Loved the intro Bob & Holly, and what a fantastic backdrop behind. Istanbul is an incredible city and loved all the beautiful details inside the mosques you captured on video and the historical information alongside 👏 The Basilica Cistern is totally amazing, that’s the one place we didn’t visit and a great regret we didn’t know it was there, definitely going there next time. The cruise on the Bosphorus was great for the views, everything always looks better from the sea. Nicely rounded off by a visit to the Grand Bazaar, it’s so colourful and bustling, we are well traveled but felt a little overwhelmed in there for some reason. Great episode 👏 Julie x
Great video, Bob, as always. We were in Istanbul in September on our Oceania Vista cruise and it is a really busy and amazing place to visit. We had the same reaction to the Grand Bazaar, somewhat overwhelming, but, very interesting.
Great photography, always up to your high standards. We've been to Istanbul - covered some of the same ground, but never made it to the great Cistern, so nice to see footage of that. We were in Istanbul long enough ago that Hagia Sophia was still a museum - I was curious to see if it had changed - other than the head covering requirement, it didn't appear that it had. For example, the mosaics of Virgin Mary and infant Jesus (with his cross!) aren't covered or curtained off, as I thought they might be, now that the building is a mosque. (The Catholic clergy of 15th C. Cordoba weren't as ecumenically tolerant when they converted that city's mosque into a church.) Looking forward to the next videos in your series.
@@idl9ave419 Time is quite an interesting concept given how old Istanbul is. Strangely, I would’ve expected the head covering requirement to predict us by a very long time. I will say that, if some of the ladies, probably “western”, not unexpectedly - and fairly young, decided to take their headscarfs off after they gained entry to the Mosques, security or polite, but firm and reminding them to put it back on.
Great episode Bob & Holly! You must have visited really early, there wasn’t much of a crowd. I like the different filming angle from above. When I visited we were in the bottom and I was in awe. Actually got tears in my eyes. Very beautiful mosque. I also loved visiting the Grand Bazaar! My friend was overwhelmed with all the people and how they were trying to get you to visit their shop. But I loved it all 😅Trying to make a second trip 🤞🏼 Looking forward to this new series! Congrats on the channel growth 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
@@dimplestraveldiary8954 Thanks, Debbie! Most of the mosques we visited early, it was a great way to see things without too many people in the way. When you make your second trip I know you’re going to love it (this was our first time there)!
What a fantastic way to start your cruise with a day in Istanbul, visiting such beautiful places.
It really was an amazing few days there.
Your video and research were a lot better than mine. We were just there. Well done. Can’t wait for the next installment to see what we missed😊
@@warrenwolf4690Thanks, Warren!
Loved the intro Bob & Holly, and what a fantastic backdrop behind. Istanbul is an incredible city and loved all the beautiful details inside the mosques you captured on video and the historical information alongside 👏 The Basilica Cistern is totally amazing, that’s the one place we didn’t visit and a great regret we didn’t know it was there, definitely going there next time. The cruise on the Bosphorus was great for the views, everything always looks better from the sea. Nicely rounded off by a visit to the Grand Bazaar, it’s so colourful and bustling, we are well traveled but felt a little overwhelmed in there for some reason. Great episode 👏 Julie x
Thank you! Our first time there, Istanblul was organized chaos.. just so busy, and the Grand Bazaar... nuts! lol
We loved the cistern!
Great video, Bob, as always. We were in Istanbul in September on our Oceania Vista cruise and it is a really busy and amazing place to visit. We had the same reaction to the Grand Bazaar, somewhat overwhelming, but, very interesting.
Thanks, Lou! TBH, I could do without the Grand Bazaar for more than an hour on a subsequent trip; it's just overwhelming a bit.
@@InnocentsAbroad Yes, we had the same reaction, spent about 20 minutes and then went outside until time to rejoin our group.
Great photography, always up to your high standards.
We've been to Istanbul - covered some of the same ground, but never made it to the great Cistern, so nice to see footage of that.
We were in Istanbul long enough ago that Hagia Sophia was still a museum - I was curious to see if it had changed - other than the head covering requirement, it didn't appear that it had. For example, the mosaics of Virgin Mary and infant Jesus (with his cross!) aren't covered or curtained off, as I thought they might be, now that the building is a mosque. (The Catholic clergy of 15th C. Cordoba weren't as ecumenically tolerant when they converted that city's mosque into a church.)
Looking forward to the next videos in your series.
@@idl9ave419 Time is quite an interesting concept given how old Istanbul is. Strangely, I would’ve expected the head covering requirement to predict us by a very long time.
I will say that, if some of the ladies, probably “western”, not unexpectedly - and fairly young, decided to take their headscarfs off after they gained entry to the Mosques, security or polite, but firm and reminding them to put it back on.
Great episode Bob & Holly! You must have visited really early, there wasn’t much of a crowd. I like the different filming angle from above. When I visited we were in the bottom and I was in awe. Actually got tears in my eyes. Very beautiful mosque. I also loved visiting the Grand Bazaar! My friend was overwhelmed with all the people and how they were trying to get you to visit their shop. But I loved it all 😅Trying to make a second trip 🤞🏼 Looking forward to this new series! Congrats on the channel growth 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
@@dimplestraveldiary8954 Thanks, Debbie! Most of the mosques we visited early, it was a great way to see things without too many people in the way.
When you make your second trip I know you’re going to love it (this was our first time there)!
@ It looked so peaceful empty 😊and Thank you!