Saturday, August 29
Istanbul is the latest in a string of remarkable, image-busting cities. The approach from the water is an incredible sight – mosque upon mosque, minaret after minaret. After we docked we headed for our boat tour of the Bosphorus Strait. The Bosphorus is the waterway that separates the European side from the Asian side of Istanbul. The tour guide pointed out the many very exclusive houses as well as many historical sites along the way. From supertankers to submarines (we saw both) the Bosphorus is the watery highway between the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea. Our boat turned back about 4 miles from the Black Sea, and we headed in for dinner.
After overnighting in Istanbul we hit the pavement to explore the ancient side of the city. After a congested bus ride we were off, if a bit behind schedule. We had the honour of visiting the Blue Mosque, an incredible sight. Because it is a fully functional Mosque, you must dress conservatively (no bare shoulders or knees) and remove your shoes upon entry. Words can’t describe the ancient grandeur. Then it was across the street to the Aya Sofya (or Hagia Sophia in Greek). The Aya Sofya was a Christian church for 1,000 years – not just any church, but the largest church in the world by far. When Istanbul fell to the Ottomans in the 1400s it was converted to a mosque. It was a mosque for another 500 years before finally becoming a museum. The Aya Sofya is truly awe inspiring, and to have the opportunity to see both of these ancient sites back-to-back is incredible.
Oh yeah, there was one more ancient site to be visited – the Grand Bazaar. The Bazaar is essentially the world’s largest shopping mall – the mother of all tourist traps. It covers an incredible 76 acres and consists of over 4,000 shops, 24 inns, 65 streets, 22 gates, 2 covered markets, 1 mosque, fountains and tea houses. We barely managed to scratch the surface (although a few of those shops were able to separate us from some of our money).
Istanbul is full of friendly people, it seems. We felt very safe and never encountered any trouble – a great 24 hours. Now it’s back to Greece for a visit to Mykanos.