Island Adventure

Awesome day! I decided to take a ferry over to the nearby Princes' Islands (specifically Büyükada) and spend the day relaxing away from the city. The initial intention was to meet up with my boss out there, but due to failed communication she ended up on the mainland just as I got to the islands. I actually think being alone made the experience better. The islands are a place where tourists and Turks alike go to get out of the ridiculously crowded city. Of course, this makes the islands ridiculously crowded as well, but Büyükada has enough rural areas to escape to even on a popular day like this.

There are no motorized vehicles (besides police and ambulances) allowed on the islands, which makes everything more peaceful even in the presence of lots of people. The preferred method of transportation is horse-drawn carriage, which I intended to use until seeing the prices. The island is full of horses, both grazing in nature and pulling people around:

I opted for the cheap mode of transportation and rented a bike for the day. I stupidly set out on my 15km trek with very little food in my stomach and didn't make it far before feeling weak. Fortunately, I was able to pull over to a local farm and eat some locally grown apples while chatting with the owner- entirely in Turkish! He was very impressed with my Turkish abilities, and I was, too; you don't realize how much you've learned until you're forced to have a discussion with no English. I set out again and had an awesome time biking around the coast, taking in the spectacular views. Pictures don't really do it justice, but here are some:

Afterwards, I returned to the bustling port area of the island for some food and relaxation. As much as I love traveling solo, it does mean that the only way I can be in photos (without bothering a stranger) is by taking awkward myspace-style pictures of myself. Here's an exhausted and sunburned Sam on the beach:

I ended the day the best way possible:

I don't know why milkshakes are so expensive in Turkey, but boy am I glad I finally splurged and got one. The day was truly awesome, and I hope I get to go back to the islands again. My boss feels horrible for ditching me and promises that she'll take the lab out to Büyükada at some point this fall to make up for it. You're welcome, labmates.