Day 14 - We caught a bus to Harran and wandered round the place. It was hot and dusty and I could not imagine how people can live there especially in summer when the temperatures get up over 50 degrees. It seemed a very poor place but apparently they are quite wealthy there due to the GAP project which has enabled the desertlike conditions to be cultivated. The attraction of the place is the bee hive houses which are only found here, in one place in Syria and in Puglia in Italy. We made our way to group of bee hive houses which had been made into a small museum showing how people used to live. I wasn't feeling the greatest but managed to walk round the castle. This little town is only 16 km from the Syrian border and people were talking Arabic unlike in Sanliurfa only 50 km away where Kurdish is spoken.
Back to Sanliurfa for a final walk around the town. Ridvan turned up with the two Australian ladies we'd met at Karadut.


We filled in time till we caught the bus to the main bus station and I was asleep before the bus left and slept solidly all the way to Adana (6 hours). Sue was very impressed as the TV was blaring and the young man across the aisle was constantly texting. Our flight to Antalya was uneventful and we booked into a very nice pension and headed to the beach were I slept on a sun-lounger and swam in the beautiful sea.

The next couple of days were spent seeing friends and it was with a very heavy heart that I left Antalya and returned to the cold and wet to England. Roll on 19th April when my overland trip starts.

Day 13 - After a great breakfast, Ridvan, our guide, collected us and we headed off. He was a good talker but informative and told us a lot about Kurdish history and the life of the Kurds. The Kurds are the largest ethic group of people in the world without their own homeland. We drove through a town called Siverek where people were herding their goats and sheep in the streets. It was a pretty poor looking place and I was very glad I did not live there. After a few miles the scenery just got better and better.
We eventually got to the ferry which took us across the lake which had been created by the Ataturk Dam.
On the other side we continued to climb and go through stunning scenery only held up at one point by a very large digger that was laying pipes. After much good natured tooing and froing we managed to get past. We stopped at the Karadut Pansion where we met two Australian teachers from Brisbane and had coffee before we continued on. Ridvan stopped to pick up an old man who was wearing the baggy trousers that they wear out here and who sat as far away in the back of the car as he could from me. I thought it was because I was 'indecently' dressed but after we had dropped him off at the mosque, Ridvan said it was because if he had touched me he would have had to go through all the ritual washing that is necessary before prayers. Our first glimpse of Mt. Nemrut with its conical mound of small stones at the top was exciting after all the excitement of thinking about this place for so long.


The walk up was fine and the view from the top was magnificent with 360 degrees of beautiful scenery which no photo could do justice to but the stars of the show were of course the heads themselves. Antiochus ordered the building of the temples and his funeral mound on the top of Mt. Nemrut in about 34 B.C. He obviously had ideas of grandeur! The mound was considerably higher but during an earthquake it was reduced and some of heads were toppled from their bodies. We were lucky to be up there by ourselves. There was a small party of Turkish men when we arrived but they went round to the other side of the mountain leaving us alone which was just wonderful as we were able to spend time in peace looking around. I was amazed that Ridvan who must have been up there many times seemed as entranced by the place as we were and took many photos.





He did his best to fill us with the history and to answer our questions. We then went round to the West Terrace where the statues were better preserved. After many more photos and oohs and aahs we gradually made our way down to be met by some panting Germans on their way followed by a young lad on a donkey calling out 'taxi'. I think some of them should have taken advantage of the offer! We went back to the Karadut Pension and had a very good lunch of beans, pilaf, eggs cooked with spicy tomatos and salad and a well deserved Efes Beer. As we came down we met many tour buses coming up for the sunset and we very happy that we were able to see the place without the tourists.
Back at the hotel Ridvan asked me what my goals in life were - at that point in the evening my only goal was a hot shower and a good night's sleep!

Day 11 - We took a dolmus into the old town. By the way dolmus means stuffed and is the name for the small mini buses that roar around the place. The name is very apt as often the bus is crowded to overflowing with people sitting on small stools in the aisle. We spent time looking for the tourist office, unsuccessfully, and managed to see a good deal of the town in our quest. The castle dominates the town to one side but we couldn't go up there as it is used by the army and to the other side are the Mesopatamian Plains which was pretty mind blowing. We visited the museum and I lost Sue temporarily when I followed a man with his donkey laden with grapes and went into his courtyard to talk to his wife.
We got into Mary's church but unfortunately could not get into either of the other Christian churches as they were being renovated. However, an old lady took us into her house and told us she was a Syrian Catholic. I think she was probably trying to sell us something but we escaped with just a couple of photos. Donkeys are used extensively in the market area of the town and ferry everything from cupboards to chairs to fruit and veg etc through the narrow passages of the old bazaar. We walked and walked and visited every mosque, medrese and went down every passage and alley we could find and ended up at the bottom end of town. We caught a dolmus back to the top and eventually found the Cercis Murat Konagi which we had read about in Lonely Planet. It is a restaurant where all the chefs are women and which is pretty smart. Fortunately there were not a lot of other people there mid-afternoon as we were pretty scruffy and hot but we had the most delicious plate of mezze and I would love to get the recipes.



We continued to wander until we felt we had given Mardin a good going over. The only place we missed was the Kervansarayi which housed the Post Office which was always closed when we went past.

