Although I spent a whole week there, I was tied up in other shoots most of the time. I was following musician extraordinaire Rob Garza, as he met with Yemeni musicians who escaped the brutalist regime there and found refuge in Istanbul. I understood quite fast upon arriving that this city was a melting pot of cultures, stories, music and food. It was an incredible experience to be able to document Rob’s journey and the inspiring stories of his fellow musicians. But looking back, I was on a journey of my own, in the little time that I got to spend photographing the city that I had daydreamed about for so long.

Istanbul has been known by various names throughout its long history, each reflecting different eras and cultures. From Byzantium in ancient Greek times to Constantinople during the Roman and Byzantine periods, and finally Istanbul after the Ottoman conquest, each name signifies a unique chapter in the city’s rich and diverse past.

Unlike my tour of Cairo, people here in Istanbul seemed a little more relaxed and in their own zone, hardly conscious of me and my camera. Perhaps it is because they are so used to tourists.