Instanbul... just the name conjures up images of emperors and sultans, castles and harems, cathedrals and mosques. A city that crosses two continents and two worlds... modern and ancient.

We left Izmir on Friday monring and traveled north through the mountains toward Bursa and were amazed how tall and green the mountains were. They were lush and beautiful with foothills covered in crops.

In Bursa, we toured the Green Mosque, did some shopping, and ate lunch. We then spent a short time at the Bazaar where we saw some of the beautiful silks for which Bursa is famous.

We traveled to the coast of the Sea of Marmaris where we boarded a ferry (tour bus and all!) and crossed the sea on our way towards Istanbul.

We arrived in Istanbul late in the evening and crossed from the Asian to the European continent. Our hotel was located in the center of the city, near Taksum Square. The next morning we looked out our window for our first look at this city of 12 million people. As we looked out our window, we found a stunning view of a beautiful old orthodox church which is no longer in use. We were able to look out over Taksum Square and the memorial monument.

Saturday was Victory Day in Turkey, and there was a special ceremony laying wreaths at the monument. Bob and I walked the 1/2 block down to the square and watched the ceremony and enjoyed seeing all the military 'brass' and formations. We saw more stars on uniforms than we see in the skies at night! After the laying of the wreaths, the band played their form of taps and their national anthem. It was very moving.

Our tour began with a stop at the Hippodrome where we saw the Egyptian Obelisk and the 'racetrack' the site of many ancient chariot races! We then went to see Topkapi Palace, the Blue Mosque and then went to the Egyptian Bazaar. Topkapi Palace was especially interesting with its displays of ancient artifacts and items original to the Palace of the Sultans. The grounds were beautiful with many trees and flowers including some incredible hydrangea plants. The kitchens had huge displays of Chinese and Turkish pottery including 4 foot high Ming vases and huge bowls that would hold enough salad to feed 200 people!

But it was the display of jewels and treasures that was so amazing...

There were thrones, baby cradles, serving dishes, and other items that were either solid or gold plated. Huge gems such as Emeralds that were bigger than softballs, jade bowls and statues and jewelry. We saw walking sticks encrusted with huge diamonds, rubies, and emeralds. In the next to last room there were other incredible items.. like the Sultan's dessert dishes and spoons in solid gold encrusted with huge 4 or 5 carat diamonds. There were two matching candlesticks of solid gold that stood about 5 feet high and each weighed over 150 pounds! They were encrusted with rubies, emeralds, sapphires and over 100 diamonds ranging from 1/2 to 3 carats! In another display there was a single huge diamond of over 69 carats mounted in a setting surrounded by 25 smaller diamonds each of which were at least 3 carats.

We then enjoyed the view from the verandah overlooking the Bosphorus Sea and took a few moments to contemplate the vast array of treasures we had just seen.

Then in the final room, there were several displays including a huge golden throne, many items covered with mother of pearl mosaics, and other opulent treasures. But what caught our attention was a display in the corner which contained several Christian artifacts. One of the items appeared to be a golden glove. In fact, it was a hand and forearm that had been covered in gold, except for a small cutout on the back of the hand showing the bones underneath. It was identified as the arm of John the Baptist. It was his right arm. If it was indeed the arm of John the Baptist, then this was the arm that he raised as he spoke the baptismal prayer during the baptism of Jesus Christ. All that beauty, all that wealth, all that power, was nothing compared to the power that this man represented as he raised this arm to the heavens. We were reminded of the treasures we are promised which only come through the atonement of our Savior, Jesus Christ. We felt a great sense of peace with those things that we had seen. Where we had been seeing gold and riches for the pleasure of man, we now were reminded of our true treasure. A very humbling experience. We came out of there feeling very wealthy!

Well, on to the Bazaar! We joined in with our friends, and had a great time... and we ended the afternoon looking for a place to eat and almost getting soaked in a rainstorm! We found a great little cafe and had a good meal, then found our way back to the rest of the group at the bus. We spent the evening walking around the Square, listening to the Navy bands as they marched in, and walked around the flower market. Of course, we did find a Wendy's right around the corner so we just HAD to have a Frosty and Fries! :-)

The next day we were up and on our way early and made our way to the docks where we boarded a ferry for a tour up the Bosphorus. The weather started out kind of hazy, but when it burned off, the sky just sparkled! We saw ancient ruins, opulent palaces, beautiful homes, green rolling hills and lush landscapes along the banks of the Sea. There is a current North from the Marmaris, and another one South from the Black Sea, so there are some unusual currents to navigate, but there is no tide! The water stays the same level year round.

We disembarked at Sariyer, a small village just below the mouth of the Black Sea and went looking for a place for lunch. There was a fancy restaurant near the dock, but we were told that it was restricted to military personnel only. Bob showed his NATO ID and we were shown right in. What a place!!! Beautiful surroundings with a full view of the Sea. We ate on the balcony just outside and enjoyed a wonderful meal!

We then boarded the bus and went South back towards the City. We stopped at the Rumeli Fortress and climbed around a bit. It was classic! The walls were heavy stone blocks and looked just like the old fortresses and castles in fairy tale books. We really enjoyed the beautiful wildflowers and soft grass and were soon ready for a nice afternoon nap! We only stayed about 20 minutes, but it was a great stop!

We then went on to the Dolmabahce Palace. The grandeur of the rooms was incredible! Each was ornately decorated in gold and artwork! The grand staircase was made of Baccarat crystal and each of the reception or ceremony rooms had large crystal chandeliers, the largest was in the Muayede Salon. That chandelier is made of Waterford crystal and weighs 4.5 tons! It is the largest in the world. Of course the grounds outside were gorgeous and the Palace property goes right along the Sea. What a beautiful place!

On Monday, we traveled back to Izmir via Hereke which is known for its beautiful, handmade silk carpets. We were fortunate to be taken on a private tour of a large carpet factory. We saw the various styles of carpets being hand tied by highly skilled artists. We now understand why those carpets are so expensive! It can take up to a year for an artist to make one carpet!

Our visit to Istanbul was short and we weren't able to see many of the sights. We'll just have to return again soon!