Who ? Where? Why ?
Where ?
The place ---
[picture courtesy of Wikipedia]
Why - ?
- to see the elegant gondola-like caiques used by the Ottoman sultans. These lavishly ornamented boats were the favoured means of transport for travelling into the main city.
A few imperial caiques
[picure By CeeGee - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0,]
When the Court went on a visit from one palace to another, the spectacle of a flotilla of these caiques gliding along in procession was breath-taking, according to a 17th Century French Ambassador.
Who ?
He was impressive in his uniform, and his sash made me smile.
- the Sultan's chief Boat Master
For more pictures see Istanbul_Naval_Museum