Well if you’ve even answered yes to one of the questions above, then there is one place on this earth you must not miss visiting before you kick the bucket.
The Grand Bazaar, Istanbul, Turkey.
How grand you ask? Imagine 61 streets all intertwined to house over 3000 stores. That is almost four times more than what Sunway Pyramid can offer. But let’s not even compare as the Grand Bazaar is home to some of the world’s best treasure finds and dates back to the 15th century.
This Turkish tourist hot spot attracts between a quarter and half a million visitors daily. But the swarms of tourists will not deter you from the shopping opportunities that await inside. You can find everything from clothing to silver and paintings to Aladdin’s magic lamp! Nothing is out of bounds, not even the growing fad of ‘Angry Bird’ merchandise, which sits on a shelf next to an antique figurine of a beautiful woman, promised to have been owned by a ruling Ottoman.
Right off the bat you notice traditional attire, jewellery, carpets, lamps, home furnishings, souvenirs, fashion accessories, artwork and traditional ceramics. Upon closer inspection you will find sometimes tiny and sometimes large pieces that fit no specific category that evokes a sense of joy like no other. I imagine it’s the emotion pirates had felt when they stumbled upon buried treasure.
The most important advice anyone could ever give you before you tackle this shopping powerhouse is to always embark on two separate visits. One for browsing and the other for buying.
My first experience at the Grand Bazaar was undoubtedly a success especially for a seasoned bargain hunter like myself. All my negotiating tactics from my countless trips to Petaling Street had finally come in handy outside of Asia. In fact, I’m convinced that the art of bargaining is perfected in Asia. This priceless trait will ensure many an annoyed shopkeeper but endless satisfaction to a lifelong addiction of fixing your own prices.
You can’t help but feel overwhelmed by the sheer lunacy of the size of the bazaar. Once you step inside, you’re engulfed into a world of chaos and disarray despite stores being neatly lined up in a row. Shopkeepers swarm you and offer a listing of retail options. They guess your country of origin (popular game in most bazaars) and quickly make small talk with the little they know of Malaysia.
Some take a more subtle approach to getting you in their stores while others may grab you by the wrist and give you a sharp tug. This is simply the nature of how they do business and one should not take offence at their aggressive sales approach.
More often than not, these shopkeepers can’t stand to lose your business to the other 2900 shopkeepers and will do all they can to accommodate any ridiculous price you may have counter offered.
Some stores carry similar merchandise and what’s crucial is the impression you make on the shopkeeper. If he or she is taken by you (try a bright smile or batt those pretty lashes), you could walk away with a steal but if you reek of amateur tourist ( tightening grip on camera and waist pouch), then it may not be a good day to pull out your wallet at all. The beauty of the Grand Bazaar is that if you want something badly enough, you can get it for a price you think is suitable. You just can’t give up looking.
I found a pair of coloured glass lamps that I simply fell in love with at first sight. I’m sure the look on my face gave it away too as the shopkeeper refused to budge on his starting price. I tried the walk away approach and with no luck, he let me go without even a hint of regret. I was devastated and frantically scoured the rest of the lane for similar glass lamps. No luck.
But as fate would have it on my second trip to the Grand Bazaar only 2 days later, I was welcomed once more to the exact same store. Armed with my most promising poker face, I lingered inside and waited for the shopkeeper to recognise me. He didn’t and I guess who would if you got almost half a million tourists each day.
I placed a ridiculously low bid and waited for his cries of foul play. This time the shopkeeper eyeballed me quietly and then asked for an extra 5 euros. Score.
As I sat inside his tiny store and waited for the shopkeeper to wrap my new found treasures in paper and bubble wrap, he began to open up about his life and family. Ten minutes later, he ordered me a Turkish coffee for the corner shop. This gentle old Turkish man had become my first friend in Istanbul.
I spent my remaining time at the Grand Bazaar aimlessly wandering through alleyways and browsing through holes in the wall. Every little thing I picked up was followed by the shopkeeper quoting a price. Some prices made me nervously return the item to its shelf while others made me laugh out loud. Whatever the price may have been the shopkeepers were always willing to negotiate. Armed with their calculators, they forcefully asked that you reply in their language – numbers.
Shop is not the only thing that you can do at the Grand Bazaar. Naturally there is a wide variety of eateries and cafes. Pick a busy intersection and enjoy a long afternoon of people watching as you savour local sweet treats with Turkey’s signature coffee.
Whatever your preference for a shopping excursion may be, rest assured that the Grand Bazaar can offer an experience like no other. Shopaholics should tread carefully in comfortable footwear while those who prefer to soak up the atmosphere should head straight for a cafe and out of the way of eager shoppers.
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