One of the things I love best about living abroad is the experience of shopping in a market. I'm not talking about the commercialized locations like the grand bazaar, but the local weekly markets. I love to wander into the streets which have been converted from a car roadway into a tarp covered aisle of sales. While the number of people squeezing into the significantly narrowed street occasionally gets overwhelming I love the experience of being in the middle of it. Of shopping the way that many of the locals do (others use the grocery stores for convenience but admit they don't feel like they get the same quality of produce). I'm not going to say that you can buy everything in a market, although sometimes it seems like it, but you can't beat the produce. My weekly market is in the suburb of Kurtkoy, a mere 10 minutes from school. I try my best to go every week, and always laugh and wrinkly up my nose as I go past the stalls of fresh fish. Not the most pleasant entrance, but the site of bright oranges piled up, tomatoes stacked and other tables filled with fresh produce keeps me going. I usually stroll the entire market (this one is only about 3 streets) before getting down to the business of buying. I like being able to consider what is available, and actually being able to compare produce to ensure I get what looks to be the freshest and ripest selection. Its a treat for my taste buds, a chance to practice a bit of my Turkish (after more than a year some vendors are still surprised I can communicate my desire), and an almost overwhelming riot of color and shapes. What's not to love?
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Musings on my adventures around the world and my ties back in Texas as well as some of the the ideas I have to adapt and create to keep those places close to home.
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