I’m standing on an ancient rampart on the edge of Istanbul’s old city, looking at an enormous, ruined wall of meticulous construction. It was built in the early 5th century by the Byzantine emperor Theodosius to protect the city of Constantinople, as Istanbul was then known. Even in ruins, it’s an impressive sight. Faced with blocks of well-dressed ( Read more... )

 Istanbul. That magical, spicy word, resonant with history and images. The air is thick here with legends - you could grab them out of the air in fistfuls. With a celebrated history going back 3,000 years, you would expect nothing less. Roman fragments jostle with Ottoman baths, Byzantine ruins with cellphone shops, and everywhere the hectic hustle ( Read more... )