We began our journey towards Istanbul around midnight when we entered the Dardenelles Strait, an extremely long and narrow passage of water into the Sea of Marmara and beyond. Although it was dark, both sides of the shore were lit up and it gave us a promise of what is to come on our return journey during daylight hours tomorrow.
Thus we sailed into the city of Istanbul itself just as dawn was breaking.
The first thing to say about Istanbul is that it is big, very big. It is also very, very busy. But what a wonderful mixture of ancient and modern, Christian and Moslem, affluent and poor, classic and baroque, chaos and order, east and west. You need at least a week to do justice to all the city has to offer, not just a day.
Following breakfast we jumped aboard the Ho-Ho bus for view of the most important sights and landmarks and to get our bearings. The circuit took in such places as the Blue Mosque, the Hagia Sofia and the Topkapi Palace, all sights to tick off the bucket list.
Following lunch we caught our small boat for a scenic cruise up the Bosporus, taking in all the sights of this incredibly busy waterway and passing under the bridges which link the Asian continent to the European.
Once deposited back to the ship we set off once again, this time on foot and heading back across the Blue Bridge and towards the old part of the city. The bridge was jam packed with fishermen, young and old, all trying their luck (many quite successfully) in the Golden Horn. Thankfully, there was a subway at the end of the bridge by which to cross the road, otherwise we might still be waiting. Once safely on the other side we entered the spice bazaar, and what an assault o the senses that proved to be. Every spice imaginable was piled up on the brightly coloured stalls and every smell from allspice to vanilla wafted to the nose. But it was not just spices, there were fish, meats, cheeses, olives, honey, fruits, flowers, nuts, exotic oils, cakes and delicacies and hardware and clothing, pottery, glassware, pots and pans, and every (fake) perfumery designer label you can think of. The nearby streets and the bazaar itself were packed with locals and tourists alike and above all these sights and smells were the calls and the cajoling of the stallholders. We then strolled wearily back to the ship just as the sun was setting behind the minarets and mosques which adorn the city skyline. It really was quite an unforgettable experience and one that should not be missed.
Thus our pre dinner martinis now await and we are then scheduled to leave the city around midnight.
Tomorrow is our only sea day and after all the non stop activity today, will be very welcome indeed.
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