Dancing in the streets in Istanbul

One of my favorite things about traveling is encountering the unexpected. In this video, a woman -- most likely another tourist from the Western world like myself -- spontaneously begins to dance to the music of street musicians, causing waiters to abandon their tables and passersby to stop. All join in an impromptu celebration, and for one moment no one is selling anything, no one is tired and grumpy, there's no sense of "us" and "them," there is only a brief and joyous human connection before the woman bows, and continues on her way.

By Necee Regis, Globe correspondent

Video by Necee Regis for the Boston Globe