US envoy poses as 'James Bond' on roof of Grand Bazaar
U.S. Ambassador to Ankara Jeffry Flake emulated James Bond and ran on the roof of the Grand Bazaar, Istanbul, Oct. 26, 2022 (Photo courtesy of Jeffry Flake via Instagram)


U.S. Ambassador Jeff Flake posted a picture of himself sprinting on the roof of Istanbul's Grand Bazaar in what resembles the iconic sequence from the 2012 James Bond film "Skyfall," the 23rd installment in the series.

The picture of Flake running while being pursued by a "man in black" was posted on the envoy's personal Instagram account.

On Oct. 26, Flake added a caption to the photo that said, "He's gaining on me. Better shed the jacket."

The image gained attention in Turkish media, with several publications running headlines like "The envoy imitates James Bond."

According to the envoy, he took the picture "because he loved the place's history."

Constructed in 1455, the Grand Bazaar is one of the biggest and oldest covered markets in the world, with 61 covered streets and more than 4,000 businesses.

Every day, its website receives between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors.

The picture is reminiscent of a scene in "Skyfall" where Bond, as portrayed by Daniel Craig, runs and rides a motorcycle on the Grand Bazaar's roof. The scene was heavily condemned for putting at risk the historical structure.