As you can see I am catching up on my blogging! Last Saturday I prepared myself for the Covered Bazaar as I read it's overwhelming and difficult to navigate through (something like 60 streets). Luckily I wasn't planning on buying anything in particular so I had no set course. It was kinda sunny but still chilly. I ended up going on odd backstreets to get there- seems like that happens a lot with me and I bet people wonder what the heck I am doing haha- and finally turned toward the main tourist road to find the entrance. I pretended not to know English to this guy asking if I've gone to the Grand Bazaar yet and I did a few times throughout the day but it's kind of difficult because I totally know what they're saying but I have to keep a straight, confused face.
I got shown a room full of furs and leathers (does it look like I can afford that stuff?), walked through a small silver section, a big gold area (the gold was blinding and so yellow), and found the middle Old Bazaar (Iç Bedesten) where in the past the most precious items were sold because that area could be locked up (not so anymore). I ended up talking to some guys who wanted to be my friend and hang out later and take a picture but I bowed out. I thought I was ready but oh my gosh everyone was wanting to make friends and show me their products and most people were very polite saying excuse me, may I help you, where are you from, etc. I kind of feel bad ignoring them or just smiling but if I stopped everytime, I would get nowhere! Everyone seemed to think I was Korean or Japanese and I sometimes overhear people talking about what nationality I am. Sometimes I think people get the impression I'm from China and not American (like in Spain) but no one gets weirded out when I do say I'm American- usually they are more curious as to what my background is though.
I think where I came in wasn't really the main entrance and for some reason I didn't think there would be so many ways to get in and out of that place. I needed a little break so I headed out and wandered around the stalls surrounding the Grand Bazaar but outside (wonder how you get to set up shop inside). I wandered in and out of the bazaar several times, some of the time actually trying to leave the area haha. One time I walked through this huge crowd on what seemed like a major side street and found I was walking more northwest towards Fatih when I wanted to go east towards the Aya Sofya/Blue Mosque or ferries so I turned around and somehow ended up in the Spice Bazaar which is near the ferry buildings- yay!
It smelled really good in the Mısır Çarşısı or Egyptian Bazaar. I noticed at the apartment they have a lot of spices, many of which I am unfamiliar with but the cabinet where they are stored smells really good too. It was really cool to walk through there although I hear the spices are overpriced. I was surprised to see non-edible things being sold too like linens. Unfortunately I didn't want to be more touristy than apparently I already was so I didn't take any pictures but I will likely head back and take some.
I saw more crowds at the stalls outside so I figured that's where the best ones were. The first one I almost stopped at was really crowded and in a busy area and mostly spices and dried fruits so I really wouldn't know what to get but the one I did stop at I saw lokum or Turkish delight and got some with pistachios! Yummy! Wasn't too sweet either I think because of the pistachios- I liked it!
I also walked through a busy fish market (makes sense cuz it was right by the water) with some cheese stalls too. Reminded me of buying cheese in Spain (I think I prefer Western European cheeses more- here it tends to be a fetay one which I don't like anyway and a mozerellay one which is nothing special).
I picked up a map at the train station on my way home. It got cold and the tea on the ferry didn't help much. Here's what the ferry looks like.
I walked home and then took the stairs up (8 flights!). I will be in great shape by the time I leave! I can't believe I live in cold weather right now- I love the sun and being able to wear sandals and no jacket. It hasn't been that bad (I think the first week was the coldest- no snow since then) and it hasn't rained that much but I'm still proud of myself for surviving the cold :)
I got shown a room full of furs and leathers (does it look like I can afford that stuff?), walked through a small silver section, a big gold area (the gold was blinding and so yellow), and found the middle Old Bazaar (Iç Bedesten) where in the past the most precious items were sold because that area could be locked up (not so anymore). I ended up talking to some guys who wanted to be my friend and hang out later and take a picture but I bowed out. I thought I was ready but oh my gosh everyone was wanting to make friends and show me their products and most people were very polite saying excuse me, may I help you, where are you from, etc. I kind of feel bad ignoring them or just smiling but if I stopped everytime, I would get nowhere! Everyone seemed to think I was Korean or Japanese and I sometimes overhear people talking about what nationality I am. Sometimes I think people get the impression I'm from China and not American (like in Spain) but no one gets weirded out when I do say I'm American- usually they are more curious as to what my background is though.
I think where I came in wasn't really the main entrance and for some reason I didn't think there would be so many ways to get in and out of that place. I needed a little break so I headed out and wandered around the stalls surrounding the Grand Bazaar but outside (wonder how you get to set up shop inside). I wandered in and out of the bazaar several times, some of the time actually trying to leave the area haha. One time I walked through this huge crowd on what seemed like a major side street and found I was walking more northwest towards Fatih when I wanted to go east towards the Aya Sofya/Blue Mosque or ferries so I turned around and somehow ended up in the Spice Bazaar which is near the ferry buildings- yay!
It smelled really good in the Mısır Çarşısı or Egyptian Bazaar. I noticed at the apartment they have a lot of spices, many of which I am unfamiliar with but the cabinet where they are stored smells really good too. It was really cool to walk through there although I hear the spices are overpriced. I was surprised to see non-edible things being sold too like linens. Unfortunately I didn't want to be more touristy than apparently I already was so I didn't take any pictures but I will likely head back and take some.
I saw more crowds at the stalls outside so I figured that's where the best ones were. The first one I almost stopped at was really crowded and in a busy area and mostly spices and dried fruits so I really wouldn't know what to get but the one I did stop at I saw lokum or Turkish delight and got some with pistachios! Yummy! Wasn't too sweet either I think because of the pistachios- I liked it!
I also walked through a busy fish market (makes sense cuz it was right by the water) with some cheese stalls too. Reminded me of buying cheese in Spain (I think I prefer Western European cheeses more- here it tends to be a fetay one which I don't like anyway and a mozerellay one which is nothing special).
I picked up a map at the train station on my way home. It got cold and the tea on the ferry didn't help much. Here's what the ferry looks like.
I walked home and then took the stairs up (8 flights!). I will be in great shape by the time I leave! I can't believe I live in cold weather right now- I love the sun and being able to wear sandals and no jacket. It hasn't been that bad (I think the first week was the coldest- no snow since then) and it hasn't rained that much but I'm still proud of myself for surviving the cold :) 
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