Istanbul: Our ‘locked’ gateway to BS

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Distance travelled: 2,030 nautical miles



Please note: The BS in the title of this blog stands for Black Sea (what else did you think it stood for??) I just couldn't fit the whole title in due to a restriction of characters!!!

It is 283 nautical miles from Izmir, technically in Asia, to Istanbul, technically in Asia AND Europe. Our route took us north across the Aegean Sea to the Dardanelle straight. This 39 mile canal is only 4.5 miles at its widest and is as narrow as 0.7 miles. The canal joins the Aegean Sea with the Sea of Marmara which in the past has been the site of numerous wars. The fight for control of this stretch was the original motive for the start of the cold war in 1946 with Turkey leaning on the USA to help them against the USSR.

Istanbul is one of the most fascinating and unique cities in the world with some most extraordinary monuments. It was once the capital of three great empires. It is the only city in the world that is built over 2 continents. The MSC Orchestra docked just past the stretch of water known as the Golden Horn on the Bosphorus, near the area of Tophane". – Extracted and adapted from 'ey up its Istanbul' blog dated: 9. May 2012

Now that the geography and history lessons are out the way…

Day 8 - Breakfast. Roisin ordered a mushroom omelette. So far, so good. When it arrived she asked the waiter where the hash brown and toast was that is supposed to accompany the omelette. ‘You want hash brown and sausage as a side?' asked the confused waiter.

‘No!' exclaimed Roisin, ‘the menus states it comes with a hash brown and toast'.

‘Ah, Hash Brown and toast?' confirmed the waiter ‘I go fetch'. He went away and several minutes later returned with a plate. On the plate lay 3 hash browns and 2 sausages!! Sometimes you just have to let these things wash over you. After all, you have to remember for most of these waiters Scouse is not their native tongue!!!

This is our 3^rd trip to Istanbul. The city has so much to offer, it is impossible to take everything in during one trip. The first time we visited the Blue Mosque and Aya Sofia, originally built as a Christian basilica in the 4^th century and converted to a mosque in the 15^th century when the Turks finally took control of then Byzantine. Last time we were here there were many protesters gathering throughout the city. The main bridge across to the Golden Horn was raised so we remained on this side of the city and visited the Galata Tower. This time we have two objectives: to visit the Grand Bazaar and then a more unusual tourist attraction known as the Basilica Cistern. On walking through the port gate we made our way past the cordon of taxi drivers. I never understand that if I say ‘no' to one taxi driver, I would change my mind several yards further on when asked again if I want a taxi to the Blue Mosque!! In Turkey ‘no' doesn't obviously mean ‘no'!!

Reaching the main road only a few hundred yards from the port entrance, we took the tram T1 across the Golden Horn to where most of the famous tourist sights are found. Tram tickets for a single journey (regardless of distance) now cost 4TL (£1.12). There is a machine on every platform (that gives change) in English and provides a token known as a jeton. This token is required to operate the turnstile that leads to the tram platform. Within 15 minutes we had arrived at Sirkeci, one of the tram stops nearest to the entrance of the Grand Bazaar. This megamall is allegedly one of the world's most exciting shopping experiences. (Now that must be the mother of all oxymorons if ever I'd heard one!! To have the words ‘exciting' and ‘shopping' in the same phrase!!)

The Grand Bazaar (Kapalıçarşı) is one of the largest covered markets in the world with 60 streets and 5,000 shops, and attracts between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily. It is well known for its jewellery, hand-painted ceramics, carpets, embroideries, spices and antique shops although I would challenge an antique the same way I would challenge that a handbag is really Gucci or Michael Kors!! The bazaar is sectioned, with special areas for leather, gold, jewellery soft furnishing and the like.

A man suddenly appeared out of nowhere and asked if I am interested in a carpet? ‘Good price!!' he said.

Is it magic? I asked rhetorically. I continued without waiting for an answer. ‘Then I'm not interested. I have a house full of carpet at home. Now a magic carpet…'

The vendor obviously understands the term Taking the piss as he never followed us realising that we weren't serious customers!!

