Istanbul, Turkey

From the minute we sailed in to the port it was apparent that Istanbul was special. The history alone was mind boggling to think this city was the seat of the Byzantine Empire when it was Constantinople and the heart of the Orthodox religion. As we sailed in we saw the splendor of the mosques and palaces that were built centuries ago but still stand in proud glory and are beautifully maintained by the Turkish people. It’s hard to describe all the history that makes Istanbul. You really have to see it to begin to fully comprehend and in our 2 days we just scratched the surface. We made the most of our time though and made it to all the major sites. We saw the Hippodrome in the heart of the old part of the city where chariot races took place. We visited the Blue Mosque, the Mosque of Sultan Ahmet. It is called the Blue Mosque because inside there are thousands of blue tiles covering the walls. It is a mosque still in use today but we were allowed inside in a separate viewing area. Next we visited the Hagia Sofia which for many years was the largest church in the world. It was a Greek Orthodox Church built in the 6th century by Emperor Justinian but later converted to a mosque after the take over of the city during the Ottoman Empire. It was declared a national monument in 1935 and is now a museum. Some of the original Orthodox mosaics have been uncovered so the church now displays a mix of Muslim and Orthodox religious symbolism. The Topkapi Palace was another fabulous stop on our tour. It was built by Sultan Mehmet II. The Byzantine Empire was defeated by the Ottoman invaders at this site. It is a huge palace with many buildings to support the Sultan, his family and his support staff. The kitchens can feed 5000 people. The Harem building is where the Sultan, his wives, concubines, favorites and eunuchs lived and is still pretty much as it was centuries ago. The Ottoman Empire was vast and took riches from all over the world in their conquests. On display at the Palace is the famous Topkapi Dagger with emeralds the size of eggs and an 86 carat diamond pendant called the Spoonmaker’s Diamond. We had lunch in a restaurant near the Palace and enjoyed a traditional Turkish meal complete with Turkish coffee. VERY strong and bitter!! The last stop included a visit to the Grand Bazaar which was originally the stables for the Sultan’s horses but has for hundreds of years in recent history been a market area for the local people. Today it is a tourist destination and the market is full of stall after stall of carpet salesmen, belly dancer outfits, jewelry, knock off purses, tee shirts, and on and on. There are a few cafes and Jim had a Turkish coffee while I wondered around. The vendors were persistent but friendly and I came close to buying a belly dancer costume but we couldn’t agree on a price. (Thank goodness!!) The last evening we were in Istanbul, Holland America gave us a huge party in the Binbirdirek Cistern, an ancient underground water canal. The 1001 columned cistern was built in 330AD to hold water for Lavsus Palace. The cistern was restored recently to meet safety requirements as a tourist attraction and for the evening was converted into a Turkish party palace with tables, couches, candles, bars and food preparations everywhere. This party was open to all passengers who wanted to attend and most did. There was entertainment, belly dancers, fire eaters and folk dancers. The American Ambassador for Turkey attended and our host was the President of Holland America Line, Stein Kruse. The liquor flowed and everyone seemed to have a great time. Back on the ship, the party continued with a dessert extravaganza with a Turkish theme. More free liquor and lots of frivolity by the crew all dressed in Turkish robes and turbans. There was even a magic carpet flying above the Lido Pool!! As we left the dock there was a fireworks display. It was a late but exciting and fun evening and I must say HAL did it up in style for us. It really capped a tremendous visit to an amazing city. I highly recommend Istanbul to all.