Today we arrived in Istanbul. We were able to see the ship cruise through the Bosphorus to Istanbul.
The weather is warm and mild-what a treat after so many days of cold and rain in the Crimea.
Since we arrive so late- 2pm- we plan to go to the Dolmabahce Palace which is a 15 minute walk from the pier.
We were allowed to leave the ship at 3 since it took a while to clear Turkish customs and headed for the Palace.
What the tour books don't tell visitors is that they must go through security-slow process- and then line up at the front entrance of the palace. It seems groups get preference over independent travellers. If we paid the inflated price from the ship excursion desk we might have gotten in earlier but the length of the tour is the same.
Museum guides give the 45 min tour and all visitors must wear booties that are provided in order to not dirty the carpets.
Our guide was very good but the group had some people who talked during the presentations making it hard to hear her.
The furnishings and rooms were fantastic!! But thinking how the Sultans got the money to build such a palace was thought provoking as the money came from taxes from the occupied territories of the Ottoman Empire and possibly the work done by slaves.
We were only permitted to see one small part of the Palace. I suspect that the balance is in disrepair and therefore not able to be seen.
There was a strict no photo inside policy so we did not take any photos but bought some postcards at the gift shop.
This Palace warrants one visit whereas I can go back again and see Agia Sophia and Chora again and again.
If one has seen all the sights in the old city and been to Taksim Sq. and the Galatia Tower and Chora then visit the Palace. It is just out of the way from the other sites and the old city so I would allow half a day to travel to and from the Palace plus the time to wait to get in and then see the grounds.
The weather is warm and mild-what a treat after so many days of cold and rain in the Crimea.
Since we arrive so late- 2pm- we plan to go to the Dolmabahce Palace which is a 15 minute walk from the pier.
We were allowed to leave the ship at 3 since it took a while to clear Turkish customs and headed for the Palace.
What the tour books don't tell visitors is that they must go through security-slow process- and then line up at the front entrance of the palace. It seems groups get preference over independent travellers. If we paid the inflated price from the ship excursion desk we might have gotten in earlier but the length of the tour is the same.
Museum guides give the 45 min tour and all visitors must wear booties that are provided in order to not dirty the carpets.
Our guide was very good but the group had some people who talked during the presentations making it hard to hear her.
The furnishings and rooms were fantastic!! But thinking how the Sultans got the money to build such a palace was thought provoking as the money came from taxes from the occupied territories of the Ottoman Empire and possibly the work done by slaves.
We were only permitted to see one small part of the Palace. I suspect that the balance is in disrepair and therefore not able to be seen.
There was a strict no photo inside policy so we did not take any photos but bought some postcards at the gift shop.
This Palace warrants one visit whereas I can go back again and see Agia Sophia and Chora again and again.
If one has seen all the sights in the old city and been to Taksim Sq. and the Galatia Tower and Chora then visit the Palace. It is just out of the way from the other sites and the old city so I would allow half a day to travel to and from the Palace plus the time to wait to get in and then see the grounds.
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