If I may, I would like to extend a very special Thank You to Father Efren and the entire Our Lady of Hope Fundraising Cruise family! Your kindness and generosity made our last cruise one that I shall never forget.
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| San Juan, Puerto Rico |
Deal of the Week
12-day Eastward Transatlantic Cruise, from $499 with stops at Lisbon, Cadiz, and Barcelona. Call us at 215.278.9416 or e-mail us at info@ctitravelgroup.com for more information.
Destination of the Week: Istanbul (Last visited 2011)
Istanbul is a city full of history and cultural riches. From the moment I first set foot in the city, I was in awe, and the city keeps uncovering more treasures as time goes on. If Rome is the Eternal City, this is the Eternally Evolving City. From its origins as a city-state to the Roman era to the Byzantine era to the Ottoman era and finally to modern times, Byzantion/Nova Roma/Constantinople/Istanbul keeps its visitors' attention with its stunning beauty.
There is a legend that surrounds the founding of Istanbul. A leader named Byzas consulted the Oracle of Delphi to see what site would be suitable to build a city. The Oracle told him he would find it "opposite the blind". As he was searching, he came across the city of Chalcedon, a Greek city on the other side of the Bosphorus. Byzas concluded that the Chalcedonians must have been blind to miss the peninsula right across the straight that provided a greater level of commercial and military value. He founded the city as Byzantion, which was then Romanized to Byzantium.
As we exited the airport, the bus took us to Sultanahmet, the location of the Hippodrome of ancient Constantinople. From there we visited the magnificent Hagia Sophia, which was once the main basilica of the Eastern Orthodox Church. This building was covered with beautiful mosaics that survived the test of time because when the city fell to the Ottomans, its mosaics were covered over in plaster. The building was turned into a mosque, which forbade any human imagery on its walls. In this act, the invading Ottoman forces preserved the mosaics for generations, and they are gradually being uncovered to this day. This trip, in particular, was special because they had just uncovered the mosaics of the seraphim that adorned corners of the supporting structure of the dome. Each time I see this building, I am inspired by its enduring beauty, and its endless stories of wonder.
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| Interior of Hagia Sophia, the columns on the left bottom level are from the ancient Temple of Artemis |
From the Hagia Sophia, we went to the Blue Mosque, known locally as the Sultanahmet Mosque. The mosque is known for the beautiful blue iznik tiles that decorate its interior. Afterwards, we went to the Basilica cisterns, which are one of many cisterns designed to provide water for Constantinople in times of siege. To construct this particular cistern, the Byzantines recycled. They brought in columns from every corner of the Empire, including the enigmatic Medusa Column.
We then proceeded to the Grand Bazaar, built by the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire to fund the conversion of the Hagia Sophia into a mosque. From leather goods to religious icons, this is a must-see. The merchants have a very traditional etiquette that involves purchasing tea for their clients as they shop in their stores. Do not be alarmed if a merchant should offer you tea; in fact, I suggest you try it if it's apple tea!
Afterwards we went to check into Royal Caribbean's Vision of the Seas. This ship is a great vessel filled with very friendly staff. It makes it easy for me to recommend Royal Caribbean because of their personal approach.
The next day we went to the Asian side, and took pictures with the Maiden's Tower. There are several legends surrounding this beautiful structure in the middle of the Bosphorus. One legend recounts the tale of a soothsayer telling the Sultan that his daughter would die before she turned 18. To protect his daughter, the Sultan built the Maiden's Tower. Once she turned 18, the Sultan visited her with a feast to be prepared in her honor. Inside the baskets of food was a snake that bit his daughter, who then died in his arms.
After returning from the Asian side, we visited Topkapi Palace. This great palace was home to Ottoman sultans for centuries, and saw embassies, wars and negotiations unfold within its walls. Its historical treasures are displayed for the world to see. Its bejeweled swords, cribs and pendants harken to the time of a prosperous empire ruled by noble Sultans.
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| Council Tower, Topkapi Palace |
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| Interior of the Church of St. George |
Be sure to tune in next week for another Deal and Destination of the Week!
