Istanbul itself is just one giant retail emporium. All around there’s the constant cacophony of people
buying or selling something, be it knock-off Adidas socks or leather jackets
which the locals persistently entice you to buy as you amble leisurely around
the cobbled streets. Yesterday, I was
offered a shoe-shine even though I was wearing open toed sandals!
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| One of the many gates of the Grand Bazaar |
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| Inside the Grand Bazaar |
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| Shop til you drop |
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| I was thinking of getting a nice wood floor |
What turned out to be a casual stroll across town soon
became a buying frenzy as we were caught up in the throng around the Spice
Market.
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| So many shops, so little time! |
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| Istanbul's pedestrian tide |
The streets were swarming with
people to the extent that you had to swim with the pedestrian tide or risk
being crushed underfoot. To look at
someone’s wares you quickly stepped to one side, being careful to re-join the
flow once you’d checked out their merchandise.
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| Waiting for the Spice Market to open |
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| Spice sellers |
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| What's your best price? |
It was bonkers but once you got over the intimidating crowds, it was fun
bobbing and weaving from kerb to kerb, haggling over cheap trainers or leather
wallets.
Thanks to the very generous sterling/lira exchange rate, I’ve
bought my weight in Turkish delight, enough gaudy trinkets to sink the Bismark
and more ceramic plates than I can eat my dinner on. I only hope I can lug it all onto the plane for
the return home.
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