Notes from the Bosphorus
I like to tell my friends that one can’t really say they know Europe without having visited Istanbul, the continent’s largest city, and Lisbon, perhaps its calmest capital—two cities on opposite edges of Europe. I stand by this. Staring at the Bosphorus from a window, early in the morning or during sunset, is one of the most meditative things you can do. And yet, there’s a contradiction I can’t ignore: one should not depict a city simply because one can take photographs. How could you ever tell the full story of a town?
Still, I believe it’s a good idea to sit on a plastic chair by the Bosphorus, ready (or not) to answer questions from young (or old) Stambouliotes. Even though, in the end, we should probably hate travellers and explorers.
