Sights from the Bazaar

One of my favorite things to do when I visit a new place is to browse the local grocery store. I think one can tell a lot about a place and its people by the selection offered. For instance, in Turkey-a Muslim majority country-it is nearly impossible to find pork products. However, the varieties of fresh cheese-a staple of the famous Turkish breakfast-would make your head spin! Also, the conspicuous lack of ready-to-eat meal options says a lot about this culture that values time and effort spent in the kitchen.

Of course, in Turkey, grocery shopping isn’t limited to grocery stores. There are bazaars, street vendors, and fruit stands all over the place. It’s not uncommon to even see a van parked on the side of the road with a local farmer selling things like homemade jellies, milk, cheese, or produce out of the back. It can be so fun to just browse, and while many of the options are also found on your local Kroger shelf, some things aren't quite so familiar. As I was strolling through a street bazaar recently, I snapped some pictures of things that caught my eye.