The Grand Bazaar Istanbul

If you plan on visiting or have visited Istanbul, than this is the book for you. It is a superb collectors item of great books. Get it even if you just like to travel through a book, there is no better book than this.

I briefly reviewed this book while visiting a friend's shop in the "Old City" of Antalya before purchasing my copy. Essentially, it contains a composition of extravagant photos with text about Istanbul's historical centuries-old market. In addition to the full-sized color photos, there are an array of etchings, watercolors, and paintings [asserted] from Ottoman periods, to our present time.Local interviews are also included, perhaps designed to increase fascination, intrigue and delight about this infamous market. On the other-hand, having visited Istanbul multiple times over the past 16 years, I have learned - as well as anyone with reasonable travel sense - to proceed with prudence and rationability. If one has ever encountered haggling and the "host of never-ending fantastic stories", subversive and overt tactics in Arab souks, an Israeli shuk, Asian market-places, and specified places within Africa, you'll understand precisely what I mean.The wheedling expressed in this book about the Grand Bazaar and surrounding areas tend to be excessive and as GRANDIOSE as the market-place itself. Relatively few native locals actually shop or visit the area regularly... unless they work there. Never-the-less, the Grand Bazaar remains one of Istanbul's greatest TOURIST attractions.Despite opposing view-points, this is an interesting table-top book, well suited for conversation, and historical debate.