Patriotic Heron

Today it was time for the consumer in us. We walked up to the Grand Bazaar. It was everything the guide book said. There are hundreds if not thousands of little shops. Each one has a keeper who ... Is multilingual; is very polite asking how we are; is very interested in us asking where we are from; is very astute in that he has just the thing which we have been looking for; is (initially) not at all interested in price until the quality of the product is clear to you; and will describe the eventual price as 'almost free'. We were hassled to a millimetre of our patience. But we knew we would be.

The guide books are right, the grand bazaar should be visited. Box ticked.

More interesting was the area around the Spice Bazaar with lots of stalls selling more everyday items. Including one with a good selection of traffic cones. And no hassling. It was very pleasant wondering around.

Today was International Art Day and I am sure you all celebrated it in your own way. We walked to Istanbul Modern taking a shot of a heron on our way. In recognition of the day, entrance was free. And lunch on the terrace overlooking the Bosphorus was excellent.