26th June 2015 Istanbul

Our transit from Kusadasi to Istanbul was in flat conditions which meant we were on time to arrive at 1000 on the 25th. I had an uncomfortable night coughing from a chest infection that doesn’t want to leave me but at some un-Godly hour it awoke me and I found we were off a large well lit war memorial somewhere on the Gallipoli Peninsula perhaps at the Dardanelles Strait.
The next time I woke we were approaching Istanbul and what a great sight.
Set out like a crescent around a deep water harbour a sea of white buildings cover the hills in all directions and a vision of domes and minarets sparkled in the sunlight.

‘Istanbul is a true crossroad, the only city on Earth to
span two continents. This meeting place of Europe and Asia, of Christian and Muslim, is one of the great adventures a traveler encounters’.

‘Istanbul has dominated the Straits of Bosphorus for 25 centuries. As Constantinople, capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, it was a metropolis of stunning splendor when the great cities of Europe were mere villages’. ‘Cruise notes’

What a great sight coming into Istanbul trading ships and ferries plying back and forth, small fishing boats working close to the shores.
Even standing well off as we approached our berth we could see it was obviously a busy vibrant city.

We berthed in what they call the new part and most of the main points of interest are across a bridge in the old section. Nancy although still not well was ready to do the tour we had booked on and we left the ship at about 1030 to join our tour and travel to the old section.

I copied and pasted the following from an online brochure we had. Our tour did all of this but not in the same order. It was well organised we were all issued with little radios so wherever our guide was we could hear him ok and when we got lost he could call us. – it was all very crowded with tourists.

‘ A scenic 25-minute drive in your motorcoach takes you across the Galata Bridge into the heart of Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey and the capital of the Ottoman Empire.

You'll see the Byzantine Hippodrome, once the heart of Constantinople's political and sporting life, and the scene of games through the history of the Byzantine Empire. Monuments on the site include the Snake Column from Delphi and an Egyptian obelisk taken from the Temple of Karnak at Luxor.

Next, you'll visit Blue Mosque, also known as The Sultan Ahmed Mosque. This 17th century marvel was built to rival and surpass the grandeur and beauty of nearby Hagia Sophia, and is a true study in color. It displays a multitude of domes and semi-domes and graceful minarets on the exterior, and over 20,000 shimmering blue Iznik tiles in more than 50 different tulip designs, and 216 stained
glass windows, on the interior.

Your tour continues to the awe-inspiring Topkapi Palace Museum, a huge walled complex that hugs the Bosphorus. This former palace of silk-clad Ottoman sultans is now a museum displaying an extraordinary collection of art, artifacts, and jewels, including the famed Topkapi Diamond. The windows promise breathtaking views of the Bosphorus, the Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmara.

A brief stroll brings you to a restaurant where a traditional Turkish lunch awaits.

 Refreshed from your meal, you'll walk to Hagia Sophia, also known as St. Sophia, the Church of Holy Wisdom. It was originally built by Constantine the Great, and later rebuilt by Emperor Justinian to be a "queen church" of the new empire. Considered one of the greatest surviving examples of Byzantine architecture, it's rich with mosaics and marble pillars and coverings.

Virtually around the corner is the Underground Cistern, an underground reservoir dating back to the 6th century. This "Underground Palace" prides itself on a roof supported by 336-Corinthian columns and an illuminated interior that's certain to generate a profusion of wonder and conversation.

We also attended a hand made carpet weaving demonstration and sales pitch and although we got close we didn’t make a purchase.

Our lunch was a traditional Turkish three-course affair at a very nice hotel. Nancy tried Turkish apple tea and enjoyed it. I have tried both their Turkish tea and Turkish coffee and enjoyed both.

We arrived back at the ship at exactly 1930 the latest time allowable, a very long tiring day, we had all walked everywhere on our tour other than the 20 minute drive from the new to old section in the morning and back in the evening. After two days in bed it was a bit much for Nancy and she was quite exhausted but it was a great day.

A few notes:
Twenty million people live in Istanbul, 78.0 mill in the whole of Turkey
Economy is good but there are now a lot of Syrian refugees that the locals feel are having quite a detrimental affect on the system.
Local currency is Turkish lira – 1tlr = Aud$2.1; €3.08 (euro); US$2.72;
Aud$1.00 = €0.68; Most places accept Euro, the bazaars will accept anything
Traffic was mayhem – public transport is good
By next year they will have the busiest airport in the world.
People are friendly.
Climate is good.

Turkey is a place we would definitely like to revisit.

Friday 26th June
We awoke early in the morning to discover the ship at anchor off ANZAC Cove on the Gallipoli Peninsula. We stood a long way off shore but through binoculars could make out all of the strategic features, sites and monuments.
At 0830 Captain Kent conducted a proper ANZAC service on the open deck attended I would say by every passenger and crew member on the ship including several veterans that were on board. It was a very respectable and moving occasion. Following the service the ship sat at anchor until 1100 and then we continued our journey back through the deep blue Aegean Sea – destination Santorini.

Nancy finally had to pay a visit to the ships doctor and was loaded up with another load of tablets and by evening she was feeling a whole lot better.