I was very lucky to spend my birthday this year in Istanbul. East meets west, the major religions collide, and thousands of years of history are hidden behind 24,000 taxis, hundreds of modern lounge bars and cafes, and 12 million bustling Turks. The harmony within the city is the most amazing part. On any sidewalk you can see a group of girls, a few with tank tops and shorts on, others wearing headscarves and long sleeves, all being chatty, free, energetic women. Hundreds of men fill every open space on the bridges, hoping to throw their lines into the Bosphorus and catch sardines, while ferries cross from Europe to Asia, weaving between the hundreds of oil tankers traveling from Russia to the rest of the world. Ayasofya, the basilica-turned-mosque-turned-museum, a spice bazaar, 1500 year old underground
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