On a roof in Taksim, Istanbul’s equivalent to Times Square (although less hated by its natives), I stand almost directly above the Bosphorus, the strait that divides the city. If I look right, I have a perfect view across to the old city, with the minarets of the beloved Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, and the Topkapi Palace. Directly across, Asia, and to the left, the Bosphorus Bridge, whose lights sparkle at night. Below me, one of my favorite contrasts: a decrepit and downtrodden building project, deserted before it looked like anything more than a multilevel parking lot.
