Rome to Athens 9/15-10/1/2023 Episode 10 Istanbul (Day 1 – part 3) Tuesday 9/26

After leaving the Hagia (pronounced aya) Sophia Mosque, we walked toward the Grand Bazaar, but made a stop at a local carpet shop for another demonstration. It was worth it to sit down and have a small glass of apple tea. Unfortunately it was hot instead of cold! We were treated to a demonstration by a master weaver, and again viewed carpet after carpet being rolled out in front of us. They – are – just – simply – gorgeous.

After surviving the sales pitch we headed down the street to the Bazaar. The Grand Bazaar of Istanbul is one of the world’s oldest and largest covered markets in the world, encompassing more than 60 covered streets and containing more than 4000 shops. Over 92 million visitors pass through the gates every year. After wandering a bit – I wonder how many of them come out!

It is SO easy to get lost in there! Every shop looks like the shop two down from you and just like the one on the corner – wait – did we come around that corner? I can easily picture myself stumbling around asking for directions to the exit after having slept on Turkish carpets and lived on Turkish Delight and apple tea for a couple of years!

Unfortunately, I somehow managed to not have any pictures inside the Bazaar on my phone – so I will provide this link for you, and post some pictures of the very similar but much smaller Spice Bazaar tomorrow. https://www.visitistanbul.com/explore-istanbul/the-grand-bazaar-istanbul.html/

Genny talked with a very nice shop keeper who showed us pictures of his family, bought us each an apple tea, and gave us small gifts. He pulled out stools for us but would not let anyone else sit there. I wandered off for a bit, but after seriously nearly getting lost I stuck close by.

Of course we bought something from him, then made our way slowly back to the entrance and up the street to a shop that sold genuine Turkish Delight and other goodies. The only Turkish Delight I had ever eaten was the jellied kind covered in powdered sugar. My sister loved it, and of course it starred in the C.S. Lewis classic, “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe”. This product however, is night and day different, and absolutely wonderfully delicious (almost enough to want to get lost in the Grand Bazaar).

After meeting the remnants of our tour group (some had peeled off to shop longer and return to the ship on their own), we walked another half mile to the local tram, and took it to a stop near the port where our bus met us. Apparently the traffic was so bad the bus couldn’t get there on time, so the guide improvised. Along the way the doors opened and the guide pointed out a site across the street with a black locomotive in front of a pink building. Remember the murder on the Orient Express? The ending point of the route of The Orient Express is Istanbul, and there it was!

Afer arrival back at the port, it is at least another half mile walk back to the ship, and up and down the aforementioned escalators. But we arrived back safely, with our 4.5 hour tour having lasted nearly 7 hours.

I never thought a lot about traveling to Turkey. Genny had wanted to see Istanbul – and I am VERY glad we came. We each agreed that we would feel safe traveling here as tourists – and women, not something we would say everywhere.

Thanks again for going with us, and thanks for the comments and emails that let us know you are reading along. We pray for and love you all!!