We arrived in Istanbul in the evening and were greeted by the city’s vibrant lights. The next day, we visited the Blue Mosque, which was a truly spiritual experience. Afterward, we made our way to the Spice Market and met Osman, a Kurd who has lived in Istanbul for 40 years. He took us to his friend’s store in the ancient market, which dates back to 1666. Our kind host, a herbalist, treated us to various remedy teas and samples of his handmade Turkish delight. We left with some purchased treats and continued our walk down the hill, admiring the eclectic architecture along the way. After a 5-mile walk, we refreshed ourselves with some tea before returning to our ship, feeling illuminated and enthralled once more by amazing Istanbul.

The Blue Mosque, also known as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, is a beautiful and historic mosque located in Istanbul, Turkey. It was built between 1609 and 1617 during the rule of Ahmed I and remains a functioning mosque today. The mosque has a classical Ottoman layout with a central dome surrounded by four semi-domes over the prayer hall. It is fronted by a large courtyard and flanked by six minarets. On the inside, it is decorated with thousands of Iznik tiles and painted floral motifs in predominantly blue colours, which give the mosque its popular name^Ad1.

The Spice Bazaar, also known as the Egyptian Bazaar, is one of the largest bazaars in Istanbul and is located in the Eminönü quarter of the Fatih district. It is famous for its spices, dried fruits, nuts, seeds, and Turkish delight².