Strange Rumblings in Istanbul

The strays are kings here and the coffee is strong. Taxis drivers puff cigarettes and rev little fiat engines with reckless aggression. The Bazaars are packed and domed mosque ceilings will make you understand real awe for the first time. You can feel the tension in the air, where the west locks horns with the east. There is a deeply human story to behold here. Ottomans and Romans, Byzantine blood is baked into the limestone. I can feel it between the treads of my boots and stirred up in the air.

Turks believe reality is negotiable, something that should be spun and shaped like clay on a wheel. Listen to the minarets wail. Watch Kangal’s float through traffic. Notions are no good here. It’s a fata morgana within reach. Where ships float in the ether and outlandish fantasies are here to be found within the city gate.