I am not comfortable with thinking of Istanbul exclusively in the east-west axis paradigm, since the city itself is not only an east-west cultural bridge in contrast to the currently popular conceptualization of Turkey.
The Bosphorus aroundwhich the first expansions of the city took place and signifies the spirit of Istanbul for many of its fans and inhabitants runs from North to South. Tanpinar catches elegantly this ‘north and south’ spirit in the winds of Istanbul: ‘No seasons in Istanbul, but a never ending struggle between the northerly (poyraz) and southerly (lodos) winds.’
