Today is Monday, August 9th and I have many days to write about. I’ll try to catch up by writing about today and add the past few day’s events when I have more time to write.
All of my cousins are here in Istanbul. Roseanne arrived from New York on Saturday evening. Claudine, Astrig, Francoise, and Nicole arrived early Sunday at 3:30 in the morning. Today was Grand Bazaar Day for everyone! The bazaar is closed on Sundays so we couldn’t go yesterday. We had another good breakfast at the hotel and went out into the heat and humidity of Istanbul.
The Seven Armenian Cousins at Breakfast
Chris’ sense of direction is amazing and he remembers where everything is! First we found a bank with an ATM machine to exchange Euros into Turkish Lires then we continued on to the Grand Bazaar.
We entered the Grand Bazaar through the ancient Gate number 1 on Nuruosmaniye Street. Before you enter the gate, you see the date of 1461 posted on the stone columns. It’s amazing to think that this bazaar has been here for more than 600 years. The Grand Bazaar was here before Columbus discovered the Americas and it was certainly here in Istanbul during Marco Polo’s time. It has probably existed since the early times of trade and travel through Constantinople, and Byzantium, and earlier. Perhaps there has been a bazaar at this location for the last 2000 or 3000 years….
Some of the cousins are “shoppers” and some of us are not. I’m one of the “nots.” However, I do enjoy seeing the shops and stalls and all the “stuff” for sale. And there’s nothing like a Turkish Bazaar!!
Inside the Grand Bazaar
We walked around the crowded bazaar for quite a while and talked to many salesmen. Or rather, they talked to us! With 4000 shops, there is a lot of stuff for sale. Where else can you buy a belly-dancer’s costume or water pipes for smoking apple-scented tobacco?
Chai and Baklava Time