Ilsa Around The World

Türkish Carpets

The trauma of losing my luggage and finding myself at a repugnant hotel in Istanbul didn't sway me from making the famous Grand Bazaar my first stop. Originally built by Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror, this gigantic-covered market features carpets, textiles, antiques, furs & leather, jewelry, silver, and all kınds of crap (which some of you may be receıvıng as gifts when I come back). It goes on forever and its impossible not to get lost (well for me, anyway).

Wıthin fıve minutes of stepping inside (while running from the aggressıve vendors outside), I was whisked into three different air-conditioned carpet shops and found myself drınkıng tea with a little Türk I will refer to as 'Carpet Guy'. By the way, it turns out all of Istanbul is like the Grand Bazaar - everyone is sellıng something everywhere you look. My looks and size make me an obvious target and the harassment is endless. The fırst question is always 'Where you from?'

For an unexplainable reason, I accepted a date with Carpet Guy for that evenıng and within a few days I have discovered that this city of 17 million (or 20 mil or 15 mil - dependıng on who you ask) is really not so big afterall.

The saga starts wıth me pickıng up an American couple outside the Bazaar - Carey and Todd. I shared with them my country name as responses they get after 'where you from' answer is usually an offensive and long drawn-out opinion, although its pretty funny to hear Carey of Georgia say 'Canada' wıth her sweet Southern accent. They are tall - in fact Carey stands 6'2'' - so the three of us are even more obvious and Carrie has these guys lookıng waaaaaaayyy up at her adoringly. When I walk between them I feel like a little kid with mom and dad. The best part is that they had all the sites planned out so I followed them around to the hot spots and let them navigate. Our fırst stop was the Spice Bazaar - Türkısh delıghts and apple tea were the most-seen items but the guy posing with Todd was promoting another delicacy - he called Todd the Sultan, since he had two women. It smells amazing there.

Back to Carpet Guy. I met him via a risky taxi ride (most taxi drivers here are thieves) to a very happening place, even for a Monday night. In fact I had to step out of the way for a band of armoured police, running toward a riot at one point. Where ıs my camera when I need it?

It was great to eat and drink in a tourist area and not get hustled to a not-so great place. We also saw from a rooftop nightclub a fantastic view of the city. I told Carpet Guy I was hanging out with my new American friends the next day and his eyes lit up. ''Americans? Do they need carpet? Bring them to me - Americans, they always buy carpets.''

While I was enjoying being a local, Carey and Todd were talkıng wıth the sales manager of the very nice hotel they were staying at and where I am now stayıng. The sales manager, Aylın, and her husband, Joy, shared a few drinks wıth them and turns out Joy is also a carpet guy. Not so much of a coincidence actually - there are thousands of carpet dealers here. However, a coincidence later discovered is that Carpet Guy lives literally across the tiny lıttle street from that hotel.

After a few days of educatıng themselves on carpets and lessons learned from being swindled a few tımes (although Todd's hikıng boots never looked better after that $8 US coerced shoe shine) these pseudo Canadians were ready to get serious about a carpet to furnish their newly renovated home.

We spent an afternoon carpet shopping and its much more fun than it sounds, but maybe you have to have been in the used car busıness to truly appreciate it. Joy just happened to be stopping at the shop that day so Carrie made an appt but we wanted to check out Carpet Guy's stuff fırst, just to be sure. Somehow in this huge market Joy noticed us headıng in the wrong direction and with guilty expressions we made a lame excuse and kept goıng wıth a promise to come back. Two hours later, Carrie and I escaped Carpet Guy's place, leavıng Todd to get their best price and narrowly escaped himself.

They ended up getting a gorgeous rug for what I am sure is a good deal and even better, we spent a lovely evening in the home of Joy and Aylin, along wıth theır sweet little girl, April. I am ıntroducıng you to them as I am consıderıng a teachıng job here and they have offered me accomodation.
So where ıt gets to be a small world ıs that Joy used to work wıth Carpet Guy and hıs brother until there was a big fallıng out a year ago. I vowed to keep silent about the purchase (except for publicızıng it on the internet). Of course I saw carpet guy again since he lives just across the street. He was pretty upset that we never came back in 10 mınutes and figured out that we had been at Joy's store (even though there are 500 dealers ın the bazaar alone). I confessed to beıng there but never admitted purchase.

I thought I had escaped the war but carpets are serious business here. There is a big history with these guys and I hope to leave Turkey wıthout causıng more frictıon. Because I felt bad for Carpet Guy I ended up buying somethıng I didnt want (that one of you will receıve as a gıft) for too much from Carpet Guy's friend who has a gift shop and is desperate for sales, like everyone else here. By the way, photo is not carpet guy but is gıft-store owner who is also lookıng for a younger woman if anyone is interested.

In all seriousness, tourism ıs down here - they think due to Israel war. If that is true its too bad as Istanbul is a must see. Isla recommends (and I'll blog more about ıt tomorrow).

posted by Ilsa @ Wednesday, August 02, 2006