The Grand Bazaar is probably the most famous bazaar in Istanbul - it is huge with little alleys that it is easy to get lost in it. But the smaller Egyptian Bazaar - Mısır Çarşisi - is not only easier to navigate but somehow has a more laid back feel as well. Located in the Fatih district close to the Galata Bridge with all its restaurants that spans the Golden Horn, this is a 17th century covered market that is better known as the Spice Bazaar. Opened in 1664 it has been to this day the center for spice trade in Istanbul. The scents and fragrances are delicious, there is an endless selection of spices, herbs, dried fruits and vegetables, tea and sweets.
Do you see the little silver and copper pots hanging behind the dried fruit and vegetable in the picture above? This is for Turkish coffee - and my first ticket for Elizabeth's T Tuesday.
My second ticket is this:
And the third ticket is the pots that tea is served in. Aren't they pretty?
But as I mentioned, you can also buy sweet things in the bazaar - funny sweet balls, nuts and dates, and of course Turkish baklava which is not quite as sweet as the baklava that I ate in the Middle East. This was way more agreeable with me and I admit that we bought a good selection of it.
I fell for these cute slippers and I still regret that I didn't buy a pair. At least they're making a colorful picture.
I hope you enjoyed this little tour in the Spice Bazaar. We spent quite some time here, tasting baklava, spices and tea and having some wonderful conversations with the merchants. I hope we can go back one day.
21 comments:
Hi You have the most wonderful posts-thanks for sharing these. This market looks like a fabulous place to visit-I would really enjoy this one-just seeing all the different spices and foods available would be so intersting.
Happy T wishes
wow- what a gorgeous post!!! I love how colorful it all is, and oh my, how intoxicating it must be as well... thanks for sharing, and happy T day!
This looks like a really fascinating place to visit. Markets of all kinds can be fascinating, but this one feels very exotic. I'm with you about the slippers. And some of those treats look tasty. Thanks for taking us here with these photos. It was a fun visit. Have a great T day Carola. Hugs-Erika
Oh my goodness Carola i can just imagine the smell in there!!! Fastastic photos! Thanks so much for sharing!!! Happy Tday! Hugs! deb
The spice bazaar looks like an inspiring place! I would love to go and buy all the different teas. The Turkish pots are beautiful! I loved seeing this.
Happy Tea Day,
Kate
This is the coolest place. I could spend all day here just browsing around at all the spices and different foods to eat. The dates look Yummy. And I love those cinnamon stick bundles. Those tea pots are so pretty. And that last photo is awesome, Carola. Loved it all.
~Sheri
I was blown away by the spices and the teas. I loved the way they sold their cinnamon sticks. I use mine a lot, too.
I have two of those Turkish coffee cups in copper, but had no idea what they were. Don't ask why I purchased them, they were copper and that was enough reason for me. Thank you for sharing them for T.
I recognized what looked like turmeric, saffron, cumin, and curry powders. They all look so colorful. I am so glad you took us to the Spice Bazaar and shared not just the spices and sweets, but the teas, the coffee containers, and the pots with us for T this Tuesday, dear Carola.
In the year I lived in Istanbul I became almost addicted to the joys of spending time in the Grand Bazaar, especially looking for antique rugs and jewelry, etc. The spice bazaar photos shows gorgeous colors and all those sweets are so yummy. Thanks for the photos.
Wow such a lot of wonderful, yummy things to look at, I wouldn't know where to start! Happy T Day! Elle/EOTC xx
What a visual treat and I know you loved that visit as well. I would go crazy in there with so many things I love and so many wonderful smells and colors. Amazing stuff. Those turkish pots are soooo pretty! Wow. Happy T-day, Carola. A lovely share today.
What an exciting trip! I'd have found the Turkish coffee pot and the slippers impossible to resist :) Happy T Tuesday
Thank you for sharing your beautiful photos! So colorful, too! The slipper one made me think of some of the puzzles I have worked. Wouldn't it make a great puzzle? Congratulations on having so many tickets to tea day. Happy T Day!
Fabuous post, love the basaar! Happy T Day, hugs, Valerie
Ohhh I want to go there. The fragrance, I know is amazing. What a fun blog post.
Wow, what a fabulous place to visit! I so enjoyed looking around with you and I bet the aroma from those spices was amazing too 😀. It looks like you had such an amazing trip! Thanks for sharing and Happy T Day! Hugs Jo x
I can practically smell all the spices just looking at your photos. These are some of my favorites you have posted. Love that glorious building -- what a setting. And then all the wonderful spices and other treats. I have a feeling I could blow my whole travel budget in an hour there!
What a wonderful place to visit and to experience with so many senses - sights, smells, sounds, and tastes. Our Persian friends gave us baklava for a gift and it was very different from the Greek variety. I wonder if Turkish baklava is similar to the Greek, with layers of phyllo and nuts and a honey syrup. The teapots are gorgeous! What a lovely post.
The aromas of the spice bazaar are the memory that most stays with me from my visits to Istanbul! I'd also love to go back.
best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Hmmmm, all the spices!!! Beautiful!
Oh! Datteln, sweet tooth wakes up! And falls asleep again seeing all the sweets following ;-)
Great architecture, too.
OMG these photos would make great postcards
Bridget #20
Wonderful place! I can almost smell all the herbs and spices. I'd love to go there but I'm pretty sure my little car would have problems driving over the big water.
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