It is a cold and overcast morning which promises rain and we are getting fortified for the day with a Turkish breakfast of cheeses, olives, bread and coffee. A little rain will not be a deterrent to exploring this fascinating city which we did on foot yesterday from early morning until after sunset. Using a book of backstreet walking tours as our guide
we walked all around Istanbul's bazaar quarter in and out of mosques, past architectural treasures, up and down the stairways of ancient hans (more about that later) and through untouristed areas of the Grand Bazaar. It was like a treasure hunt to follow the directions in the book through the windy streets and alleys with unpronounceable names marked only by small blue plaques on the corners of some of the buildings. We were never sure if we were headed in the right direction until the landmark we were seeking came in to view and we felt like we had found a prize.
The Grand Bazaar is truly an amazing place. With 66 narrow covered streets housing more than 4,000 shops as well as banks, cafes, a haman (Turkish bath)it is easy to get lost in the chaotic swirl. Fortunately we had our trusty book which guided us to some of the hidden spots we would never have found on our own. The hans were particularly interesting and without the book telling me "hey this is a spot you should check out" I would not have been brave enough to enter them because it looks like a private space that tourists shouldn't just wander in to. Hans were initially constructed as inns for traveling merchants within the city walls. They generally consisted of two stories of rooms arranged around a porticoed courtyard. The first floor area was used to store merchandise, the basement would be a stable for their animals and the upper floors provided housing. Most hans had a fountain and a kitchen and some had a small mosque in the courtyard. As merchandising evolved and the caravans no longer brought goods in from the silk road, these hans started to be used for other things. There are 16 hans in the Grand Bazaar area and you would never know they are there because the entryway is nothing more than an arch in the wall that could easily be overlooked. You enter via a small dark passageway which opens out into a courtyard. Some now have little local cafes and shops, and others like the silver and gold hans have metalsmithing workshops above and shops below selling gorgeous jewelry. Each one is unique in character but they are all delightfully dilapidated and totally interesting.
After spending several hours wandering around the grand bazaar we headed down the hill toward the Egyptian market which primarily sells spices, nuts, cheeses and other foodstuff. The route between the two markets is a warren of cobblestone streets for pedestrians only and is packed with shopping locals. Women in burkas rub shoulders with girls in tight jeans, tea sellers, bread peddlers and the occasional scooter which honks as it weaves through the street. The shops in this area are clustered into groups that all sell exactly the same very specific things. There is a group of stores for example that sell only nails and fasteners next to another cluster of shops that sells buttons which are piled by size and color in plastic bins. This goes on and on as you go down the hill with every thing you can think of being offered for sale. (the anti- CostCo)
Once we reached the Egyptian market we finally paused for some tea and pastry and we met an American grandma who was traveling with her 9 year old granddaughter for spring break. Since she was five she has been taking her to exotic destinations and the little girl loves it.
After our foray into the Egyptian market we walked down toward the water and enjoyed sunset overlooking the Golden Horn from the Galata bridge. We ate dinner from one of the fish restaurant boats that are docked next to the shore. These are ornately decorated open boats which have a huge cooking grill in the center which is laid with rows of sizzling fish and onions. The cooks on the boats balance while it rocks and bobs wildly as they fry up the fish which is slapped between two thick slices of bread. When the sandwich is wrapped they hand it over to a guy on land who sells it to you for eating at a tiny low table and chair set under an awning. It was a little strong on the onion but otherwise delicious and it was worth the price just to see how they made it.