"Istanbul beyond the hard sell
By Carol Pucci
Seattle Times travel writer
ISTANBUL, Turkey — "Good morning. How are you doing? Carpets are almost free today."
"Hello. Are you Italian? I have a nice leather jacket."
"Rolex! Rolex!"
"Hello. I'm selling carpets ... Just tell me, 'yes or no.' "
Istanbul can sometimes feel like a giant shopping mall, especially in Sultanahmet, the heart of the old city, where the most famous Ottoman-era mosques, palaces and museums are within strolling distance of each other.
Named for Sultan Ahmet I, the builder of the Blue Mosque, the neighborhood is filled with parks and gardens, the scent of apple tobacco and the sounds of the Muslim call to prayer broadcast over loudspeakers."
More:The Seattle Times: Travel: Istanbul beyond the hard sell