..VOYAGE ECHOES (minus WIND)

It seems that a single sms (short message service) on a Russian cell phone service provider costs $2 from Turkey to Malaysia. My girl went to Istanbul, Turkey on 9th July 2007 & arrived home to Tatarstan, Russia on 19th July 2007. She went to Istanbul for some stress relieving health treatment. Any vacation is supposed to be a stress relieving health treatment. The particular trip to Istanbul was to medicate a stress related ailment which made my girl unable to feel her hands every morning because of it. Apart from beautiful, nostalgic, & splendid attractions in Istanbul, it seems that the medication for stress related ailment works wonders too as my girl felt her ailment going away during her stay in the hospital hotel of Istanbul by the sea side.

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Yes, sea side air seems to be good for the health. Maybe it is the cool breeze & salt content in the air. Massages, health spa, & private single gender swimming pools are available at the hospital hotel in Istanbul. The hospital hotel is called ‘Akabidem’ or something like it in Turkish language. You can expect Istanbul to offer you good weather; cooling soft sea breezes in the warm summer Mediterranean sun with low humidity, which is good for health & make one able to walk for hours on end. Walking is good for the health & there are many things to see in the glorious city of Istanbul. The famous Turkish city shows off its majestic past in its architecture, museums, & parks. Istanbul is definitely one place in the world to voyage to at least once in your life.

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Wow, you really have to take a look at the Clipper ships videos on the website. The sail ship holiday experiences like Christian Cruises are not limited to the sailing experience. Guests can have fun off the boat doing wind sailing, banana boat rides, snorkeling, & etc! It’s a five star Christian Cruises holiday sailing adventure in luxurious settings & maritime extravagance.

The Star Clipper sail ship in particular is offering a Christian Cruise package from Athens, Greece in the Mediterranean. The Bible explorer Bob Cornuke & other Bible teachers will be among the 170 passengers going on a sailing cruise together in the Mediterranean. It’s a Christian Cruise Adventure so definitely there will be plenty of Christian folks & Christian teaching sessions on board the ship.

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Hagia Sofia (meaning Holy Wisdom in Greek) in Istanbul is considered one of 8 miracles of light, a most important architectural structure of peace, as the best monument of Byzantine epoch, & also the epitome of Byzantine architecture. The Hagia Sofia was ordered built by the Byzantine emperor Justinian in 532 and 537 AD. It has 107 columns from colored marble, on the walls ancient mosaic frescoes, & many unique relics. The building served two religions: first was to Christianity, namely for the Eastern Orthodox Church.

After the invasion of Constantinople (now Istanbul) in 1453 by the Ottoman Turks, the Hagia Sophia served Islam. The Hagia Sophia was removed of its Christian elements (The bells, altar, iconostasis, sacrificial vessels, & many of the mosaics were eventually plastered over) & was added the Islamic features like the mihrab, the minbar, & the four minarets outside it, thus altered into a mosque. In the 30th year of the 20th century this temple became a museum by the secular Turkish republic, after preserving in its walls the characteristic features of two religions. Historic & beautiful place! Very impressive in scale! You will want to visit it!

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