Istanbul's Grand Bazaar is West Ed Mall on steroids (without any skating rink or water world). It has been around for over five hundred years (since the Ottoman Conquest in 1455) and consists of over sixty streets, more than three thousand shops, mosques, fountains, and eighteen gates. The bazaar was begun to provide security as well as concentrate the many guilds in one area. It claims to be the most visited monument in the world with 250,000 to 400,000 visitors daily. Luckily for us it definitely was the off season (snow tends to do that). We found it fascinating to walk through the endless rows of stalls trying to 'window shop' without getting pulled inside by an extremely friendly salesman (no women even in the ladies wear section) who has a great deal 'just for you' at a 'very special price'. Linda really caught on to the art of haggling and soon Matthew was learning it too. We found it very interesting that in the bazaar as well as in the neighbouring Spice Market and dozens of connecting streets there was a real concentration of stores around one product. If you were on a street with women's purses, there were women's purses in windows as far as the eye could see. That was true with everything from buttons to bras to boots. (By the way, it is interesting to watch the bored hulking salesmen in the lingerie stores. Who goes in there?) When the Call to Prayer is heard, many shopkeepers close up for a few minutes while they go to central areas to pray. There are countless kebab restaurants (we picked the one with the heating lamp) and tea servers are constantly scurrying up and down the aisles serving the various shops all day long. Even I enjoyed shopping in the Grand Bazaar since there was never a dull moment.
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