Grand Bazaar - Istanbul

The Grand Bazaar is really what Istanbul is all about. Istanbul is a business centre that joins east and west. It was the centre of the Silk Road and conduit for the Spice Trade.  Gold and silver and jewels flowed through here.  Today the Grand Bazaar is an open market with all manner of interesting treasures.  I bought a carpet at Anatolian carpets but enjoyed just walking about and looking at the leather work, art, mosaics, silks, fabrics, gold and silver, just about everything.
“The Mosaic from Istek are the best,” my guide Mehmet Tetik (www.turkishguides.org\tetik) explained. “You’ll see them in the Blue Mosque. Just a little one starts at $50 because so much goes into the making of them.”
“Caligraphy is very important in Turkey  so you’ll see some very fine art that is easily portable."
I enjoyed the bookstores even though they were mostly Turkish language.  Mehmet showed me modern art of Turkey and discussed the regions where crafts came from. He guides all over Turkey so told me of  which towns were famous for which products.
Much of the Bazaar looked like it may have been little different a thousand years ago. The place has that kind of atmosphere.
Outside we walked through a flea market.  Were it not for flying and the limits of baggage I might have come out of there with a whole lot of items. As it was I am happy with my carpet. One sale for a day is more than enough for me.
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