After a slightly later start than usual in keeping with the spirit of Sunday morning, we took the tram down to Eminonu, the ferry docks, 3 stops away. Today was the day of the Bosphorus Cruise. A lot has been said about it, my two cents worth is, its a nice relaxing way to spend some time on one of the great waterways, but if you are pressed for time, it can definitely rank lower down in terms of priority.
There are basically two ways to approach the cruise. One is a full day excursion, all the way out to the Black Sea, to the last stop called Anadolu Kavagi. This is best done on the public boat which is cheap, efficient and plies the route everyday, with a snack bar on board. One can go all the way, have lunch and return, or can stop off at any other point on the way, but then one has to make way back using surface transport such as buses, which ply on both the Asian and European sides, with the European side having slightly better connectivity.
The second option is to go upto a certain point, usually the second bridge called the Fatih bridge and then return as a round trip without getting off anywhere. This is what we opted for as we did not want to spend the whole day on the water but at the same time, wanted the experience of going down the Bosphorus.
Aside from the public boat, which generally gets very crowded, especially on holidays, there are many private boats which provide a similar experience, one just has to show up on the docks to be approached by ticket touts. We opted at random for one of these, it was just the ride, no commentary, no information, etc, but the guidebook was enough, and the bracing wonderful sea breeze made for a great half day. Whichever option you go for, remember to sit on the left side of the boat for the best views of both coasts.
As you board the boat from Eminonu Pier, you can see the Galata bridge which traverses the Golden Horn connecting Sultanahmet to the European side.
Also visible is the Suleymaniye Mosque on the hill behind Eminonu. Also a creation of the master architect Sinan, it was closed for renovation, but is apparently worth a look for its understated elegance as compared to the intricate ornamentation seen in other mosques.
A favourite with Istanbullis is a meal at the numerous fish restaurants under the Galata bridge.
One of the first structures on the European side is the Dolmabahce Palace. There are huge lines of tourists with long waiting periods for guided tours of the inside. We decided to skip it, having seen numerous other palaces in Europe, we did not feel that it was a priority. One of the key design features is the crystal chandeliers, especially one by Waterford.
After the suburb of Besiktas, which is where the Dolmabahce Palace, one gets the first glimpse of the Bosphorus Bridge. The iconic symbol of the city's perpetual importance as linking two great continents. 
On the European side soon after the facade of the famous luxury Ciragan Palace Hotel, where one might choose to stay if money were no object.
At the foot of the Bosphorus bridge nestles the suburb of Ortakoy, known for its delicious kumpir or jacket potato stalls. Jutting out is the facade of the pretty Ortakoy Jamii.
All along the banks near the suburb of ARnavutkoy are the yalis or old wooden houses which are treated as heritage monuments.
Just before the suburb of Bebek is the first glimpse of the second bridge, the Fatih Bridge.
The cruise is a good way to get a feel for Istanbul life away from the tourist areas. All along one catches authentic glimpses of suburban life.
One also gets a good idea of the quality of life that is likely to be enjoyed by affluent citizens, by looking at the homes and private boats along the coast.
The Fatih bridge is flanked by the Rumeli Hisari or Fortress of Europe on the European side. Its complement on the Asian side is the fortress of Asia or the Anadolu Hisari which is not as readily visible. Just past the bridge were one to go further is the suburb of Kanlica which is very famous for its yoghurt.
Our boat turned around at the Fatih bridge and retraced the route providing a better perspective of the Asian side on the way back. One of the interesting monuments is the Beylerbeyi Sarayi with marble platforms for bathing in the water, as well as a marble changing pavilion for women bathers.
A favourite Sunday pastime - fishing off the Galata bridge.
After a relaxing morning, we returned to Sultanahmet by tram and had lunch at The Cure. After browsing among some tourist shops, we returned to the hotel for a siesta and decided to venture into a Turkish hammam for the evening. We opted to go to the Cemberlitas Hammam, one stop further on from Sultanahmet, but we walked there in the balmy early evening.
At reception, you are asked what kind of service you want. I opted for self service, while Gordon decided to go all out for the full service. Both of us were given loofahs. We parted to go into our respective gender areas.
The changing rooms consist of small cubicles with many lockers which contain the pestemal or wrap around robe and disposable underwear. After changing and wrapping the pestemal, and putting things away in the locker, you enter the bath itself. It consists of a round room with several small enclosures leading off it with taps and basins. The centre of the room is a round, raised, underheated marble platform which is presided over by a dome with several starshape cutouts to let the light in, and this actually provides quite a nice atmosphere.
Most people start off by relaxing on the marble platform. After that, those who are getting service will be approached by the attendants who are also similarly dressed. A lot of people by this time had gone starkers. The attendents start by energetic sloughing off of dead skin using the loofah, followed by soap and wash your hair.
Since I had opted for self service, I stepped into one of the enclosures and followed the same procedure for myself. After finishing, one emerges from the bath, towels off and returns to the changing room to change.
I would strongly advise carrying moisturising lotion for after the bath to help soothe the newly exfoliated skin.
On the whole it was quite an experience, definitely worth doing. I would have preferred fewer people of course and I am still more in favour of the pampered Asian spa experience, but its definitely enjoyable.
Dinner was at the Indian restaurant Dubb, which actually had great food, and was the perfect way to end a relaxed Sunday.
