Pazar Day

On Thursday, I walked home from work and greeted my baby boy. After I got settled back in at home, I suddenly realized and said, "It's Thursday! Let's do something we haven't had time to do in awhile...have some fun!" On Thursday, there is a big outdoor market in the next neighborhood. It is also open on Sundays, but Thursday is the day with the most textiles. I had been wanting to go, but sometimes forget on the day or I am too tired from work. So, I bundled Big Ben up and, most importantly, packed a whole package of crackers for him. I'll shop. He'll eat. We'll both be happy.

I arrived, and we dashed through the rain to join the crowds searching, sorting, and hoping for a bargain. On my facebook status, I mentioned I had been and what I had bought. One of my old friends mentioned, "Is that like the Turkish Walmart?" She may have heard me talk about a pazar before, so she may have been setting me up for a good punchline, but when my friends (who live here) saw her comment, they LOVED it! I have one Turkish friend who now lives in Texas. She's seen Walmart now. She said, "Pazar equals Walmart, I love it!" Here's what my pazar looks like...it's loud, it's crowded, it's wet and muddy, it's disorganized, it's FUN!


I managed to find a stall (if you could call it that) of underwear. If you dig, you find Gap, Old Navy, Victoria's Secret. I am not sure how they end up here. Are they made here? Are the extras in stock? Are they fakes? They look like the real thing. I dug and dug in the piles (while Big Ben stuffed and stuffed into his mouth) and I managed to find him an Old Navy hockey-design pajama shirt which I plan to use as an undershirt. It's a size 4, but it will fit! Now that clothing companies make their pj's non-flammable, my kids look like sausages in their casings in them!

He ate all the crackers, so I bought a bag of oranges, peeled one, and he started into those. He ate 3 before he decided his hands were cold, tummy full, and was ready to go home.

You can buy all kinds of things there. I ended up finding a pair of hand-knitted baby booties for about US$5. When I asked the old teyze (auntie) if she made it, she proudly told me she made it herself. I had to buy them. I just fell in love with her sweet smile and proud answer. I told her I wasn't having any more babies, I had 5, but maybe a friend would. Meeting her and the conversation was worth the money to me. I also bought Big Ben some socks that have leather moccasin houseshoes on the bottom. Maybe that will help him learn to walk, I reasoned. I can't wait to hear Campbell Clansman's laugh when I tell him my logic. I also got one daughter some of those fingerless gloves with the little 'lid' to pull over your fingers if they are cold. All good stocking stuffers! And then just as I was leaving, I happened upon a fish stall. It had been awhile since we had fish. The weather was cold enough so I didn't have to worry about it being trucked in from the coast in the heat and going bad. I asked the man how much. He told me. Then he proceeded to say, "Big sister! You MUST buy this. It's good fish. It's so tasty." I said, "Ok, but you clean it." He laughed. Well, he cleaned it. But I didn't know how to ask him to do all I wanted him to do. So it appeared in my kitchen like this...

UGH. And to think I used to be Miss Fish. Anyway, yes the spine was out, but I had to cut off heads and tails. When I cut my finger on his fin, I decided he could keep those and I'd just bake them. My New England co-worker told me how to cook it and we had delicious coastal fish for dinner. Come on and see me, we'll hit the pazar too!