Enduring rough seas over night sailing from Barcelona the ship docked in Marseille. Tour bus took us to this picturesque city on the Rome River. Avignon feels like stepping into a world suspended between the medieval and the magnificent.
We hiked thru the many halls, bridges, grand meeting halls and the kitchen. It was a 4 hour experience.
We stopped at the local market to see what was fresh.
The pretty city of Avignon has countless narrow walkways and alleys. Every summer they host a popular film festival.
We started our day marveling at Antoni Gaudí’s masterpieces. The Sagrada Família, his awe-inspiring basilica still under construction after over a century, dominates the skyline with its intricate facades and soaring towers.
Model
Note the detail
We visited Barcelona’s Basilica. Another Ash Wednesday service for the faithful.
Barcelona Sanctuary
The church offers access to the roof for scenic views
In the evening we joined a group and toured the Gothic Quarter. We finished with wine and tapas.
Visiting Barcelona is in striking contrast to our experience in Istanbul. The streets are wide and traffic orderly. Boulevards include dedicated bike lanes. Note the road barriers.
Bike lanes
We visited the 1992 Olympics facilities that helped put Barcelona on the world map.
Our guide led us on a whirlwind tour to see and experience everything not visited in days 1&2
1 Suleymaniye Mosque
2 Pierre Lotti Hill
3 Chora Church
4 Fender-Balat District a street walk
5 St Stephen (Iron) Church
All this in 7 hours with 60 minutes for lunch! Needless to say we were exhausted by the time we returned to the hotel.
There is too much to cover in a short visit!
That said, here are a few highlights-
The Suleymaniye Mosque is the largest in Istanbul. Off with our shoes as a sign of respect.
After lunch we drove to the Pierre Lotte lookout.
The Chora Church was constructed by the Romans. The exterior showed early stonework that had been added to over the centuries. This early Christian Church is now a mosque. Frescos and paintings on the ceiling and walls.
The Fender-Balat district was early Jewish and Christian commune in this muslin country. It’s changing into an ‘art district’. We found interesting brass items.
St Stephen’s (Iron) church was constructed of iron rather than stone. Built in Germany and assembled on site. Today it’s a restored Greek Orthodox Church.
After yesterday’s marathon seven-hour tour of Istanbul’s historic sights, we woke to beautiful sunny and warm weather, ready to continue our exploration of this captivating city.
We began our morning at the stunning Dolmabahce Palace. After tiring of the traditional Ottoman style of Topkapi Palace, and inspired by visits to the grandeur of Versailles in France and Windsor Castle in England, the Sultans commissioned this magnificent palace that brilliantly blends both European and Ottoman architectural styles. The palace sits along the Bosphorus waterfront, surrounded by expansive, beautifully manicured gardens.
Entrance to DolmabahcePalaceEuropean Crystal Chandelier
Leaving the palace, we boarded a boat for a scenic cruise along the Bosphorus. Seeing Istanbul from the water offered an entirely new perspective on the city.
Istanbul
Small Mosque
Our knowledgeable guide recommended we experience a different side of Istanbul by visiting the modern shopping district along Kadikoy Carsisi. This area was a complete contrast to the historic sites we’d been exploring—bustling, energetic, and crowded all the major brands. It gave us a wonderful glimpse into contemporary Istanbul culture.
Kadikoy
After enjoying lunch, we made our way to Istanbul’s famous Spice Market, also known as the Egyptian Bazaar. This sensory experience was absolutely delightful! Everywhere we turned there were wonderful sights—mountains of colorful spices, dried fruits, nuts, teas, and Turkish delights artfully displayed. The aromas of cinnamon, saffron, cumin, and countless other spices filled the air.
We met our guide in the hotel lobby at 9am, and begin what would be a seven-hour journey through Istanbul’s rich history. Our first stop was the site of the original Hippodrome, an impressive structure constructed by the Romans. This entertainment center could accommodate an astounding 80,000 spectators! Sadly, it was destroyed in a devastating earthquake. The city built over it. Today, a broken column remains as a powerful testament to this ancient gathering place. It’s fascinating to see the contrast between the new construction sitting atop the original Roman structure, a perfect example of Istanbul’s history.
Next, we toured the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, more commonly known as the Blue Mosque. After removing our shoes as a sign of respect, we entered and were immediately awestruck by the enormous size and breathtaking grandeur of this magnificent house of worship. The mosque has a capacity of 4,000 people inside, with space for additional worshippers to gather outside during peak times. The intricate tile work and soaring dome left us in awe.
Blue Mosqu
Our next stop was Topkapi Palace, the historic home of the Sultans who ruled Turkey through the centuries.
