European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 14, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Browsers stroll through a part of the Bazaar with household and hardware equipment. A Cook slices a portion of diner Kebab from a spit. A cat stands watch Over a food stand in one of the twisting alleys of the Bazaar Izmir s amazing Bazaar a Surprise Waits around each Corner of the twisting tangle of alleyways by Michael Abrams staff photographer from the elegant moorish style clock Tower one of the symbols of Izmir Turkey you Cross the Square and plunge into the narrow streets. Just a few Steps into the Maze of lanes and the first merchants descend on you ready to offer their goods. Quot come into my shop Quot they plead Quot please just look i have excellent leather coat for you Quot if you Are not careful you la own a new coat a and perhaps an Oriental carpet a before you can even begin to appreciate Alt that the Konak Bazaar has to offer. Unlike Istanbul s famed covered Bazaar Izmir s Market is mostly a labyrinth of uncovered narrow streets winding lanes Small alleyways and quaint squares surrounding a couple of mosques with shops offering almost anything one can want. Don t let the merchants waylay you. Politely Tell them you want to look around first and follow the locals deeper into the heart of the Maze. Walk past the shop Selling a variety of scents arid perfumes past the pastry shops offering Sweet Honey soaked Baklava. Pass by the Vendor in his Little stand surrounded by grains seeds and that favorite snack of Many travellers in Turkey Pistachio nuts. Continue beyond the Booth with olives of every shape size and color imaginable. Then around the next Corner you discover a Long Tunnel dimly lit. Behind the shop windows inside everything glitters. Welcome to what americans stationed in Izmir Call Quot cold Alley a shop after shop offers the precious Metal rings necklaces and bracelets or if you Confer with the Goldsmith perhaps even a custom made pin. Cold is expensive everywhere but in Turkey buyers generally pay just for the weight of the Gold so the excellent craftsmanship comes cheap. And a fish peddle passes a bag 0f the Day s catch to a waiting customer. With plenty of Competition in the Quot Alley Quot you have the luxury of being Able to shop around. Leave the Alley perhaps a Little weighted Down and wander along the Lane until you stumble across the next covered Street. This one Sells a from one end to another a nothing but shoes after All the walking your footwear might look a Little worn but you decide today is not a Day for shoe shopping. Back in the Daylight you come across a mosque. In front of it men Are Busy washing their feet before entering to Pray. From somewhere nearby floats the smell of fish. You be discovered the fish vendors Selling the Day s catch. Pass a hardware and household goods store a couple of More leather shops and you realize the walking and the fish scent have made you hungry. During your wanderings you be noticed Little restaurants. In the kitchens stuffed peppers and eggplants simmer. A couple of doors Down the Aroma of grilled Tofte those spicy Little Lamb patties drifts across the Street and lures you in that direction. Along the Way you meet a Man expertly slicing a portion of Doner Kebab from the spit. What to eat a another difficult decision. After satisfying your hunger it is finally time to buy those turkish souvenirs. Maybe a Beautiful Oriental carpet. How about another Gold ring perhaps that leather coat after All. Let s see where was that store now was it Down this Alley. The Konak Bazaar located in the Konak District of Izmir is open monday through saturday trom about 8am to 8 p m above nearly everything you touch is Gold in a shop on Konak s Quot Gold Alley. Quot at left a mosque sits at the head of one of the Bazaar s busiest streets. A Vendor helps a shopper make a selection from several types of olives. A amps photos by Michael Abrams 14 stripes Magazine May 14, 1992 May 14, 1992 stripes Magazine 15