Byzantium or Istanbul? (Interview)
Byzantium or Istanbul? (Interview)
Author(s): Vlad ManoliuSubject(s): Anthropology
Published by: Muzeul Ţăranului Român, Editura Martor
Keywords: (post)communism; transition; retailing; Turkey; clandestine trading; Byzantium;
Summary/Abstract: We began our little frontier trade immediately after 1989. A lot of Turkish firms mushroomed around Gara de Nord, offering transport to Istanbul (there where coaches leaving every hour – you weren’t even allowed to book your place in advanced, you just went to the station and got on the coach to Istanbul). Many people went there, bought all sorts of goods from the Turkish bazaars and then returned to Romania where they would sold them. As we wanted to go to Istanbul in search of the old Byzantium, we decided to take one of these coaches because it was much cheaper and much more convenient for us.
Journal: Martor. Revue d’Anthropologie du Musée du Paysan Roumain
- Issue Year: 2005
- Issue No: 10
- Page Range: 111-112
- Page Count: 2
- Language: English