At the eastern bazaar, it is customary to haggle
Turkey ($1 = 1.4 Turkish lira)
Purchases: gold, leather and ivory items, 'nazar' (a souvenir in the shape of an eye that protects against evil thoughts), apple tea, linen tablecloths, scarves and other hand-embroidered items, ceramics, sheepskin coats, muslin shawls, terry bathrobes, carpets made of cotton or silk, raki, spices, and sweets.
Tips
Do not exchange currency for local money at Antalya airport, at the hotel reception, in small shops, because you lose on the exchange rate. It is better to do this at an official exchange office under the sign "Change office".
Do not withdraw money from an ATM after the bank closes, especially before heading home. It might inadvertently 'swallow' your card, so you will have to return without it. If the bank is open, you simply show your passport and they will return your card.
Turkish gold is cheap because it contains additives. Do not be afraid to haggle, and before buying it, walk around the entire store or market.
Buy drinking water only in bottles. Tap water is safe to drink but heavily chlorinated. Do not drink alcohol on the street.
Taxi rides are not cheap. If you do take a taxi, agree on the price before getting in. Otherwise, you will pay the 'exorbitant' amount the Turkish taxi driver names when he drops you off.
Egypt ($1 = 3.39 Egyptian pounds)
Purchases: gold amulets ($15-35), silver, amber and onyx items, alabaster and granite figurines, calico scarves and tunics, belts with coins, papyruses, carpets, perfumes, corals, pharaoh tea 'Karkade', aromatic oils.
Tips
You can film anything, but do not take the camera to the bazaar: the camera is a sign of wealth, so Arabs may 'jack up' fantastic prices.
Haggling in Egypt is possible even on minibuses.
Papyruses should be bought in specialized stores where they give you a quality certificate. On Egyptian markets, they sell cheap fakes made of rice paper or banana leaves with stamped designs. Forgeries at bazaars are a common thing.
If an item has a price tag, there is no point in haggling.
Tunisia ($1 = 1.16 Tunisian dinars)
Purchases: camel leather goods, colorful glass, ceramics, souvenir hookah, olive wood makitas, rose syrup, Kairouan carpets (from $1000), date liqueur 'Thibar', fig vodka boukha, olive oil, silk, desert roses.
Tips
At the market and in craft shops, it is customary to haggle. However, in stores with listed prices, you should not do this.
Expensive purchases are better made in large stores. In summer, due to the heat, they are open only until 13:00.
It is not customary to eat on the go or while standing, to look at the face of a person who is eating, or to wash down fatty dishes with water. Openly staring at women in chadors is perceived by Tunisians as a personal insult.
Do not buy fruit on the beach. They are very expensive there and may be poorly washed.
It is forbidden to photograph the presidential palace, military installations, government buildings, and people carrying weapons.
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