The caravan entered Istanbul.
The streets were crowded.
Most men wore hats that were shaped like an upside-down flower pot.
Each hat had a silk tail on top of it.
Women wore long coats, and some covered their faces with a cloth.
As the caravan passed by, people on the street called out to the travelers.
"What goods have you brought this time?"
"Do you have any Chinese silk?"
"Come to the Grand Bazaar!" shouted someone from the caravan.
"Then you can see what we have!"
The caravan stopped in front of a beautiful building.
Through the main doorway, Mandy could see stalls and shops.
They were filled with colorful items.
People from the caravan were unloading things to sell.
"Wow! I'd like to shop here!" exclaimed Mandy.
"What's that in your hand?" asked Vinnie.
Mandy held up a pair of diamond earrings.
"I forgot—Mom asked me to put these in her drawer!" she cried.
"You'd better not lose them," warned Vinnie.
"She'll be really upset."
Mandy shrugged and put them in her pocket.
"They're not real diamonds anyway."
"How do we get off this animal?" said Vinnie, looking down.
The camel stood quietly.
"Maybe we can jump," suggested Mandy.
"If you jump, you will break your leg or your neck," a man's voice said from below.
Vinnie and Mandy saw a man staring at them.
"How did you get up there?"
the man asked, petting the camel.
"Kiraz the camel was not carrying any people earlier."
"Uh, well, we …" Vinnie tried to explain.
The man spoke to the camel and Kiraz knelt down.
The children climbed off his back.
"Thank you, sir," said Mandy.
"Who are you?" the man asked.
The children introduced themselves.
"I am Ali," said the man.
"I sell carpets and other things."
The camel opened his mouth and stuck out a gray tongue.
"I think Kiraz likes you!" laughed Ali.
Vinnie and Mandy helped Ali carry rolls of carpets into the building.
"The Grand Bazaar is the biggest market in the world," Ali explained.
"It is one of the best places to buy and sell."
"It's amazing," Mandy remarked.
"It looks like the mall!"
Many shops lined each side of the long building.
People strolled down the middle, looking and buying.
Ali stopped in front of one shop.
A woman and a boy were already there.
They were setting out beautiful pieces of jewelry and dishes.
"This is my family," Ali said.
"As you see, we sell many things, including carpets!"
He turned to his son.
"Berk, take this bag to the coffee shop.
Ask Hasad the owner to exchange it for silver."
The boy nodded.
"Can we go too?" asked Vinnie.
Berk looked at his father.
"Sure! The coffee shop is always fun to visit," Ali said.
"But don't stay too long."