Day 2 in Istanbul

Another gorgeous morning with temps in the low 50s by 8:00 am. So a trip to the Spice Bazaar and the Grand Bazaar were on my to do list.  And walking in Istanbul is actually pretty relaxing. Compared to all the other large cities on this trip, Istanbul has the best sidewalks and streets to walk on, with surprisingly few trip hazards.

The small clay pots above are used to cook meals in! The ones outside this restaurant are just for decoration.

Breakfast was a big orange “cookie” (with not a hint of orange flavor) and a chocolate horned pastry, and washed down with hot tea, of course, because I’m in Turkey!  All excellent, even the tea (that I normally never drink).

If you ever walk into Istanbul’s Spice Bazaar you will never want to leave — the smells are glorious and intoxicating!

HISTORICAL SPICE BAZAAR 1597-1664 — PRAYER SQUARE WOODEN AZAN PAVILION

THIS BALCONY LOCATED SOUTHEAST (THE QIBLA) IS NAMED AS AZAN PAVILION. THE SPICE BAZAAR IS A TWO-BAZAAR COMPLEX AS IT IS A COMBINATION OF TWO DIFFERENT BAZAARS. THE PRAYER SQUARE IS LOCATED AT THE CORNER WHERE THE LONGER AND SHORTER SIDES OF THESE TWO BAZAARS MEET. EACH MORNING ARTIZANS USED TO CONVENE AND PRAY HERE BEFORE STARTING THE DAY.

Surrounding the covered Spice Bazaar are additional streets with hundreds of shops selling nothing but scarves for women (to cover their heads, for warmth, for fashion, etc.).

The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops which attract between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily. In 2014, it was listed No. 1 among the world’s most-visited tourist attractions with 91,250,000 annual visitors. The Grand Bazar at Istanbul is often regarded as one of the first shopping malls of the world.

The Grand Bazaar is predominantly comprised of jewelry, clothing, handbag, and spice shops.

By noon the crowds were crazy in the bazaars and in the streets of Istanbul.  It had been so peaceful in the morning up until about 11:00 am, and then, Voila! A crush of tourists, shopkeepers, shoppers, workers, delivery people, etc.

A Turkish carpet vendor I spoke with outside the Grand Bazaar showed me photos of rug shows that he did in McLean, Virginia, and at a church in Midlothian, Virginia, not far from Charlottesville!  What a small world!

I have been very surprised with all the shop keepers I’ve dealt with in Istanbul.  They’ve been universally friendly and kind.  They offer you tea and sweets, and they are not pushy or aggressive at all, even though price bargaining is expected. And they are nice even when you decide not to buy something after trying on 15 leather jackets in each of three different shops (yes, I did).

The Nuruosmaniye Mosque was the first to be constructed in baroque style in Istanbul. The mosque was completed with the name of “Nur-u Osmani” in the era of Osman III. It was built between 1749 and 1755. The mosque and its social complex, which were constructed in a period when the architecture was under the influence of westernization, are considered as a milestone in the Ottoman architecture. Besides the mosque, a social complex composed of a madrasa (school), an imarethane (soup kitchen), a library, a tomb, a fountain, and a sebil (public fountain), was constructed.

At a number of restaurants, someone is often sitting at the open air front near the entrance and making flat bread. The people are generally older women like the one pictured below. This woman seemed quite pleased to allow me to take her photo (and I think she also liked the Turkish Lira I gave her).

Well that was pretty funny – I ran into the shoeshine scam! Shoeshine guy walked by me and dropped a shoe brush.  I picked it up and caught up with him to hand it back.  He was thankful, and chased me down as I walked away, got down in front of me and started brushing my tennis shoes!  When I said, “No, thanks,” and walked on, he came after again.  “Hey, Mister, I need to finish.”  “No, thanks,” again.  Walked away, but one more time he followed.  I finally figured out his shtick, and I kept walking.  He finally relented and went off after another mark!

I walked through Gülhane Park, the nicest city park I’ve experienced on this trip.

“The park was once the garden of the Topkapi Palace, the former house of the Ottoman Empire Sultans. However, the Mayor of Istanbul opened the green space to the citizens of Istanbul in 1912. And Gülhane Park has grown even more and more beautiful over time. Located on about 163 acres of land, Gülhane Park awaits you with a pleasant route surrounded by rare beautiful trees, resting areas, benches, children playgrounds, artistic sculptures and historical artifacts.”

I enjoyed a small pastry in the park called, “Kek.”  It’s pronounced like the English word, “cake.” It was a pastry with multiple layers of cinnamon.  Very good and not too sweet, unlike most American baked goods. I’ve never understood why the rest of the world (most…) can make “sweets” that are not, but are still delicious!

In the category of, “No One Cares but Me,” I noticed several warships in port during my evening cruise yesterday. It was too dark to determine their identity, so when I walked by the waterfront area today, I figured it out. There was a Turkish frigate, but since it was tied up outboard of another vessel, I couldn’t get the hull number. But the other two were the:

– ITS Carlo Bergamini (F 590), an Italian Navy frigate commissioned in 2013.

– HMCS St. John’s (FFH 340) – a Halifax-class frigate that has served in the Canadian Forces and the Royal Canadian Navy since her commissioning in 1996. 

All three were NATO member ships, so maybe they’re doing some joint exercises.

Dinner was a simple affair at a small cafe near the hotel.  I had a delicious shrimp, mushroom, peppers, cheese, and garlic dish, with Efes, a Turkish beer (with a protective cover!), and a trio of very good Baklava bites (the exception to the not so sweet treats).

Before you go…

I only know 25 letters of the alphabet. I don’t know y.