Istanbul

The country of Turkey has a very captivating culture and unlike anything I ever imagined, specifically Istanbul.  Once we arrived in Istanbul we quickly met our guide, Neslihan, who took us to the beautiful Topaki Palace. We walked around the gardens that were surrounded by a complex of individual buildings and she shared the history and all that the palace had been to the culture. The coolest thing about this was all of the religious history. She took us into a room that held what was believed to be the walking stick of Moses, the turban of Joseph, and some other religious artifacts from Mohamed.  It’s hard to believe that they have these materials and that they can be preserved so well.  Beyond these artifacts, the museum inside this palace was filled with gems, intricate jewelry, and outfits preserved from times as early as the 1400s. It was all beyond amazing.

After a short break for a Turkish cappuccino at a café, we quickly made our way to the former church and mosque now a museum, Hagia Sophia.  This is so historic with such rich culture. The guide shared a lot of Jewish history that played a role in this building, the positioning of women of the time, and how it is implemented today.

After exploring the Hagia Sophia, we walked through the hippodrome filled with merchants and people to arrive at the Blue Mosque. As we got closer to the entrance we had to take our shoes off in order to enter. This is a huge and beautiful building. Before today, I had never even seen a mosque.

After visiting these historical sites we made room for just one more – the first ever mall – the Grand Bazaar (Kapali Carsi). There, we immediately indulged in authentic and traditional Turkish foods at a historic restaurant that has been located in the Grand Bazaar since the 1700s. It was more than enough food to give us the energy to face the crowds and shop in the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar (Misir Carsisi), where we tasted the freshly made Turkish delights and I bought some Jasmine Tea :).

It has all been so wonderful! After an exhausting but amazing day, we went back to the boat, freshened up, and went out for more, taking the funicular to explore the cultural Taxism Square and one of the liveliest streets of Istanbul, Istiklal Caddesi.