shopping anyone?!

shopping in turkey is everything i thought it would be ... and i've only been to one shopping district!  my second weekend here, my new friend peter took me shopping in the district called Ulus.  Ulus is definitely where it's at.  you've seen this kind of shopping on tv ... walking down the cobblestone sidewalk with vendors on both sides of you ... with carpets or cloths draping a few feet above you.  taking a shortcut that leads you up a set of narrow stairs and it looks awfully dark and scary thru that passageway.  (i don't know how many times i told peter i didn't want to die ... and if i did i would be really pissed.  but he knew exactly where he was going ... or so he said.)  the vendors outside of their shops working on their trade craft ... one old man was sitting outside of his store "stamping" a copper bowl with his tools ... i bought it right away.  there's just so much to look at and see.  we didn't even cover all of Ulus ... prolly because it sits on a nice steep hill and we were about to pass out.  (ankara is nothing but hills ... makes for a good butt!)  here are some pictures of the day ...

(and don't forget to click ON the picture ... makes for a much better view!)

my first store ...

i wanted to buy them all ...

the turquoise is beautiful ...

say hello to peter!

another frickin hill ...

mostly nuts and dried fruits ...

i bought a mix of almonds, cashews, and dried cranberries ... yum!

beautiful view ...

can you spot the mosque?

i live right by the stick in the sky on the left ...

just a neat building ...

fully dressed is more common in this district ...

she was a neat old woman ...

such a cool view ...

the above dishes are the ones i purchased.  this is how i found out i had a balcony ... peter suggested better lighting on the balcony.  and that led to a very interesting conversation ...