Exploring the bazaar life

Ann Mershon, 61, recently moved back to Grand Marais, Minn., after teaching high school English in Istanbul for five years. She's the author of "Istanbul's Bazaar Quarter: Backstreet Walking Tours" ($30; Citlembik Publishing). The book gives an inside look at the city's iconic bazaars that hold a world of treasures, from scarves and souvenirs to ceramics and beautifully crafted rugs. Here are some of her insights.

Q How many famous bazaars are in Istanbul?

A Two. The Grand Bazaar is near the historic area; down near the water is the Spice Bazaar, which is also called the Egyptian Bazaar because people used to get all their spices imported from Egypt.

Both are covered with a roof. Where you walk used to be actual outdoor streets. The Grand Bazaar, which has nearly 5,000 shops in it, was built a little before 1500. It existed long, long before that, though.

Q Does it look like something from an old movie?

A Yes. Many movies have been filmed there.

The streets are very cluttered, and the whole bazaar is surrounded by walls. There are 16 big, arched entrances. You can also enter the Grand Bazaar through various buildings, but that's a whole different ballgame. If you were to look down on it from above, you'd see all kinds of shapes -- interconnected tile roofs.

There's a lot of gold. The main street in the bazaar is called Gold Street. Each street is named after what's sold there, though the names are in Turkish, of course. Gold, rugs, souvenirs and ceramics are the big ones there. But you can find streets that sell belly dancing clothes, lamps ... anything.

Q Visiting native markets can be a hard-sell hassle in places like Mexico or Egypt. How is it in the Grand Bazaar?

A They'll say, "Come in. Let me help you spend money" -- the same things. But the merchants are a little nicer. If you hold up your hands, they won't bother you. Turks aren't as aggressive as merchants in Egypt or Mexico.

There are lots of carpet dealers in the Grand Bazaar -- a whole area, in fact. The carpet people will meet you at the entrance and will engage you in conversation and try to steer you to a store. You just have to know how to say no.

Q It doesn't seem to make a lot of retailing sense to be a rug dealer on a street where there's nothing but rug dealers.

Q With close-by competition, are the prices lower?

A In the Grand Bazaar, they're higher. It's just like in the U.S.: If you have a higher overhead, what you sell will be priced more expensive. If you go with someone from Turkey, you can get a good price at the bazaar. But just outside the Grand Bazaar is where the real deals are.

One thing to be aware of: If you are brought to a shop by a tour guide, you'll pay about 30 percent more. The kickback goes to the guide for bringing you there.

Q Is there a better day to go?

A Saturday is definitely the day to avoid, and the bazaars are closed Sundays. Midweek, the bazaars are far less crowded. My favorite time to go was early in the morning or late in the day, just before closing: People are friendlier and the bazaar is much more quiet. Also, the Turks have a superstition that the first sale of the day is very important. So if you're the first person there, you can bargain for a good price.

A What I love most are the rugs. Rugs are the real treasures in Turkey -- beautifully made and cheaper than in other countries known for high-quality rugs. You can buy small ones to put on a wall. You can buy new ones. Antique ones. Any kind available.

Q Can you eat there?

A Food is located in a couple different areas ... [but the] food is more expensive, and there are the crowds -- not a real pleasant place to eat.

I'd step outside and eat street food. Turkish food is fabulous -- they do a lot with vegetables and grilled meats.