There were so many people walking on this busy street on a beautiful April day. There are 20 million people living in Istanbul, after all.

Plus some excellent visitors like my friend, Soham, in the striped sleeves. He is the owner of Hamsa Studio in Copenhagen, where we will be visiting and teaching in two weeks.

This is why we were in that neighborhood. I insisted that I had to see the Whirling Dervishes so everyone came along. Dave, Soham, Simon, Mey and Can and me. We were all glad we did. Here they are doing part of the ritual preparations before starting to spin.

They don't go fast. They don't pull or push. They unfold into the motion of the centifugal force. One hand up. One hand down. A clear channel between heaven and earth.

This is the band. Sufi music. Unplugged. The soloist was an old man with the voice of an angel.

From the sublime to the ridiculous. My tall American husband and my very tall friend, Simon. Two silly beans.

Two elegant men: Can Malta, our host who is an absolute prince, and my brilliant, charming and handsome (if I do say so myself) husband, Dave on a cute side street in Istanbul.