Istanbul...and yes....overnight...

So...here is our last Istanbul...or at least for some time....the plan was to go and see the ReD Mosque..Haiga Sofia....Monday...the first day, the day we arrive at 13:00....was was NOT able to go out....why....because i would end my first shift at 11 and start at 14:30....so decided on a good lunch at Garden cafe and some gym.....Garden Cafe is the main buffet for the guests located on deck 12....has numerous islands with different food...i always start at the salad bar and then look around which meat i would like to add....from fish to roast to schnitzel to stirfry....you name it.....and yes....a good gym....so my short break flew by.....the evening...well yes, i was off early....BUT kim could not go out (staff captain takes the night, we take tomorrow), so when i came up after second shift i thought we we going to Garden Cafe.....well, i was wrong....i came up and kim surprised me and told me we are going to Cagneys...the steakhouse....hell yes...def NOT saying NO to that....yummie.....so what did i choose....starters....shrimp cocktail...kim had the mushroom....(now...this is hard to admit...but his was better...and it will be my starter next time), mains...fillet of course...and dessert of course cheese....and yes...let me share some pics...

When we got to the room....i was so full...BUT....the port agent brought kim an entire box of Backlava...and man...they looked way too good not to try...but i have to say...i should have not been a pig....but i was...three of those later i was having a sugar rush and was now exploding...but you know what....so worthwhile...and here is a pic....the best one...the one in the front (i was surprised cause i thought i would love either one of the two pistachio better...but nope...the one in the front won.....not hands down though)

Next day....off we went to Haiga Sofia.....we knew it was Children's day (public holiday) but we never expected a huge que at Haiga Sofia...it was unbelievable...so our plan fell into the water...so plan B it was...which was enjoying the sun, sipping coffee, some lunch....and yes....buying some cheese at the Grand Bazar....the stringy cheese which i LOVE (then again....what cheese do i NOT love....hmmmm....you know what...cannot think of any....)....anyway...back to the main point....of course Turkey also has amazing nuts...so we entered one after another and had tasters....and yes...we did buy the salted peanuts in the shells....vacuum packed and i promised i would only open them the last cruise (i was a little panicky..cause for two cruises now, my last two, there are no good nut shops....oh oh).....after the nuts we found a kebab place on the side of the street...and the you could see the owner, he loves his stall, i have never seen anyone prepare the kebab like he did...slow...precise...lining all the ingredients up...and he got so excited when we were taking pics....at the end...he even told kim to come inside and cut some of the meat from the skewer....

Cheese....tick....nuts...tick....kebab...tick....whats missing....coffee....well a good cappuccino...and why not go to our favourite place Julius Meinl coffee....oh my...chokablock....but we decided was worth waiting for a table...and you know what...it was worth it....coffee is fab......here some more pics from our day....after coffee....time to go back to ship....hit reality...work....but its never a problem to work when your breaks a amazing....

But before i end this blog.....ill give you a hint on the next one...athens....and finally i managed that kim would be off and i could show him Athens...damn i was excited...oh....and before i forget....also went to Moderno for dinner with a friend that night....Moderno...the Brazilian...and i can now conclude my favourite meats are the fillet, garlic sirloin and the piccanta.....amazing...and of course the salad buffet is just wow....yes...went straight from work....so uniform it was....amazing food....all restaurants are worth going to.....yummie...

 

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