Exploring Istanbul

    I just returned to the ship after getting ashore shortly after 8 this morning.  We did not take a ship tour for this port because of the information that we had before we left Canada!   We did take the local shuttle although if we had had more time (we needed to catch a 3 pm shuttle back) we could have easily walked.  If we are ever this way again, we would take the tram and save the jam (traffic that is). 

Blue Mosque

     Our first destination after we were dropped near the Grand Bazaar was the Blue Mosque, so nammed because of the thousands of blue tiles that make up the interior.  We did remove our shoes and walked over the nice plush red carpet that is throughout.  It is the largest in the mosque in the world.  There is an enormous anount of room on the inside.  The only person beyond the barriers that kept the crowd on the outside was a cleaner vacuuming the carpet.
       The next stop was Saint Sophia a church that was converted to a mosque after the fall of

Santa Sophia

     As we walked to the meeting point we passed anothre landmark that I wanted to see so I did go inside myself.  This was the Yerebatab Cistern built in the 5th century.  This truly was a find.  It took about 20 minutes to walk the perimiter.  It has hundred's of colums in it, some that are very ornate.  It is empty and no longer in use but if was originally filled with fresh water supplied by aquaducts.  It is hard to describe but I think the most impressive thing was that is is 1500 plus years old.
      A slow walk from the Cistern got us to the meeting point. 

Grand Bazaar

Judy went back to the ship on her own and I wandered around the Grand Bazaar for about an hour.  It is very easy to get lost in it.  There definately is a pecking order to the shops.  All the gold and silver places are near the prime gate - the high priced places.  If you wander some of the side alleys (all covered of course) you find the "other" stuff like carpets, shoes, shirts, etc.   How there can be so many shirt shops, etc. is hard to believe. 
       The trip back was an adventure as is any ride in these cities.  How the drivers can get those buses around and up and down those streets is a mystery.  We are about ready to sail for Kudedasi where we do not arrive until noon tomorrow.   We have to make 300 miles by then.   At least we will get to see a bit of this historic waterway in the light as we transit back to the Mediterranean..