Let’s talk Turkey. The Istanbul Grand Bazaar (Kapalıçarşı) in particular. The bazaar has been around since the 1400’s and happens to be one of the largest covered markets in the world. While not every shop keeper has the most discerning tastes, amidst the sea of designer knock-off purses and soccer jerseys you’ll find some gems. You just have to search. And my directions will likely make you search, as I have few shop names or specifics but that’s part of the fun, right?
Jevan, Meggan, Beau and I hit up the Bazaar early on a Saturday. With little expectations or a map, we wandered the area and found some incredible things. A favorite of mine is in the jewelry section. Not the inexpensive knock-off types or even the real stuff. It’s the antiques. There’s a little section in the bazaar with a cluster of shops full of old watches, swords, hand carved pipes, gorgeous jewelry, you name it. If it’s old and small, it’s here. My favorite is a shop dedicated to nautical type wares. Not that I need any of this, but for some reason, I found myself ogling over vintage cameras, binoculars, globes, compasses, old charts and pulleys.
Normally, displays like this wouldn’t stop me. Not for one second. I have an issue with clutter. But this… somehow this was different. I very easily could have stood looking at these displays until someone pulled me away. If trinkets and treasures are your thing, this is your place. Head towards the jewelry section, then look for the antique jewelry. Somewhere around a corner where two streets cross (again, sorry for the vague directions) there are a handful of shops with all these incredible finds.
If you didn’t already know, Turkey is famous for it’s carpets. In the Grand Bazaar there is an entire section dedicated to textiles. You can spend hours searching and haggling for the perfect one. (Side note: If you are in the market for a kilim, you should spend hours shopping, learning, drinking tea and haggling, just so you don’t get hosed). While every shop has it’s thing, I fell for two, OK, three. The first is a shop, EthniCon, dedicated completely to recycled kilims. The basis of the EthniCon kilim combines pieces from less worn sections of old kilims to create a new rug. The second shop Dhoku, just across the street from EthniCon, both owned by the same company, uses the traditional method of weaving but creates contemporary, graphic patterns in their kilims. The rugs are striking and would make an incredible complement to any modern or traditional interior.
The last, Kalender Carpets, a more traditional style rug shop, located on the corner of Keseciler Street and Takkeciler Street, across from the fountain. I stopped here for only a moment to look at a pillow. Before I knew it, there were 10 rugs strewn out in front of me and the very friendly shop keep was showing me pieces that were four times the cost of the pillow I originally looked at and 100 years older. I could have been upset at the up-selling. But it’s common place here and part of the charm. So just take it all in and be ready to say no.
And last, a small section called the Magic Way, or that’s what we call it. Only a small sign hanging on a wall marks this quiet area. I later learned it’s near the Copper-smith’s Market. If you are at the Grand Bazaar, please try to find this area, because it’s truly magical. You’ll know you are there when you hear Edith Piaf type songs coming from a gramophone. So completely unexpected in this little corner of a bustling 5,000 shop bazaar. I stopped for a second to peak inside and asked the owner if I could take a couple of photos of his shop. After a little research, and the owner, Mehmet Öztekin, has a collection of over 50 gramophones and career spanning 40 years repairing them.
And the post wouldn’t be complete without a photo of Meggan and a kitty. She’s quite possibly an international Kitty Whisperer.
Once you are sufficiently exhausted and dusty from walking the bazaar, make your way to Cagaloglu Hamami. The gorgeous Turkish bathhouse where you’ll bathe (someone else does the scrubbing, a first for me), steam, soak and relax. All in a marble clad domed steam room that was built in the 1700s. They say bathing suits are optional and they mean it. So if you are shy or modest, suck it up. This is a great experience.
