Istanbul

Most who have been to Istanbul remember the city like this:

Or this:

Those are Ayasofya and the Blue Mosque doing what they do best: look great at sunset. But me, I love to head down to the waterfront and take in stuff like this:

The ship traffic is total chaos - and therefore very entertaining.

Once again, I had an excellent time in Istanbul. And once more, I'll spare you the details. But I do have many photos, most of an archaeological nature:










Yeah, that's Marcus Aurelius again above. He pops up everywhere - and he's generally well-preserved, too. Speaking of that, here's Tiberius yet again:










And these were all from the Archaeological Museum, which is one of the best in the world. It's huge, extensive and completely engrossing.

Here's the thing about Istanbul: it's ancient and bustling, but it has no analogue. It's not like an ancient New York. It's not like a much-warmer London. It's large and old enough to have its own identity. That's why I like it so much. Each year, thousands of Turks flood in from far-flung parts of Anatolia to get a piece of the action. I like cities with lots of energy and Istanbul is a powerhouse in that department. Seriously, there is no other place like it on earth.