We did a trip to the Qayseri Bazar on day 4 of my trip. I had seen photos and knew what to expect, but to experience in person as so cool. I felt like I was stepping back in time. I was not prepared for how much I would enjoy it.
I loved all the shops, the sounds, even the aromatic smells of grilled food, the maze of shops and "streets" of sellers, and the beautiful of all the items for sale.
This is the tea seller outside of the kabab restaurant we ate at.
This bazar is right near the Citadel. It is also the oldest market in Erbil. It has been around since the 1800's.
We had a very nice kabab lunch at the Bazar. Again, we started with all the fun appetizers. We had a pasta, a coleslaw, red beets, humus and chips, and an eggplant salad.
The chicken kababs came with naan, parsley, onions, red beets, tomatoes- raw and grilled, and a lemon. The lunches here were $5.50 a person.
We did not get tea here after our meal, instead we went to another teahouse in the bazar.
The citadel is also known as the Hawler Castle. Erbil is also called Hawler.
"The earliest evidence for occupation of the citadel mound dates to the 5th millennium BC, and possibly earlier. It appears for the first time in historical sources in the Ebla tablets in modern Syria around 2000 BC and gained particular importance during the Neo-Assyrian period." Wikipedia
The oldest teahouse in Erbil is the Machko Chai Khana (Machko Tea House), which has been run by the Machko family for more than 80 years.
I was super excited to see the oldest teahouse.
We walked around a few shops in the bazar. And then we ended up at Hassan Teahouse. You would not believe how many tea sellers we saw while walking around. There was tea being made everywhere.
Look at all this sugar!!
This tea house was long, small room with benches along the walls. It could have held around 10 people at one time. In front of each bench was a small table or two for tea.
While at this tea house there was a guy across from me who was from Kentucky. Small world!
This is the third place I have had Kurdish tea and this is my favorite one. This one was not as bitter as the other ones. I am not sure if it was because there was so much turn over at the tea house than at a restaurant. Maybe the tea is sitting around more at a restaurant. I am not sure, but either way, I enjoyed this tea.
Tea here is called Chai. It is a black Ceylon tea with cardamon.
A teahouse is the second most visited place in Iraq, just after the mosques.
Tea is the number one drink in Iraq.
There are tea houses all over Erbil and some are for men only. The men sit around- drink tea, play games, talk business, and politics.
Tea houses in Iraq are called chai khana.
It is becoming more acceptable to women to be allowed in some teahouses.
Iraqis are said to drink 1 pound of tea a month. In 2021, Iraq was the largest importers of Ceylon tea.
Tea is for rich and poor, old and young. It is a part of the culture in Iraq.
In the 19th century the governor of Bhagdad turned all the coffee houses into tea houses.
But tea really gained it's popularity when the British army came to Iraq.
I've heard that people will start their day with Kurdish tea too. That if they don't they believe they will often have headaches and become dizzy.
If you buy tea along the streets here it is less and .50
Iraqi tea is served in a small cup made of glass called “Istikan” and this word means “East Tea
Can”. In other countries, I have heard them called Tulip cups, because of the shape.
Tea is made in a Samovar. The bottom kettle has the hot water, the top, smaller kettle has the stronger tea concentrate. You would fill the cup up with around 3/4 of the black tea and then the rest with hot water. You try to fill the cup up as full as you can.
When tea is served it comes on a saucer, with the cup and a spoon. The spoons can stick together. If a man receives two spoons that means he will have two wives.
To cool the tea, some pour the tea in the saucer to drink it. Some also keep the teacup in the saucer and lift the saucer up to drink from the cup, since the tea can be so hot.
There are a few things that can be added to this tea...a cinnamon stick, a rose bud, saffron, and even a tea perfume.
Tea is served with dates, sunflower seeds, pistachios, cookies, and other sweet treats.
The teaspoon is left in the cup when the tea is poured, if left out they think of you as inferior to them. (I also read that you never serve the spoon in the cup. It all depends on what part of Iraq you are from. When served in Erbil, it always had a spoon in the cup when it was brought to me. Yet, when I went to a Kurdish home, he made the tea without the spoon in it.)
People love the clinking of the teaspoon along the teacup as the sugar is stirred in. The clinking sounds are heard all over shops and bazars.
You will find kiosks of tea sellers on the side of streets, in the bazar, and all along the roads in villages.
Picnics always includes tea. People will grill their food over wood and charcoal and then put the kettle on. Some say tea over wood or charcoal is the best.
If you go to someone's house, it is rude for them not to offer tea. And you usually will have at least 2 cups.
The bazar shops and the over 200 years of history of the building was incredible. I have no idea how many shops there are, but I would saw a couple hundred. It seems to be divided into sections...gold sellers, spices, textiles, house wares, etc. It was such a fun maze of shops.
I did buy a scarf from this man in the bazar.
We walked around and looked at the shops, checking out the teapots. My mom sent birthday money, so I wanted to find a Turkish teapot. I had fun searching in these shops.
Here is one of the Turkish Teapot breakfast sets. These were out of my price range, but really beautiful.
The man wanted 60,000 Demari for the blue tea tray!!! That is a big no for me.
So many gorgeous teapots.
I did buy this tea tray for $20 US, I love it. Now, looking for the teapot to go in.
This is the little shop where I purchased my tray.
This shows you were I am. I am in Erbil (Hawler), the largest city in Kurdistan region..
1 Peter 4:10-11, ESV
1 Peter 4:10-11, ESV
10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
