Bazaars and Islamic Art

Breakfast with eggs, sausage, fruit, and strong coffee. Then today we left the hotel through the back door and walked uphill to the Old City along a narrow street lined with shops, restaurants, hotels. The central plaza near the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque was packed with tourists with traffic police settling up metal fences to direct traffic.

Our first stop was the Egyptian or Spice Market. Colorful spices, dried fruit, roasted nuts, many varieties of locum or Turkish Delight candy. We joined other Americans who had read Rick Steve’s guidebook in bazaar stall 51, a 200-year spice business known especially for Spanish safran. I also bought a small pepper mill, mixed peppers, meat spices. In a nearby stall I found my

favorite pillow covers. Our salesperson had moved from Syria to help his father and for increased opportunities. We tasted and Barb bought Turkish Delight. I found very inexpensive keychains.

After an iced mocha we trudged for blocks up a very long, very steep hill to the Grand Bazaar. It is the world’s oldest shopping center with over 4,000 merchants. Actually the streets between the two bazaars were also lined with shops - many of them selling identical items. Not my favorite tourist attraction in Istanbul,

Winding slowly down hill we located the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum. Housed in a massive Ottoman palace, the collection included carpets, ceramics, calligraphy, and a collection of relics from Mohammed and his family. Another section of the museum told about life in the 19th century Ottoman Empire. The museum was located on the edge of the Hippodrome

where the Romans had raced chariots. Artifacts from Roman times including the Serpent Column are displayed within the park.

Continuing the downhill trek we reached the hotel and headed upstairs to recuperate from the heat and rest tired feet (15,426 steps today). Dinner tonight was in the open air restaurant across the narrow street from the hotel. Walking by it earlier a younger man had given me his card and urged us to come back for his mother’s cooking. I returned his card and we received the Royal treatment from the family. Delicious Chicken shishkabab with rice, potato, vegetables, Turkish beer, and a complementary baklava and tea to follow. . Their mother truly was a good cook!

Suitcase ready to pack. Our flight to Baku tomorrow is at 7:00 am. with a shuttle pickup at 3:30 am. After dinner I slept for a short while but have been awake since midnight. Could be a long day tomorrow but the two days in Istanbul were worth it !