The city’s spice bazaar which has around 85 shops selling a variety of spices, chocolates, souvenirs, nuts and other assorted items. It’s quite an impressive arrangement, especially since it’s been here since 1660. Not surprising gives its name, it was primarily where spices were sold in the past, but that’s diminishing a little now as it caters for a wider market, not least tourists.
It’s a busy arrangement and it’s part of the property of the New Mosque which was also built at the same time. Although referred to as the Spice Bazaar in English, the name is the Egyptian Bazaar in Turkish, apparently because it was originally built with taxes charged on people in Egypt.
There’s a security process to get into the bazaar, although that’s commonplace around Turkey. There was an explosion here in 1998 which killed seven people, but it’s never been stated exactly where it was a gas explosion or terrorist attack.
We didn’t buy anything inside, but Jonathan treated himself to a football shirt outside, but more of that later on.