Istanbul, from the Bosphorus, in 1970

One of the most unforgettable trips of my life was the time in the summer when four of us managed to take the Black Sea steamer to Istanbul (30 hours on the boat). The steamer was one of the primary means of transportation along the coast, so it wasn’t anything like a cruise ship – it was a working boat hauling people and freight. Since American military were relatively wealthy compared to the average Turk, we each could afford a second-class cabin and we ate in the small dining area reserved for first or second class travelers (which held about 30 people) – the food was excellent, served in a French style. Passengers from first and second class could intermingle, but were not allowed on the lower decks that were crowded with entire families traveling with their goats, chicken, and sheep.

Coming into the Bosphorus, it was sunset, which cast a warm glow on ancient ruins, villas, slums, mosques, international cargo ships (including ones from Russia and other Eastern European countries), and a strait crowded with ferries, water taxis, and returning fishing boats.

It was definitely an exotic and wonderful feeling, arriving by sea in a thriving, fascinating, historic city.

Pictures in this set (Military Years) are from when I was in the military, from 1967-1970. All photos were originally slides, a friend spent very many hours restoring those slides to being viewable. Best viewed as part of the Military Years set.