I love wandering in Istanbul's bazaar ... there are hundreds of small shops like this in the labyrinth of this ancient sprawling 'shopping mall'.
Described as follows in an old but famous guidebook written by Çelik Gülersoy , a Turkish lawyer, historical preservationist, writer and poet.
It is not simply a building nor a market nor even a district that we find facing us now but a city a separate urban area with its own alleys and throughfares and streets a labyrinth of shops and passages in complicated interdependence, always fascinating to explore.
I chose the word 'labyrinth' before reading him because obviously this is only word that comes close to capturing something of this amazing bazaar - the largest oriental souk in the world
I left New Zealand mid-2003, bound for Istanbul and a new lif. After two years, a Belgian guy lured me into his world, deep in the heart of Europe. For a long time I was an in-process immigrant. One day we married. These days it's about photography, a little red wine and wandering ... and so the journey goes.
Wow, a feast for the eyes! I might just swoon if I were to walk into this place.
ReplyDeletethat's like a buffet of food for my eyeballs, beautiful
ReplyDeleteOh, only for a moment RD, then you might find one the cafes in its ancient heart and watch for a while ... it's an amazing place to wander through.
ReplyDeleteI'm so pleased, Van. Not only that, there are all kinds of other beautiful places there, from post-modern back through every stage to ancient.