Along the main drag through Sultanahmet.

These things are everywhere - fruit stands with apples, oranges, and papaya, which for all of 1.50TL are pressed into a bloody yummy drink!

Kapalicarsi, or the Grand Bazaar. Opened in 1461, it is what it says on the can - a grand bazaar.

Couple fun facts about the Grand Bazaar: it was built in the 15th century, covers an area of 54,653 square metres, and is the oldest and largest covered bazaar in the world.

Furthermore, it has 21 gates, 2 something-or-others, 17 inns, 66 streets, nearly 4,000 shops, and employs more than 30,000 people. How do I know all this? Because I'm bloody smart, that's how.

One thing that rather intrigued us was the sheer number of jewellery stores in the Grand Bazaar - dozens and dozens of them, all appearing to sell more-or-less the same stuff! After maybe the tenth shop was set up for example, I'm not sure why anyone would rock up here and think it a good idea to set up yet another one.

Jewellery aside, there was pretty much anything you could think of (within reason) available here.

After we'd had enough of that we headed towards another famous bazaar, but not before having to wade through swarms and swarms of people in the narrow wee back streets of Sultanahmet - I'd never seen anything like it (except down in the Paris Metro maybe)! Istanbul is one of the largest cities in the world in terms of population at 12.5 million (London comes in 17th at 7.5 million). I think most of those 12.5 mil were right here!

Regardless, you still get dickheads trying to drive through the herd - unreal.

Anyway we eventually made it to this - the Spice Bazaar, selling mostly...

...yup, spices! Just like the jewellery stores before, the Spice Bazaar has shop after shop selling the same stuff. It does allow for some hard bartering!

We emerged out the other end of the Spice Bazaar to this - Galata Bridge over the Golden Horn, Istanbul's favourite fishing spot evidently. There must be at least a few folk on the lower deck there that get hooked from above hehe.

That lower deck is all cafes and restaurants. Obvious choice for lunch: fish!

Looking north along Galata Bridge.

Istanbul's answer to the lack of donkeys.

We continued wandering north from Galata Bridge and found Galata Tower which you can clamber up for a good panorma of the city. However the queues were massive and despite living in Britain for over four years now I'm still not a fan of them.

Hahaha hell, maybe only half of Istanbul's 12.5 million were outside the Grand Bazaar earlier - the rest were here.

More of the occasional idiots trying to drive through. Wouldn't you just find a different route?!

This whole area surrounds Taksim Square and is a major shopping, tourist and leisure district at the heart of modern Istanbul. Despite being utter chaos, it's definitely worth a look.

From France to Istanbul - government protests everywhere.

No rioting on this occasion though - never mind.

So yeah, mayhem - we don't get this in New Zealand ;)