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Today is my day. I will seize the opportunities. I will carpe this diem! The sky is clear and blue on this windy spring morning. The crowd begins early on as the seagulls interrupt the sighting. But I don’t mind them, as I start my daily adventure. I move quickly between the labyrinth pathways of my city. “A mess that we all love” some might call it. Those who disagree do not have my agility…I mean, what’s not to love?! Everything I know about the world is here! For me and my ancestors this city IS the world. Besides, some say that it’s more than three thousand years old. No place can beat that! Enough thinking! I am sensing the delicious mouth watering smell of meat. Unlike some self proclaimed vegetarians, I am completely carnivorous and am proud to be. I know them all: çiğ köfte, manti, shish kebab, midye and oh, there is more! Luckily, I have some of the world’s experts to cook for my sophisticated tastes so I can just continue roaming around. I pass a café and sit in it. For me it is free of charge. I relax next to the other customers with their salep, cigarettes or the black tea. People here are nice and respect my superiority among them. Anyway, I must continue. Today I feel like visiting Asia and so I do, taking the public transportation. Free of charge for me, of course. Arriving in Üsküdar, I see its beautiful bay and feel the sun and the wind combine their forces as they simultaneously reflect the turquoise sea. The seagulls go crazy over here for the fresh fish. But I have something else in mind. First I wink to the Maiden's Tower rising from the sea just for me, as always. Then I go to the mosque. The Yeni Valide Camii, as the other locals call it, radiates with beauty especially in the evenings, when the sunset mixes with the orange lightning that reminds of the color of an egg yolk. This thinking about food gets me hungry, so I go to my men at CIYA Sofrasi. The people here take their cooking tradition extremely seriously, and I get to try their lamb, sarma and fantastic sausages. After the meal I check the market to look at the people being enchanted by the colorful delights and baklavas. Nighttime is coming and I take the ferry back to Europe, to the side known as Beyoğlu. Walking now is more difficult than ever. People around me sing, dance, sell simit and do ice cream tricks to some starry eyed children. Luckily I know the shortcuts! The first timers usually go to the Galata Tower for the best view of the city, but I don’t need that. I’ll just head towards the sound of the last prayer, as I know that this place is the real deal. I cross a bridge feeling the sea breeze in my ears. As I traverse I see some restaurants that try to lure everyone passing in front of them. Everyone except me, as I am a local. I arrive to my destination, the middle between two structures. One, a mosque known as the Sultan Ahmed Camii, the other one, a museum, symbol of the Byzantine Empire and a rare successful clash between Christianity and the Muslim religion, my one and only Aya Sofia! I enter. Unlike the others I can go and visit whenever I want. I might as well take my nap here. Just to show my respect. Morning came, and I stretch my legs. Today I visit another wonder, the Süleymaniye Camii. I walk uphill to reach it and when I arrive I enter the garden to see the morning mint sky reflecting to its marble, so white that it could almost mirror my small figure. I elegantly go to the balcony admiring the view. I can see the ceilings of Istanbul, my Istanbul! These rooftops that I know so well and I have visited so many times, as a real ruler of this city. Not a Muslim, nor a Christian, not a Turk, nor Ottoman. It’s just me, the one and only, the cat!