Already I feel the seductive subtleties that Istanbul has to offer. And, I am, instantly in love. The scenery intrigues me as the airport shuttle passes under the ancient stone wall, once marking the city’s boundary, and drives along the Bosphorus Strait. Lined with grass, we pass friends and families enjoying the day by the water. Bundles of balloons mark each group’s festivities—which is reminiscent of scenes from a movie—and brings me a rush of happiness.

Once in the city, I experience the buzz and get to know the city’s rhythm. It is a melting pot of east and west: for each head scarf there is a pair of shorts (adorned by either a man or woman) to match. Amongst the younger generation there is an impeccable attention to fashion, no matter their skin-revealing preference. The streets are lined with a countless number of cafes populated with people sipping Turkish tea and coffee; sidewalk shops display socks, electronics and home goods; vendors sell juice freshly squeezed from oranges and pomegranates while others sell simit (bagel-like bread rings); and men push wooden carts topped with an assortment of objects—which brings a sudden exposure to everything transported back home which goes unnoticed behind the walls of semi-trucks.

Mosques sprinkle the city’s skyline, becoming one with the city’s identity—they are simultaneously imbedded into the city’s aesthetic beauty, history, and function. Speakers hang from each mosque’s pillars vibrating throughout the day with Adhan, the call for devotees to pray.