Odd Things Happen When You Chop Up Cities and Stack Them Sideways
An interesting article, sure, but there's a small problem. The section of Istanbul that they've chosen (centered here: <a href="https://maps.google.com/?ll=41.044081,29.096603&spn=0.043954,0.090895&t=m&z=14" rel="nofollow">https://maps.google.com/?ll=41.044081,29.096603&spn=0.04...</a>) is actually on the Anatolian side of the Bosphorus, and it's one of the newer neighborhoods. The streets are actually arranged like that because of the terrain, more than because of history.<p>That said, this is a case of being right for the wrong reason. Istanbul is an <i>amazing</i> city to walk through. It's like the worlds largest living maze, and you're never quite sure where you'll pop out.<p>For example, the first time I was there, we turned a corner down an alley to try and get to one of the main roads. The alley started out wide enough for us to walk three-abreast, but quickly narrowed. At some point I looked up and noticed that there was now a roof over our heads. Eventually the alley narrowed to where we had to turn sideways to squeeze past people coming in the opposite direction, and there were shop counters on either side. A few feet more, and we stepped out onto the main street we had been looking for. I turned around, but where I expected to see the alley was, instead, what looked like a regular store-front, identical to all those next to it on either side...<p>But you don't have to believe me. Yandex has great walking maps of Istanbul! Here's the location I was just describing: <a href="http://harita.yandex.com.tr/-/CVeLjW60" rel="nofollow">http://harita.yandex.com.tr/-/CVeLjW60</a>