Topkapi Palace
It was a grandiose complex of buildings that included living quarters for the Sultan his family and harem, as well as accommodations for the army and guards—truly a city within the city. The palace also housed a college, library, and various reception and ballrooms. At its peak in the 16th century, it provided a home to 10,000 people! I was particularly intrigued by how they managed to feed such a large population. Using only wood fires and large cooking vessels, the kitchens featured a series of six enormous rooms, each with a single funnel-shaped opening in the roof to remove the heat and smoke.
One of 6 Cooking ChambersCook
Leaving the palace behind, we made our way to Istanbul’s famous Grand Bazaar, home to over 3,000 shops all under one roof! This marketplace is truly dizzying in its scope and energy. The many corridors and endless array of colorful goods mean you could easily get lost and disoriented.
Remember our previous post about age and travel? We encountered a classic Catch-22 at the Atlanta airport. The two airlines weren’t part of the same alliance and were unable to transfer our luggage. This meant maneuvering three large suitcases through the entire airport—from domestic to international terminals—including a long bus ride with multiple on-and-off transfers.
The 12-hour flight to Istanbul, however, was pure pleasure. We received excellent food and attentive service throughout. One particularly thoughtful touch: the airline places a small tea light on each dinner tray, nestled in a folded paper bag—candlelight dining high above the clouds.
We skipped the movies and enjoyed over six hours of sleep in our lie-flat seats.
We’d navigated the Istanbul airport before, so we knew what to expect: large, beautiful, with considerable distances between landing gates and baggage carousels. Our pre-booked transportation was waiting, and we were at our hotel quickly.
That first night, we managed only abbreviated naps as we adjusted to the new time zone.
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step—but I’m pretty sure whoever said that wasn’t 80 years old! Traveling at our age? Well, that’s a whole different adventure. We’ve been putting in the work though, spending time with the pros at physical therapy to get our knees and joints ready for what’s ahead.
Now, about packing. The internet tells me the northern cities will be cool and rainy, which means we need rain gear and layers. And don’t even get me started on shoes—mine alone could take up an entire suitcase! Then, as the ship cruises south, we’re looking at mid-70s to low-80s with plenty of sunshine. So naturally, that means packing a completely different set of clothes.
We’re arriving in Istanbul just in time to celebrate Valentine’s Day. After packing and flying for 26 hours I doubt we will be awake for a romantic cruise on the Bosphorus.
WE’RE OFF ON ANOTHER ADVENTURE. TURNING 80 JUST MEANS WE WILL CONTINUE OUR TRAVELS BUT AT A HIGHER COMFORT LEVEL. THIS TRIP IS MALTA, MOROCCCO AND THE WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN … VIA ISTANBUL.
WHY ISTANBUL? IT’S THE CROSSROAD OF TWO CONTINENTS; EUROPE AND ASIA. IT’S A BLEND OF RELIGIONS AND CULTURES; CHRISTIAN AND MUSLIM.
CONSTANTINOPLE
ONCE CALLED CONSTANTINOPLE, WITH OVER 20 MILLION PEOPLE, IT IS LOCATED ON THE BOSP0R0US AND HAS SURVIVED NUMEROUS WARS AND INTRIGUE DURING IT’S COLORFUL HISTORY.
OUR PLANS ARE 4 DAYS IN ISTANBUL AND THEN FLY TO BARCELONA WHERE WE BOARD OUR VIKING CRUISE SHIP “SATURN”.
VIKING CRUISE
WE’VE BEEN CHECKING THE WEATHER FORECASTS AND GETTING PREPARED. IT’S COOLER IN THE NORTH AND WARMING IN THE SOUTH.
WE WILL CHALLENGE TECHNOLOGY ON THIS JOURNEY. THERE ARE TRANSLATION PROGRAMS – TURKISH, SPANISH, FRENCH AND ITALIAN AND USING OUR PHONES WITH EARBUDS WE SHOULD SURVIVE.
THIS MAY BE CONFUSING AS IT PROVIDES DETAILS OF THE VERY SMALL PHOTOS ON OUR CHRISTMAS MISSIVE…
IF YOU’RE STILL WITH US:
ALL THE FURNITURE AND FRAGILE ITEMS READY & WAITING FOR THE PACKERS AND MOVERS. HOPE IT SAFELY ARRIVES IN SAN ANTONIO.
BOB AND DENISE ON ONE OF THEIR HIKING AND CAMPING EXPEDITIONS
THE GRANDS AJ IS 9 AND IN 3RD GRADE WHILE ETHAN AT 7 IS A 1ST GRADER. THEY KEEP MOM BUSY.
BOTH KIDS LOVE TO SWIM. AJ IS LEARNING TO DIVE. ETHAN LOVES MECHANICAL WORKINGS AND IS LEARNING TO CODE.
