Tourism - Istanbul: ‘You're seeing the future' - by Carly Weeks
It's just past 11 p.m. on a stifling Friday night when a group of young revelers bursts into song after a mariachi band in a packed bar serenades their guest of honor with a Spanish-flavored rendition of Happy Birthday. Down the street, a velvet rope and well-dressed doormen mark the entrance to a massive nightclub, ready to turn away anyone who doesn't meet the fashionable dress code. Steps away, young people rifle through racks of impressive fashions at high-end boutiques that welcome shoppers until midnight. Yes, this is Istanbul. According to David Judson, the editor of the Turkish Daily News, “it's the most interesting city in Europe on a Friday or Saturday night.” True, only part of Istanbul actually resides in Europe, the rest in Asia. And though it has been anointed the European Cultural Capital for 2010 even though Turkey is not yet a member of the European Union.
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