Istanbul, Turkey, well here I am in this culturally rich city of about 13.5 million people. It's the only city in the world that spans across two continents.

You can have breakfast in Europe and then take a ferry or drive across across to Asia, have lunch and then come back to Europe all in the same day, now that's pretty cool, I did it and it's just one of those experiences that will stick with me forever.

Currency here in Turkey is the New Turkish Lira, Euros and American dollars are accepted. Starbucks coffee - yes they have shops here as well.

Istanbul is a huge city and getting around could be difficult without a guide, and since I'm only here for a day I decided to take the city tour that was offered by the ship. Slightly expensive at about $120 US but it's a full day, includes lunch and transportation.

First stop the Hippodrome,  or Sultanahamet Square, built in 203 A.D. it wast he second largest in the world next to Circus Maximus in Rome. Not much left from it's original state but you will see an Egyptian Obelisk, a Stone Obelisk and the Serpentine Column originally brought here to decorate the Hippodrome.

Next stop and one of the top attractions of Istanbul - the Blue Mosque built between 1609 & 1617 by Sultan Ahmet I.

The interior is truly breathtaking, entirely carpeted with prayer rugs, chandeliers, massive support columns, and blue iznik tiles on the walls, hence the name Blue Mosque.

Originally the mosque was covered in blue tiles but many fell off over the years due to age and many were sold, but once inside you'll still see plenty decorating the walls.

Entry to the Mosque is free, but you need to remove shoes, and they actually give you plastic bags to carry them in.
Prayer time in the Mosque happens 5 times a day, first, in the early morning, second at noon time, 3rd in the afternoon, 4th in evening, and last 5th before going to bed.

A short walk away is Hagia Sofia - started out as a church in 360 A.D. became a mosque in 1453, and then in the 1940's re-opened as a museum.

You will find many guidebooks available in the area explaining the history of Hagia Sofia and the Blue Mosque, but the tour guide also does a great job with the historical facts so if you're on the tour pay attention and you won't need to buy a guide book.

Next stop the Topkapi Palace... decadence galore, sprawling grounds, with elegant buildings that are 10 times the size of an average home. The Sultans of past new how to live.
Exquisite carvings, jewels galore, you will see the Topkapi dagger and the Spoonmaker's Diamond - 86-carat and fifth largest diamond in the world.

The tour allows for plenty of time to walk around and admire the Palace grounds
Make sure you take at the pictures I have included in the slide show.

Lunch was next, and then  off to the Grand Bazaar - one of the largest covered markets in the world.
It has over 4,000 shops and about 300,000 people visit it on a daily basis, were talking mega mall here. You won't find any trendy designer shops here, that's for another part of the city, but if you need, gold, jewelry, pottery, carpets or spices this is the place to visit.

If you are exploring Istanbul on your own make sure to visit Taksim Square the heart of Istanbul. Major shopping area, with plenty of restaurants, and shops.
From here you can stroll Istiklal Caddesi one of the most famous streets in Istanbul. It's a pedestrian mall about 3 kilometers long, with boutiques, restaurants , bars, theatres and about a million people a day use it.

For the drinkers out there try a Turkish beer - Efes probably the most popular, and for something different try Raki, some say it is the national drink of Turkey 40-50% alcohol, anis flavored, it's mixed with water and turns milky white, also called Lions Milk give it a shot or two. Reminds me of Ouzo or Zambuca.

Another popular area but slightly away from Istanbul proper is Ortakoy, located by the Bosphorous bridge on the European side, it's full of trendy little boutiques, coffee shops and the Ortaköy Mosque.
It's a nice area just to take a breather and relax.

Wish I had more time for Istanbul, but it looks like I will need a separate trip sometime in the future.

It's back to the ship for me and heading to my final port on this cruise - Dubrovnik, Croatia.