Day 3- Istanbul/Bon Voyage!

Day 3-More Istanbul/ Bon Voyage!

Today we started off early with our complimentary breakfast on the terrace of the Hotel Nena. After enjoying the view we set out to see the Grand Bazaar and take in the Hagia Sofia before heading to our ship. The Grand Bazaar is like a huge market that stretches on for about a mile with shops on either side. Not only does it stretch for a mile but goes just as far in any direction. If you're not careful, you can easily get lost. Here vendors sell anything from Turkish rugs and harem pants to "black market" cologne and knockoff Nikes. They are also very pushy, often putting products into your hand and demanding money. But they are also very willing to bargain and you can get a pair of handmade shoes down from $40 to $20 or knockoff Nikes for $15. Once we had enough of the Grand Bazaar we headed to the Hagia Sofia. We went in and marveled at the combination of Christian and Islamic relics all over the massive dome and surrounding walls. This museum was once a center of Catholicism in Turkey and was then converted into a mosque once Muslims took over. The walls of the church, that were once adorned with Christian mosaics, were covered by the Muslim Sultans. Later on, Hagia Sofia was turned into a museum of both religions. When this happened, the walls were uncovered to reveal the still existing mosaics underneath. It was strange to see the two religions displayed together. Once we were done touring the museum, we decided to have one final meal in Istanbul. We went to a street cafe that had a terrace that overlooked the city. The food was good, though not our favorite. We then made our way to the port and boarded our ship. We started our time with a nap in our rooms before the festivities began. We then explored the ship and had dinner in the dinning room. From there we changed into our bathing suits and hit the indoor hot tub, because by this time it was dark and cold outside on deck. After drying off and looking in the shops David decided to try the ancient art of karaoke in one of the bars. He was so good that the audience cheered for an encore. We ended the night with a laugh and shuffled our way back to our rooms for the night. Oh, and the best part of the day was.....the airline delivered Lyndsey's luggage just in time for the ship to set sail! Woo! Bon Voyage!! The Grand Bazaar  






 Coronation area in the Hagia Sofia



 Our breakfast