In a year that has been one of the most financially crippling in its 500-year history the Grand Bazaar resiliantly raises morale by celebrating today's Republic Day (Cumhuriyet Bayramı) with all the gusto it can summon. Here flags and Atatürk banners bring a festive glow the Yağlıkçılar Sokak, the lively street known for its village-chic textiles and home to the traditional Şark Kahvesi (Oriental Coffee House).
In the first of a new series of weekly blogs, the veteran Istanbul photographer Monica Fritz, whose cover graces the new Cornucopia, shares glimpses of the city at work and play.