Grand Bazaar. Kapah Carsi

---

Nothing can prepare you for the Grand Bazaar!!! A maze of streets covered by beautiful painted domes with thousands of booths selling fine jewelery, colorful ceramics, woven carpets, Kilimn rugs, antique, textiles, brass and copper, and handcraft items and souvenirs.

The first thing to catch my eye was a silk woven pillow cover with dachshund looking dogs ! There was only one person in that market who would die for that particular pillow cover and somehow the seller knew at a glance it was me. Nakadar.....how much I asked.? He smiled and said very fine choice.... Silk .... Excellent quality......250 Turkish Lira. Approximately 125.00 American dollars. No. No no. We said ( Shannon had come to the rescue) we started to walk away ( they were pulling me).....I needed that pillow! Ok. 175TL. He offered ...I looked at Shannon hopefully $85.00....No Shannon said ....under 100TL. 95....he replied hopefully ?... I looked at Shannon hopefully too.....she whispered in my ear offer 85TL ..... 85TL. I said with authority......90. He replied..... Now they are pulling me away again to go elsewhere..... Ok 85TL he replies....I pull out my 100 TL Monopoly money smiling ( Knowing I have made a good bargain) He smiles ....picks up another pillow cover and says.... I let you have them both for 100! You be the judge. :-) I love my Genuine silk, one of a kind Turkish dachshund pillow cover anyway!

We continued to wind our way through the crowded market streets Shopped a little more and enjoyed the hustle and bustle and beautiful wares. Today was a holiday in Turkey....Children's Day ......3 of every ten people in Turkey are children..... 13,000 to 14,000 million people in Istanbul.....They all decided to go to the market on this beautiful day. We wound our way among the families with veiled women, old men in skull caps, backpacking youth, teenage girls with brightly colored silk scarves tied round their heads.... And all the while the shop keepers calling to us "my turn" ....." How can I help you spend your money"?

Shannon led us to a back stone stairway, where we climbed up treacherous old stone stairs ( no banisters). We wound our way up, up,up...we were in a corner Han. Here there are secluded workshops called ateliers where many of the bazaar's goods are made. We walked along the old stone walkway and peered in at workers polishing brass, carving on wood, and making beautiful glass hanging lamps in brilliant colors. Another thick doorway, unlocked by a keeper, led us to the Rooftop of the Grand Bazzar. From here we could see the New Mosque, Yeri Cami, situated at the end of Galata Bridge. The mosque was built in 1597, and thus named New Mosque. We could see all across the Golden Horn To Galata .....where the Galata Tower rules the amazing view. We could see ferries , tankers and a great cruise ship and crafts of all kinds in the busy waters of the Golden Horn , the Bosporus, and the Sea of Marmara. After a bad attempt at a group selfie, a young girl took our group shot on top of the world in Istanbul.

We had a nice dinner at Hamdi Restaurant of Mixed Grill kebab's and Kanafe ( a sweet cheesy crusty pudding) before starting our journey home by tram, bus, a long walk through the metro tunnel and car. Today was a true Istanbul experience...each day we are here....each journey we take makes me understand Why so many people love this captivating city. Wow! what a day!

---