Treasure Hunt From Souq To Grand Bazaar (morocco To Turkey)
Visiting Moroccan souqs was a pleasure and pain experience. Much of the jewelry was so beautiful and unusual that I couldn't bare not to touch, but the pain set in when I held a piece in my hand.
The temptation was too much and out would come my wallet. I already had way too many exotic goods weighing down both my backpack and credit card, but on my final day in the country I decided that if I found one reasonably priced stand-out piece of jewelry, then I was allowed to buy one more thing. After-all, who knew when was I going to be back here!
I had barely been in the Marrakesh souq for more than 10 minutes when I saw them. I gasped. My travel companion, already tired of helping me carry vases and carpets across northern Africa, let out a groan. The salesman's spiel was lost on me, because I could tell they were real silver and contained genuine pearl, but we listened enthusiastically to how they were handmade by a local jeweler and could be handed over at a very good price.
After a friendly haggle over the price, I bought those precious earrings as my final souvenir of northern Africa and cherished them for several years, until one fateful night. I returned home from a friend's engagement party and much to my horror discovered one had fallen out of my ear.
Three years later I was in Turkey with Intrepid and upon arriving in Istanbul I naturally headed straight for the Grand Bazaar. After trawling through the colorful aisles, chatting with stall holders and buying the odd trinket or four, I left the group and headed to the jewelry section of the bazaar to be immersed in the incredibly rich designs, the history behind many of the intricate works and the beauty of the varied metals and stones.
Suddenly I saw them - a young boy stood minding a store that displayed earrings so similar to those I had purchased in Marrakesh that I pounced on the counter. With some hesitation the young boy moved closer, probably thinking I was a mad woman. "These," I said. "How much are they?" "Very nice," the boy said, beckoning the real owner. "You wait, you wait."
I stood holding on to them, not quite believing how similar they were, when the owner came up behind me. "They are from Morocco" he said. "I know." I said beaming, "Please sell them to me." The man seemed so taken aback that he immediately set a fair price and as he wrapped them up I told him my story. "Ah, you are like an exotic jewelry trader, discovering special pieces from across the Middle East - all of them with a story and a special place in your heart."
Find your precious travel treasures and expand your travel horizons as we journey among snow-capped mountains, desert oases and kasbahs in Morocco. In Turkey it's all about adventures from the Byzantine glory of Istanbul, to the tranquil waters of the Mediterranean or Black Sea, and onto the bizarre rock formations of Cappadocia. From hectic city souqs and bazaars to tranquil seaside villages, Morocco and Turkey are as diverse as they are exotic and enticing.
Intrepid Travel is one of the world’s leading small group adventure tour operators, with 19 years experience.
Adventures are focused on having real life experiences. Intrepid offers over 450 itineraries to more than 90 countries worldwide in various travel styles. Intrepid is also known for its environmental program and its responsible travel efforts to preserve local cultures.
For more information see:
www.intrepidtravel.com/destinations/Morocco/articledashboard
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