say so far the best food I've had in Turkey has been "street" food!

After lunch, I hopped on another ferry and headed to Buyukada.   If this was "off-season" I would hate to visit during the season.  It was swarming with people and there were a ton of shops and restaurants right by the dock.   I quickly left the dock area and just wandered the streets.   What a beautiful and charming place.  Given the crazy traffic congestion in Istanbul, I can see why people from this city flock here in the summer.