I left my heart in....

Hello everyone!   I haven't posted during my trip, as I am a believer in keeping long absences from the home front, a well kept secret. So please accept my apologies if you've noticed that things were a little quiet here!   You may recall from my post earlier in the year, that we had a three week trip planned which included a 12 day Mediterranean cruise. Well, trip done and dusted, happy memories created, thousands of photographs taken, souvenirs procured and laying in wait for distribution, and here I am.   I've missed you all, but made a solemn promise to myself to stay disconnected during the trip, lest the urge to post detract from our enjoyment of sights, sounds, and delectable goodies around us!   I have many stories and pics to share, if you can stand it, and will have a long post tomorrow.   Meanwhile, enjoy this snap of the view sailing out of Istanbul...an unexpected highlight of the trip.   Istanbul was not somewhere we had planned to visit, nor did we expect to be particularly enamoured with it. We were delighted to find it both exotic and beautiful, boasting a skyline to rival any in the world. The people (men....they were almost exclusively men) were polite and helpful, and the Spice Market was a delight to the senses. It was certainly not difficult to imagine harems, hookahs (water pipes), and heavenly spices around every corner.   I'll be sharing more of beautiful Istanbul in the coming weeks.   For now, I am glad to be home.    ...Mimi...