Today’s target run: 45 minutes Cross Train
Today’s completed run: 45 minutes Cross Train
I had been waiting for quite some time to “be turned loose” in the Grand Bazaar and shop to my heart’s content. You see, I had been stockpiling my wish list with items such as Anatolian rugs, Turkish glassware, sidetables, and Turkish lanterns. I had seen the lanterns and tables prior to our trip and was prepared to “buy and ship”.
Before I even begin to regale you with stories of shopping successes and travesties, let me set the stage for what is known as the “Grand Bazaar”. It is a covered bazaar unlike anything I have ever seen…over 65 winding and maze-like covered streets hiding over 4000 shops, cafes, tables, etc. Supposedly, it is the largest covered marketplace anywhere in the world. It was originally built in 1450, and has been rebuilt time after time, mainly after fires. You can find about anything there, but the main items include rugs and carpets (yes, there is a difference), jewelry, leather (coats, bags, wallets, and belts) as well as lots of textiles (pillows, fabric, tablecloths, etc.).
One of several entrances to the Grand Bazaar.
One of the shopping alleys inside the Grand Bazaar. It is Saturday morning and the market is just opening and already the joint is jumping.
By the time we arrived for a day of shopping Mecca, we had already completed the rug purchases, having stumbled onto a lovely carpet weaving facility in Ephesus. Which was a good thing, because the rug and carpet salespeople in the Grand Bazaar were everywhere and I began to quickly suffer from serious shopping overload. Living in Korea cured me of needing anything made of leather and Taiwan of anything remotely connected with jewelry. So, we focused on other things….
I like to think I can compete with the “best of the shoppers”, but sadly I would have to disqualify myself after a day in Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar. There was simply too much to see, and too little time. Plus, I was ill equipped to handle the haggling required to make a purchase at a decent price. One look at Buddy and I, and it was clear who we were…the words “tourist” would stamped on our foreheads. And with that simple recognition on the part of the merchants, our negotiating power was seriously compromised.
Not to say that I was ever any good at this negotiation thing. I get really tense...always have…always will, most likely. So, Buddy and I went into the market with a strategy. As I found an item I was interested in, I would (1) not jump up and down like an idiot saying how much I LOVED the item, but rather (2) I would casually pick up and assess, and then walk away, but not before giving Budman the eye that said “haggle a while over this.
Now, we had read that you don’t start negotiating unless you are really serious about the item. It’s bad form to haggle and then when your price is met, you reply that you “are not really interested”. Also, expect the prices to be too high at the outset and start your haggling at roughly half of the initial price. I had already forewarned the Budman that the guide books instruct “not to offer a sinfully low price as the first offer”, though. Well, after initial purchase successes of textiles and pottery, we tried our hand again at some silk linens. Suffice to say, while I do not understand Turkish, I know enough about tone and body language that the guy was probably cussing us out. Ouch…
After that, and still not finding the glassware, lanterns, or tables I was looking for in the first place (they must be from Northern Africa instead of Turkey), we called it a day.
Still, an interesting experience, but we were worn out.
No comments:
Post a Comment