Last summer I had the opportunity to travel to some Middle
Eastern and European countries and experience some once in a lifetime
experiences. Two experiences I would like to share with you and how it fit into
my design life.
The first experience was in Cairo, Egypt at the Khan el-Khalili.
The Khan el-Khalili is mainly occupied by Egyptian merchants selling souvenirs,
antiques, jewelry and spices.
In addition to shops, there are several coffeehouses,
restaurants, and street food vendors distributed throughout the market. The
Khan is a beautiful assault on your senses-the smells of exotic spices and
beautiful things to see at every turn. What caught my friends and my eye was
these beautiful punched metal lights. Metal fashioned into hanging pendant
lights that had tiny holes punch in a beautiful design over the entire
exterior. Once illuminated, it radiates a beautiful glow. We haggled for a
while with the shop owner and finally got the price down to something we were
comfortable with. I can't wait to hang my new light in my house and remember my
fabulous trip!
The second fun experience was in Istanbul, Turkey at the Grand
Bazaar. The Grand Bazaar is massive market, covering acres of space. Jewelry,
souvenirs, linens, spices, Turkish delight, rugs, antiques and knockoff bags
galore. You could spend days in that place! I came to Istanbul hoping that I
would return home with a rug. So, we walked into many rug shops. The culture of
hospitality in Turkey is that the shop owner will offer you a hot apple tea or
Turkish coffee and ask you to sit awhile while they pull down rug after rug
from these tall stacks lining the walls. They will spread the rugs out on the
floor for you too see the entire pattern and compare colors. Boy, are were there
some beautiful rugs! But unfortunately,
I couldn't bring them all home. After viewing hundreds of rugs, I finally found
"the one." It brings me such delight when I see it in my living room
every day.
Travel is so fun! And bringing home something that you can
practically use in your home every day is a great reminder of your exciting
experiences. Have you purchased any fun items for your home during your
travels? I'd love to hear! Email me at jessica@webbercoleman.com
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