Istanbul, the city of Ottoman opulence (and hair transplants)
It’s the largest city in Europe, spans two continents, has been the capital of three mighty empires – Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman – and is visited each year by some 20 million tourists. These days – and I’m only guessing here based on the scores of battered, bloodied and bandaged scalps I spotted – it’s also the hair transplant capital of the world. Little wonder so many choose to come here for their cosmetic ‘enhancements’ (or ‘maimings’ depending on your view): if there’s one city that understands reinvention, it’s this one. I’m talking, of course, of Istanbul where continents and cultures, Christianity and Islam collide. To my shame, I’d never
