The Grand Bazaar
This shopping street ends at the gate to the grounds of the mosque ahead.
Lets pass through that gate.
Inside, the large mosque is to the right. Straight ahead is another gate for exiting the mosque grounds. And just beyond that is one of the main entrances to the Grand Bazaar.
And this is the entrance to the Grand Bazaar. The cross street here is crammed with booths and shops trying to capture some of the shoppers before they disappear into the bazaar.
Once inside, controlled bedlam. Hawkers calling out their wares, shoppers and lookers everywhere. Snack bars busy.
This bazaar is so large that it is impossible not to get lost. Sometimes for hours. The competetion between shops selling the same goods is heavy.
Great fun wandering around just looking.
In the heart of the bazaar is a very fine restaurant (left).
We stop in for an early lunch. Surprisingly quiet only a few yards from the shopping action.
Somewhere in the center is this more concentrated section of high-end jewelery shops. Really excellent goods here.
The tea business is busy here, with runners bringing tea to shops for their customers. After a half dozen glasses of tea, the priority shifts to finding a rest room...
Rug shops are everywhere. Some very high quality. Fun have them go through their stacks of carpets hoping to catch your eye with the perfect one.
So, with that look, did she buy it?
Here Faye poses with our favorite ceramics shop owner, Tarkan Ozbudak. We have been buying from him for almost 15 years. Highest quality, large inventory, will ship anywhere. He also is very knowledgable of his products. Also a very nice guy.
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