European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 24, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Reflections Glimmer on the water inside the yer Batan Sara i or sunken Palace. Continued from Page 9 Token you can cruise almost to the Black sea 18 Miles to the North. Other boats head South through the sea of Marmara calling at several Small islands that lie Between Istanbul and the Dardanelles the historic Strait that leads to the Aegean sea. As the boat chugs into the Channel you pass ornate wooden Villas and lavish waterfront palaces like Dolma Barce in Europe and Beyl Ereyi in Asia recalling the glory Days of the ottoman Empire. You also pass Village after Village with beckoning waterfront restaurants where you can get off for a meal or a drink then catch the next ferry that comes along. If you miss the last boat Back to the City Center schedules Aren t a turkish Strong Sui you can return by cab or bus via one of the two bosporus Bridges. The Best Way to savor Istanbul however is to strike out on foot devouring at whim. Istanbul offers a thousand and one diversions but to see the major ones you need to choreograph your sightseeing forays. Many attractions Are closed at least one Day a week. For museums it s usually monday. The bazaars close sunday. Palaces generally Are closed mondays and thursdays the top Kapi which takes tuesday off is the exception. You could spend the better part of a Day exploring the Maze of buildings and courtyards that is top Kapi Home of the ottoman sultans from the 15th to 19th centuries. To tour the harem a actually just a handful of the 400 harem rooms a tourists must take a guided tour for an extra $1 fee. Otherwise the $5 general admission ticket allows visitors to roam at will on the grounds and in the Small museum which displays among its treasures the Emerald Dagger made famous by the film top Kapi. Other musts All within a five minute walk of top Kapi include the Sultan Ahmet mosque known As the Blue mosque because of the exquisite tiles on its Interior Walls ancient St. Sophia once a Christian Church later a mosque and now a museum the Complex of archaeological museums the museum of turkish and islamic arts and the yer Batan Sara i or sunken Palace a sixth Century underground Cistern where you walk among byzantine Arches reflected in a Pool that stretches into the blackness beneath the Street across from St. Sophia. A Man leaves the Bayazit mosque it one of scores in Istanbul after prayer. A  is Kis top Kapi Palace Gate. Stripes Magazine May 24, 1990