Istanbul the shards of a beautiful mosaic

The Turkish capital, bathed in history, is a testament to accord and discord

Istanbul is a mosaic, in many senses of the word. Relics of history - some well preserved, some badly worn, some merely in bits and shards - are strewn all over this sprawling transcontinental metropolis. At times, cultural and religious images coexisted, or more often, superimposed themselves upon one another.

And if you stare into a mosaic - beautifully beguiling and charmingly chaotic - long enough you may begin to feel that it is melting and flowing toward you, until you meld into it.