Omar the Carpet Guy

I had been warned about the carpet salesman.  They invite you in, compliment you, serve you tea, and guilt you into buying gorgeous carpets that cost hundreds or thousand of dollars.  I had been warned.  But Omar was over the top.

As I walked away from the Hop On Hop Off bus today, Omar came right to me.  "Pretty lady, are you from America?"  Ha. "I am Omar.  I want to practice my English on you."  uh-huh.  "Are you alone?  Where is husband?  Do you want to relax and smoke nargile?"  Mind you, I am in a public square surrounded by a million people.  There was no danger.  This is what the carpet sellers do.   I told him I already had smoked nargile yesterday, and that I was meeting my husband in minutes.  Omar was nothing if not persistent.  He hoped my husband would join us for tea.  Oh, Omar, if you think I am a tough sell, you should meet Frank!

He proceeded to walk with me, showing me various good spots for photographs.  This IS a good one of the Blue Mosque.  Thanks, Omar.

He, too, wanted his photo taken.  He looks a lot like the spice market guy...

I told him I did not plan to buy a Turkish carpet.  He said, no problem, but come and see.  We walked to his shop because he assured me he had more than just carpets.  And it was along my path to the Spice Market.  Omar thought he'd rope me into something.  Omar had no chance.  Ha.

Here he is, rounding the corner into his shoppe.  I certainly would not have followed if it looked the least bit shady.  But his high end, busy, over the top shoppe was full of truly gorgeous goods.  I looked at jewelry for a while, and the guy at the counter told me he'd "give" me the earrings I liked, sterling silver in a really lovely hand made knot pattern, for just 300TL.  Somehow that seems like a lot for sterling.  Whether it is or not, it's not in my travel budget.  But they were pretty...

His shop had GORGEOUS porcelain, too.  I asked if I could take pictures, and since they still thought they'd sell SOMETHING to the "rich American," of course they said yes.

Sorry Omar.