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Istanbul Travel Guide: Reviews, photos, & videos
Have you been to Istanbul, Turkey?
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March 18, 2010
Have you been to Istanbul, Turkey?
Write a review and share photos!
Other Viscapers would love you for it! :)
Sunny. Cool. Temperature of 45.39°F. Winds WSW 10.06mph. Humidity will be 61% with a dewpoint of 33° and feels-like temperature of 40.53°F.
Hi: 45° F, Low: 34° F.
Mostly sunny. Mild. Temperature of 50.31°F. Winds SSW 5.7mph. Humidity will be 67% with a dewpoint of 40° and feels-like temperature of 50.31°F.
Hi: 50° F, Low: 39° F.
I stood at the entrance to the greatest market in all of Byzantium, the glittering Grand Bazaar. Enthralled and petrified by the swirling mass of people pouring past, I stopped to take stock. 4,000 stores filled the musty and smoke-filled bazaar, spilling their wares into the miles of cobblestoned streets and alleys. Stall after treasure-heaped stall beckoned. With only an hour till closing I dashed down alleys and careened around corners — I wanted to see it all before I decided where to shop “Just pick one or two shops,” my husband wisely advised. I could feel the sand slipping through the hourglass — I would never see it all. Hookahs, painted bowls, brilliantly colored slippers all charmed me. But it was the jewel-toned hanging glass lamps that drew me to pause under them and gaze, dreaming of sultry Ottoman nights as the waning sunlight flickered through the thousand and one colors and drifted down to gild my upturned face. Though candy to my camera, they were out of my budget. My explorations over, I settled on some crimson tea glasses. I talked the shopkeeper down a few lira. My technique? Smiling hugely when I offered my price.
We were standing in the middle of the main bazaar in Istanbul. "Please, please, come try my Turkish delight!" For the past 15 minutes I was convinced every guy in this row was hitting on me. Come to find out, Turkish delight is the traditional sweet candy in this country. Oops. Made with different fruits and nuts, then covered in powdered sugar, Turkish delight is in fact, delightful! The rest of the day was spent bargaining with locals for nuts, rings, shirts, small statues, postcards etc. I found that whatever price you are given in a bazaar is about 200% too high. Bargaining is an art, and something that takes time to master. You will be offered tea, you will talk about your country, the man you are trying to buy from becomes your friend. It is intimidating ad scary, but if you are good, it can be quite a high when you get the price you want.
Turkey borders 8 different countries. Bulgaria, Greece, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan Iran, Iraq and Syria. With so many countries so close by, Turkey is a melting pot, influenced by both Eastern and Western culture. The capital city of Istanbul has over 9 million people and lies in both Europe and Asia. With museums, parks, restaurants and palaces to visit, Istanbul is a bowl of candy for any visitor who loves history and food. Dating back to the early 600’s, Turkey is a combination of the old and new world with lots to offer its visitors.
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