“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” Mark Twain
To pick up where I left off, here is the second half of our Istanbul Guru Walking Tour.
Welcome to the Grand Bazaar (covered market)! It is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world with 2,486 shops indoors and another 1,000 or so in the surrounding area. It is one of the most visited sites in the world and is considered one of the first shopping malls. We love Capitalism.
We didn’t go inside on the tour so I ventured back on my own. I remember being in awe of all the wheeling and dealing during my first visit years ago. Back then, everything was local and mostly handmade but sadly today many of the goods come from China so ask many questions before making your purchase. Negotiating is a must as it is part of the culture so never accept the first price, not only to save some money but as to not offend the seller. Unfortunately, it has become so pricy and touristy that the locals don’t shop there anymore. It is definitely a site to see though.
Just a stone’s throw away from the Grand Bazaar is the Sahaflar Bazaar (Book Bazaar). An open-air market where the locals do shop since most of the books are in Turkish.
I noticed this King of the Bazaar judging everyone as they passed by. You can see him in the photo above as well. Cats rule the city.
Speaking of bazaars, here are some photos of the Egyptian (Spice) Bazaar. It was not on the tour but since we are discussing bazaars I figured I’d add it to the conversation.
I personally love this bazaar more than the Grand Bazaar because of all the colors and smells. Let’s be real, I just love food. In addition to spices, the vendors sell dried fruits, teas, sweets, and even cute souvenirs. I bought two small handmade ceramic bowls.
Just outside of the main building is one of the oldest coffee shops in the world Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi. Founded in 1871 by Mehmet Efendi it is also one of the oldest businesses in Turkey and the most recognized brand of Turkish coffee. Today people mostly buy bags of beans and ground coffee but there is a small alley and a place inside to relax and drink a cup of their famous blend. I had one and it was rich, smooth, and very enjoyable. The line for a bag of coffee stretched down the block.
After the book bazaar we made our way to Istanbul University. Founded by Mehmed II on May 30, 1453, a day after the conquest of Constantinople by the Turks. The campus and buildings are beautiful.
Our last stop on the tour was to visit the Suleymaniye Mosque located on the Third Hill of Istanbul and built from 1550-1557.
I grabbed this first photo from the internet to show the enormous size and beauty of the mosque.
From the lookout just outside of the mosque there are magnificent views of the Golden Horn (the inlet from the Bosphorus), the city, and the Bosphorus Strait.
At the conclusion of the tour, Vera, a lovely woman from Prague who was on the tour and I went to dinner to try some traditional dishes. Beans and rice, eggplant in a sauce with beef, and lamb with mashed potatoes. Delicious.
To cap off the night, we visited a “secret” spot that Emre showed us on the tour. A traditional Hookah (Shisha) bar that only the locals visit called Anadolu Nargile Çorlulu Ali Paşa Medresesi (it’s not a secret anymore). It is located behind a cemetery…probably to detour the tourists. We ended up spending three hours there talking, watching futbol (soccer), and chatting with the locals. If you are looking for an authentic Turkish experience, this is it.
More adventures to come from this beautiful city. Stay tuned!
Good Things List
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New experiences that open my mind and my heart to a different way of life.
Much love & gratitude. Namaste 🙏
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Apple and banana tea.
Cute, fat cat.
Suleymaniye Mosque at night.
Heating the coals for the Hookah.
Walking back to my hotel.
