Day 192 At Sea

Today we are sailing along in the Black Sea on our way to Sochi, Russia. It is about 9 degrees Celcius outside.... that is the bad news. The good news is that I did manage a few hours of sunshine today.... Great! Tomorrow, Allan, Sandra & I are taking a tour of Sochi. We pretty much had to or else we couldn't go ashore without a visa. It would have been a very comlicated and expensive process so we chose this route. Here is a description of the tour: Sochi, Seaside & Spa
Discover the charming city of Sochi, often referred to as the Russian Riviera. Its spas and comfortable hotels, attractive beaches, shady streets and parks stretch for almost 100 miles along the picturesque Caucasian coastline. The town of Sochi itself is one of the country’s best-known and favorite resorts on the Black Sea. From the port, a short drive will bring you to the seaside promenade brimming with hotels. Disembark for a gentle stroll to view the Classical building of the State Winter Theatre. With its 16 columns and allegorical figures of Art, Architecture and Sculpture on the façade, it has become a significant landmark of the city. Next, proceed to the most famous resort— the Matsesta. Its name is of Cherkess origin, and means “Fiery Water.” This is a reference to the hot sulfur springs that have been used here since ancient times. Take advantage of a photo stop here before some free time in Riviera Park to shop for souvenirs and marvel at the famous Glade of Friendship with its evergreen magnolias and the Plane Tree Path. Hopefully it will be a fun day and I won't freeze to death....

Day 191 Istanbul Turkey

I had a marvelous day in Istanbul….. I started with a tour of the major sights of Istanbul with a Holland
America shore excursion. Here is the description: Istanbul Delights & Lunch at Çirag˘an Palace
This exclusive tour will offer you to explore the best of Istanbul with an exceptional lunch at Çirag˘an Palace Hotel Kempinski. After departure from the port, your first visit will be at the Blue Mosque, named for its richly adorned interior of magnificent Iznik tiles. Nearby is the Topkapi Palace, the official residence of the Ottoman Sultans. The palace consists of courts, pavilions, mosques, fountains and a rich treasury section, with an additional visit to the Harem section which shows the private life of the Ottoman Sultans. Enjoy some free time to browse on your own. Then, you will have a spectacular lunch at Çirag˘an Palace Hotel Kempinski overlooking the Bosphorus Strait. Shipping traffic here is as varied as it is interesting, and the Strait’s sparkling water is a beautiful distraction. After lunch, you will visit the famous St. Sophia—also known as the splendid Church of Divine Wisdom—built in the 4th century. St. Sophia’s dome was then the largest in the world. After several conquests and pillages, the building was converted into a mosque, but fell into disrepair as the centuries passed. The mosaics were uncovered in the 1900s and the church was dedicated as a Byzantine-Ottoman museum.
I really enjoyed seeing the sights of Istanbul. This city with it’s thousands of years history is truly amazing. Places here that are only hundreds of years old aren’t even worthy of mention. When you think of all the history that has taken place here it is amazing. This evening we had a major event at the Binbirdirek Cistern built back in 330 AD. It was a signature event from Holland America and even Stein Kruse the President and CEO of Holland America along with US Ambassador to Turkey, Ross Wilson were in attendance. The event featured Turkish dancers, fire eaters, drinks and Turkish food. The Cisterns were really amazing…. As we sailed out of Istanbul the skies filled with fireworks….. wonderful. We now are headed for Russia and probably even colder weather. I was counting on global warming to bring me home in style…..

Day 190 Istanbul, Turkey

Today we sailed into Istanbul, Turkey and the experience was amazing….. Seeing the Sultanahmet (aka Blue Mosque) with it’s 6 minarets), St Sophia (Hagia Sophia), Topkapi Palace, Galeta Tower and the Suleymaniye Mosque was quite impressive…… I was in awe as we sailed into this port. It is truly one of the best sail-ins I have seen. Our plan today was to spend the bulk of the day at the Grand Bazaar. We arrived there probably around 10:00 and I was immediately blown away. This place is beyond huge…. Simply amazing. They have specialized sections like Turkish carpets, leather goods, jewelry, etc. There is over four thousand shops and stalls in this place. I spent about 4 hours there with Sandra, Allan and Betty. I was wearing out so I left and rested for a bit. I headed out from the Bazaar to get a close up with Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. I go on a tour tomorrow where I will get a more in depth look. I decided to go into the Basilica Cisterns built in 532 A.D. I really enjoyed the two columns that had a the head of Medusa at the bottom (one upside down and on sideways). My first day in Istanbul was spectacular…..

Day 189 At Sea

Well it had to end sometime..... Today was cold, damp and just ugly. It gave me a chance to catch up on the blog after my Egyptian adventure. Busy day..... Tomorrow we are coming into Istanbul, Turkey around 1100. Allan, Sandra & I are going to the Grand Bazaar.....

Day 188 Aswan to Alexandria....

Our last morning on our Nile adventure was spent on a Felucca Ride to Botanical Gardens and an a view of the Agha Khan mausoleum. The sail to the island was fabulous and very picturesque…. The botanical gardens were lovely and the Agha Khan mausoleum was very impressive. It made for a nice morning. After our sail all that was left was to go to the airport and catch our flight to Cairo. The flight was just slightly late but was a nice flight. I did see the Step Pyramids at Sakkara and the pyramids of Giza on the way into Cairo but a bit of a sandstorm made getting a good photo impossible…. Bummer! We then headed out for our 3 ½ hour ride to Alexandria. We stopped along the way and had Falafels which were wonderful. I was amazed that when we got to Alexandria it was very cool. I’m afraid our warm weather is gone for this voyage… Pity! It was a great trip. I wanted to go to Luxor for some time and it was definitely worth the wait…..