Grocery Gypsy

Giddy Up

Every Thursday our little corner of Istanbul is transformed into the largest street market we have ever seen. With 1000's of vendors selling produce, cheese, apricots, almonds, dry goods, hardware, clothing, and almost anything else...it is the event of the week.
Every neighborhood in this teeming mega-city has a pazar within walking distance at least one day a week. Our's begins across the street and runs south, east and west for over a mile.
This collection of sellers moves daily and sets up in different locations on different days. There is a schedule and a choreography of tarps, tables, ropes and anchors that takes place every 12 hours. Tearing down and moving on and setting up is the life of these vendors. Somehow their stores are replenished, the tomatoes and watermelons are always fresh, the fish never smell and the dates, olives and almonds are fragrant and delicious.
The pictures below are of the same street...just a few hours before and after.