It is midnight here. The amber glow of the city lights mask the stars which would be shining. Lights twinkle on the second Bosporus bridge over to my left. The Hagia Sophia seems to hover on the distant horizon to the right.
The Golden horn is straight ahead. The Tokapi palace holding it to the west like a continental bookend. Caterpillars seem to crawl at various speeds across the black expanse below me. The deep channel which has bee the East-West divide for centuries. The bridge is now glowing a bright purple; strange and beautiful at the same time. The steady sound of the traffic makes its way to me here. The headlights and tailights seem to merge into one never-ending cambered line. The far bank has a series of old palaces that are neo-classical boxes that are all lit up.

This has been the capital of two of the world's greatest empires. Everything changes with time.