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…..
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…..
3 comments:
Did you like your invitation to the 2010 World? I personally drove them to the airport and put them on the plane to Turkey...and wondered if you were going to be at the event!
I haven't received it yet. I may book it however, if they continue to erode the quality of the world voyages I may stop. This "Golden Anniversary Odyssey" has not lived up to the hype by any stretch of the imagination.... disappointing
Yikes. I'm sorry to hear that. I will pray to the sun gods that Russian can be a bit warmer for you and that the rest of the journey ends on a high note - both weather and expectation wise.
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