This morning it was definitely foggy, but as we made our way across the Black Sea, the sun burned it off and it became a reasonable day. Cruising down the Bosporus, [that connects the black Sea to Istanbul, 18 1/2 miles down the channel], it was reasonably clear. However as we approached Istanbul that familiar greyish-blue haze became the sky colour again.
Fellette happened to be writing her 120th postcard to grandkids and a few other people when she commented that the postcard printers must have to artificially make the sky blue. We are not sure but we rather think that blue skies are a thing of the past in certain areas of the world. I have never seen this in writing, but with pollution controls somewhat lacking in certain places is it any wonder. I would be interested if anybody has seen or heard about this. At one time no one would have thought that oceans and rivers could ever become polluted. Could blue skies become a thing of the past?
New Subject:
Below are some photos taken as we cruised down through the Bosporus, [18 1/2 miles] through The Sea of Marmara, [maybe 80 miles long], past Istanbul and through the Dardanelles [38 miles long]. All of this to hopefully get us to some nicer weather. [We cannot really expect too much because it is still very early spring, anywhere.]
There are some lovely homes and Chateaus along the way. Many are diplomatic 'summer embassies' and palaces given by Sultans to wives and other elite.
Europe has had this class structure thing going longer than we have had white people in North America. Forgive my sarcasm and apparent bitterness, but there are too many inequalities in this world, and it goes on as we speak.
At the top end of the Dardanelles is the Turkish town of Gallipoli, oddly enough it is on this long finger of land known as the Gallipoli Peninsula.
Our deck announcer was on during the passage down and in the Dardanelles it was a bit difficult to fully understand about the battle that went on here for three years. Again, the stubbornness of generals and leaders, all of whom survived, was the reason so many young lives were literally sacrificed.
Strange as it may seem I was thinking of my two Australian friends Keith and Rod, both of whom are very much aware of the loss of Australian life here 93 odd years ago. I had just taken a picture of that illusive place called Gallipoli and was going to email it to them when I received an email from Keith in Melbourne. Spooky, spooky folks!
Today was a bit of a tough time for us history and military buffs, but tomorrow it should be a brighter day.
Tomorrow, Santorini, Greece.
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