ISTANBUL, Turkey – The Gators started their first full day in Turkey with banana shakes from Kazim Büfe and walking the Besiktas (Dentur) before sightseeing the Bosporus Strait on a private boat tour. The natural strait forms part of the continental boundary between Asia and Europe, and divides Turkey. It is the world’s narrowest strait used for international navigation. The team enjoyed borek, a flaky, savory pastry filled with feta and spinach, as they cruised between two continents. Throughout the ride, the team took in the stunning views of Ottoman-era mansions, towering minarets, and the majestic Bosphorus bridges. They laughed, danced to music playing onboard, played dice games, and captured countless memories with photos, setting the tone for the rest of their day. The Gators arrived in Kadikoy and had lunch at Kebapçi Iskender – Iskender Iskenderoglu<https://iskenderiskenderoglu.com.tr/> and walked around the town square before heading to the Eczacibasi Spor Kulübü<https://www.eczacibasisporkulubu.org.tr/>, home of the Turkeys professional volleyball program<https://women.volleybox.net/eczacbas-dynavit-t2102/players>. The Gators trained with the Çekmeköy Isitme Engelli Kadin Voleybol club team – a deaf team – as the two programs were part of the final training session in the Eczacibasi Spor Kulübü. Turkey is relocating to a gym on the Asian side where all of the top clubs play. Florida ended day one eating dinner with the Çekmeköy Isitme Engelli Kadin players.
Volleyball Foreign Tour 2025 Blog: https://floridagators.com/sports/2025/4/28/volleyball-foreign-tour.aspx
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