CASEY COMPETED IN THE 2025 NEW YORK MARATHON. IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE THE CHILDREN TO THE MANY SITES IN THE CITY. OUR HOTEL WAS IN TIMES SQUARE WITH ALL THE BRIGHT LIGHTS AND THE CHAOS.
NYC TIMES SQUARE
JOSY THEIR AUPAIR HAD TO LEAVE THE USA DUE TO HER VISA EXPIRATION. SHE HAD BONDED WITH SKY THEIR LABRADOR RETRIEVER AND ASKED IF SHE COULD TAKE THE DOG WITH HER TO GERMANY.
IT WAS A SAD TIME WHEN THEY DEPARTED.
SAD WATSON
BUT THREE WEEKS LATER THEY ADOPTED CARL. NOW THE FAMILY IS BACK TO THREE DOGS AND IS BUSY PUPPY TRAINING.
CARLBRINGING CARL HOME
IT WAS HALLOWEEN THE SAME WEEKEND AS THE MARATHON. HERE THE GRANDS ARE HEADING TO THE SUBWAY ON THEIR WAS TO TRICK-OR-TREAT.
TIME SQUARE AT HALLOWEEN
WE HAD OUR ANNUAL BEACH WEEK ON PAWLEYS ISLAND. IT WAS A HOT WEEK BUT AJ AND HER MOM LEARNED TO SURF. WE WERE LUCKY TO WATCH A TURTLE INVENTORY/RESCUE WITH LOTS OF LITTLE GUYS MAKING THEIR WAY TO THE OCEAN.
A SHORT CRUISE FROM HELSINGBORG BROUGHT US TO THE FINAL STOP COPENHAGEN.
JACOB 33 YEARS LATER
THE HIGHLIGHT OF THIS CITY WAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT JACOB FONSS. 33 YEARS AGO JACOB LIVED WITH US AS AN EXCHANGE STUDENT THRU ROTARY. HE’S MARRIED WITH 3 ADULT CHILDREN. WE ENJOYED THE AFTERNOON TOURING WITH JACOB AND LOTTIE HIS WIFE.
THEN IT HAPPENED:
DENMARK IS MOVING TO A CASHLESS ECONOMY. PRACTICALLY EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO PURCHASE IS WITH A CARD OR PHONE. FROM HOTELS, RESTAURANTS, COFFEE SHOPS, TAXI DRIVERS EVEN ICE CREAM STANDS….CARD OR PHONE PLEASE. THIS IS CONVENIENT BUT UNCOMFORTABLE FOR FOREIGNERS. HOW DO YOU TIP THE BELLMAN AT THE HOTEL OR THE PORTER AT THE AIRPORT? IF YOU HAND THE BARTENDER US$20 BILL THEY POLITELY DECLINE ‘ONLY DANISH KRONE PLEASE’ OK, I WENT TO AN ATM AND IT ATE MY CARD! JACOB AND HIS WIFE WERE WITH US TO INTERPRET INSTRUCTIONS BUT NO JOY. NOW ITS SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND BANKS ARE CLOSED IN COPENHAGEN AND THE US. FROM PREVIOUS INTERNATIONAL TRIPS WE KNOW TO CARRY SEVERAL CARDS. WE MANAGED.
TIVOLI GARDEN
THE UNUSUALLY WARM WEATHER CONTINUED SO THAT EVENING WE VISITED TIVOLI GARDENS. ITS ONE OF THE GRAND AMUSEMENT PARKS OF THE WORLD.
OUR SPECTACULAR LUCK RAN OUT THE CLOUDY WEATHER ARRIVED MONDAY.
UNDAUNTED WE DID TOURIST STUFF WITH A CANAL BOAT TOUR AROUND THE CITY. THE RAIN HELD OFF WITH ONLY A FEW RAINDROPS.
CHRISTIANSBORG PALACE
LOOKING FOR A RESTAURANT FOR A LIGHT LINCH WE STUMBLED ON A ROOFTOP FOOD COURT. THE FLOORS BELOW HELD A 4 STORY DEPARTMENT STORE.
KEEPING THE KIDS ENTERTAINED
THE RAINS ARRIVED SO WE CLIMBED ON A HOP-ON-HOP OFF BUS.
CANAL CRUISE IN THE RAIN
COPENHAGEN IS BEAUTIFUL AND BUSY. IT PRIDES ITSELF FOR GOING GREEN. THERE ARE EV CHARGE STATIONS AND EXCLUSIVE BIKE PATHS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. PEDESTRIANS MUST BE ALERT. STEPPING INTO A BIKE PATH WITHOUT LOOKING CAN BE DANGEROUS.
WOLFESBUCKETLISTS.COM 