I've read this in the travel guides and just saw in action today: after lots of friendly talk and having come down in price only 25% (remember you MUST haggle, you are respected for this in this part of the world) the seller waited for me to come and get cash and when I got back almost wrapped my carpet in a tight parcel. Only it wasn't the one I chose.

I have corrected him though, and he was smooth as a silk on this. Remember to see your carpet wrapped. And don't forget to haggle. And, better - get some idea what carpets are about. Things are beauituful, but naive buyers are being had ruthlessly.

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When you walk along the streets, make sure you know where you are going. Seemingly friendly strangers will approach you, trying to show you the way but will often take you to carpet shops and try and pressure you into buying. Even in the Grand Bazaar, please be careful as the salespersons are easily agitated if you do not buy anything from them.

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If you can learn a couple of phrases to ask simple questions, Turkish people will be much more polite and do everything they can to help you.

There are tons of websites where you can pick up a few simple phrases

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Istanbulites are more than eager to help visitors who appear to be in distress, even without being asked. We found that they were so eager in fact, that they would give us any information, even misleading us, rather than not help.

That's why we were suggested 5 different bus lines to get to the same place by people who actually took the trouble to get off their own bus to show us where they thought we needed to go. It is best to double check before you follow someone's very friendly advice.

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