Koula in Istanbul: Grand Bazaar

Koula, 94.7 presenter and F&HE blogger, is loving all things food-related in her travels through Turkey, Greece, Italy and Israel…

Friday 17 August

Our first shoot day and we ventured to the New Mosque (Yeni Cami – built in the 15th century). Then off to the Egyptian spice market. From fresh and dried fruit, to Turkish Delight (lokum) and all manner of other sweet delicacies as well as spices – it’s a delightful feast for the senses. The scents and sights are not overwhelming though. Everything is tastefully and professionally presented, and with the Egyptians and Turks having a legacy of trading, the shop owners are friendly and confident without harassing you.What fascinated me most was that I didn’t spot one fly in the entire market. You’d think with there being so much food on display that it would be humming with flies. But all the stalls were impeccably clean. I like!

Then we went to the Grand Bazaar  (Kapali Carsi) – which attracts between 250 000 and 400 000 visitors daily! It’s the world’s oldest covered market and you can buy anything from leather goods to silks and chandeliers there. Beautiful!

We had doner kebabs for lunch outside the bazaar. The difference between donor and shish kebabs is that the doner is slivers of meat and salad wrapped in flatbread, whereas the shish is chunks of meat on a skewer.
 

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By Serdar Yilgoren