We roamed around for about 20 minutes until everything was getting a bit repetitive. Either that or we were wandering around in circles!

Only a short walk from the Grand Bazaar is the Basilica Cistern across the tram lines from the Aya Sofia. This system of concealed reservoirs so called because it resembles an underground church. I suppose you could call it the Cistern Chapel!! Constructed in the 6^th century by the Emperor Justinianus (unfortunate name!!) the cistern is 140m long by 70m wide. The dome that is 9800m² is supported by 336 marble columns arranged in 12 rows of 28 columns arranged exactly 4m 90cm apart. Emperor Justinianus must have been one of the first ever recorded cases of OCD!! The water from the cistern is transported from the Belgrade forest which is 19km from the city. Toward the far corner of the cistern, the head of Medusa is carved in to the bases of 2 of the columns.

Exiting the Basilica Cistern we crossed over the road and walked through Gulhane Park down to Kennedy Caddesi. Another area of Istanbul we had never frequented. The park is full of novelty sculptures and statues ranging from decorated trees to a water feature in the shape of a book. There was plenty of shade to rest under if the heat was too much to bear. As the temperature was an amenable 72 degrees F, it was just another pleasant walk in the park! After stopping off for a beer and free wi-fi we headed back to the ship.

As we were sat on our balcony watching the many pleasure craft and ferries sail to and fro across the Bosphorus awaiting the sound of the ships horn as all lines were set loose and we would head for our next destination across the Black Sea, an urgent announcement came over the tannoy and was piped in to all cabins. ‘This is Nicholas Lioce, your cruise Director. On behalf of the captain, he has made a decision that due to a violent storm and strong winds in the Black Sea, the current itinerary has been altered and the ship shall no longer call in to the ports of Constanta in Romania and Burgas in Bulgaria. Instead the ship will now call in to the ports of Marmaris in Turkey and Dubrovnik in Croatia. This also means that rather than depart from Istanbul at 17:30, the new time of departure will be in the early hours tomorrow at 05:30 so please ensure you are back on board by 04:30…' Was that last comment really necessary? How many people are going to take the opportunity to spend the night ashore until that time in the morning?! It was not long before we received the revised itinerary in our cabin together with additional excursions. One of ships tours now available was entitled: ‘Istanbul by night' which included dinner and a show all for the princely sum of €80. I can get dinner and a show on board for the princely sum of €nowt!!

This cruise was originally advertised as a Black Sea odyssey. It wasn't long before Yalta and Odessa were dropped due to an unstable political climate and now Constanta and Burgas have been cancelled due to just an unstable climate!! So from a Black Sea Cruise, as from today, we are now officially on an Eastern Med Cruise!!

Today is a milestone in Roisin and my MSC adventure. We have now both reached the maximum loyalty level (known as ‘Black' members.) This is based on the number of nights sailed (1 point per night) We have now reached 100 points. To put this in to perspective, there are only about 250 UK members who have attained this level. That's way less than the number of people who have conquered Mt. Everest (approximately 4000) and even less than people who have travelled in to space (499). This will give us various added benefits whilst onboard but the main incentive is 20% off all cruises. This is regardless of cost. So if we were able to pick up a last minute deal for half the original cost we would still be entitled to 20% discount. The other additional benefit is that MSC are obliged to provide you with the best upgraded cabin available once on board. We will not be able to start enjoying these added benefits until after the end of this cruise but Maria, the Cruise Consultant has emailed Head Office to see if we can start enjoying thebenefits that a ‘black' member enjoys for the duration of this cruise.

This evening the dress code is ‘THEME PARTY: White'. Just to play Devil's advocate I donned my best short sleeved black shirt, wore black trousers and slipped on my black shoes. If anyone questions my choice of attire, I'll just say I'm colour blind!!!

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Comments

[Ragnhild]

This looks really something

[Ragnhild]

Lovely!!