Darran Thayaparan

The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is the oldest and largest indoor bazaar in the world. First opened in  1401, it has over 1,200 shops in 60 covered streets. So be prepared to be lost, or be traveling in circles.  It’s amazing how they have integrated modern store fronts in a 400 year old mall.

There were plenty of gold, silver, iron and copper artifacts, porcelain tiles and decorative items. You need, at the very least one whole day to experience the entire Bazaar, but be prepared to be hassled by vendors.

These guys will know right away if you’re interested in something. They can just sense it. And chances are you are not walking away empty handed. They will somehow manage to sell it to you.

When purchasing items at the grand bazaar always remember that the price you are offered first is almost always highly inflated. I bought a glass lamp that was initially priced at 80 Liras but I walked away if it for 30. Hone your skills in bargaining at the Grand Bazaar and perhaps you can use it at the Bay in Canada.

You can truly get a feel for the age of this place by looking at the ceilings. The paint has been slowly peeling off from decades of wear and tear. The hustle and bustle that goes on underneath must be experienced to be truly felt. Frommers says you could be the hunter or the hunted.

This man owns a shop nearby but it is not part of the multitude of streets that form the Grand Bazaar. He had a lot of copper and iron in his store. This was a decent man who was not overly aggressive as the vendors inside the bazaar but the salesman in him still convinced me to buy an iron lamp, an ottoman knife and Turkish coffee cup.

The variety of items one can find at the Grand Bazaar is amazing. Here, I took a picture of a shop selling sweets, tea and herbal medications. Beside it, is a shop selling kilims and carpets. If you look closely at the table, you will see a sign that says “Turkish Viagra”.

I took this picture in the immediate vicinity of the Grand Bazaar. I can’t tell exactly where it is because most of the streets look and feel alike. I got lost in these complex network of pathways on my way back to the hostel; I had no idea where I was. People were helpful and gave me directions but they were all very confusing. “Walk 20 meters then turn right” or “Walk straight down and turn when you see the big tree” were common answers I got. To make matters worse, every person I asked gave me conflicting directions. They were all correct because they all will eventually lead to the same destination. I however ended up taking a Taxi.

I snapped this picture of this old man pushing what appeared to be cartons of fruit. He went hurriedly past me and disappeared in to the streets.

Related posts:

1. Encountering a carpet salesman in Istanbul
2. Reflections from Turkey