Day 12 - Breakfast did not happen so we had simit in a little cafe near bus office. On reaching Sanliurfa we took a taxi (what a luxury) to our hotel which was a lovely old restored Ottoman house. Sanliurfa is a very religious town and a lot of Syrians visit to pay homage to Abraham who was born in a cave there. My singlet and cargo pants did not go down well but I did not care as it was extremely hot. We visited Golbasi which is filled with sacred carp. The whole area is lovely with peaceful ponds and kept beautifully clean. I visited Abraham's cave which was hot and sweaty and I had to wear a long coat to go in. A quick visit was made. We climbed up to the castle which gave a beautiful view of the city and called to women the other side of an alley who were making gozleme (pancake) on a rooftop. We visited the bazaar which is a maze and got lost in the alleys behind the main street. We were given a tour of one place by the custodian which had a beautiful courtyard and a young man asked us into his home where there appeared to be a number of youths living round this courtyard. They wanted us to stay for tea but we kept going. The back alleys were reminiscent of Spain or Italy. By this time I was flagging and we headed back to hotel and had long hot shower which worked reasonably well except the hose had a hole so I ended up with more water on my feet than on my head! A young guy came up and talked to us and we agreed to go with him the following day to see Mt. Nemrut. It was not cheap but we were running out of time and decided it was going to take too long to get there by ourselves.

Day 8 - The problem with a lot of these hotel in Turkey is that they are run by men who they do not see the need for towels that are not elephant grey, toilet paper, sheets that fit the bed and curtains that are occasionally washed. We left the hotel with glee especially when we were able to tell sleezy manager that we would not be doing his tour. He tried to convince us to stay another night and he said he would take us out for a picnic - what an incentive - not. We had breakfast on breakfast street which made up for the lousy hotel and went out to Kars Castle which defeated us as we did not have time to try and find a way up without spending the day there which we didn't want to do. We got offered a lift back into town with a young man and his child. He spoke excellent English which he said he had learnt at school. After collecting bags we took bus back to Akdamar and fortunately the weather was beautiful to we took the boat over to see the Armenian church. This church was used as a church for the first time in many years just a couple of weeks ago and was why the Armenian Frenchman was in the country. Lovely lovely spot and the church was beautiful.

Back on the mainland, the guys from the ferry spot organised the bus to stop for us and we were dropped at the otogar outside Bitlis. A quick ride on the service bus took us into Bitlis itself and dropped us outside the hotel. Hotel was good and the people in the hotel charming. Dumped bags and headed out to investigate. Wonderful town with old stone houses. It is not a tourist destination so we got a lot of attention but in a good way. Back at the hotel, the owner sent Gorkan out to buy us a couple of beers and after those (no visible alcohol in this town) went back into town to a litle lokanta to eat lentil soup and meat and aubergine stew. Delicious. Good night except for the police banging on my neighbour's door at 3.00 in morning.

Day 9 - Sue rang me at 7.30 to suggest we stay another night here and I was very happy to agree. Met for breakfast and as you will probably realise by now plumbing is interesting in Turkey. Sue had cold water in her shower but hot water in her toilet. She was wondering whether to wash her clothes in the loo! We had a great day in this town. Firstly we walked up to Ihlasiye Medresi which was an Islamic school but now used by Council buildings. A guide walked us round outside and showed us the prison and the tombs and then we went into the main building. Unfortunately we could not get into the best looking room because the Mudur (manager) was in there but we hung around for a bit and he came out eventually and invited us in. We declined the offered tea and headed back into town. We could not get into the castle as it was being restored - too heavily for my liking but enjoyed walking round the town gathering children as we went. Little girls are sweet but the boys tend to be cheeky but are usually driven off by an adult passing by.

We had the great fortune to be nearly run over by a white van driver. Now whilst this may sound strange, he did us an enormous favour as he got us into the most amazing building. He got the owner of the building to open it up for us and it was beautiful. It was currently being used as a storage area for supermarket trollies and large jars of pickles and olives. The painted work on the wood was detailed and beautiful and there was even a little hamam and a water cooling system. Our new found friend conducted us around the town and, as we were ready to try and lose him, took us into a restaurant which served tandir kebab and disappeared. Tandir kebab is lamb cooked in a hole in the ground over steam and succulent and delicious. We ate an enormous amount plus pide, salad and three colas between us and it only cost 24 TL (about 10 pounds) for the two of us.
Continued to wander round town and bought jar of honey which replaced the Orhan Pamuk book which I had with relief finished and ditched my hot water bottle in a vain attempt of lightening my load. Took a dolmus out to a Kervansaray which was a huge disappointment as it had been rebuilt rather than restored and looked like a car park. Another visit to last night's lokanti for soup but rather spoilt that by going next door for baklava.

Day 10 - After breakfast we took our bags to the bus office and Sue went off to look at Bitlis from the hill above and I went to get my shoes repaired. I had bought them in Turkey a year or so ago and love them even though they are looking pretty tatty. I chatted to the man while he was working on my shoes and when it came to payment time, he refused to take any money. I eventually managed to persuade him to take something but he would only accept 1 lira (40p). Bus to Hasenkeyf was hot, slow and the driver quite manic. He smoked constantly, talked for 3 and a half hours on his mobile, drove slowly on straight good roads and like a lunatic round the sharp bends. Of course we made it in one piece even if nerves were a little shattered. Hasankeyf proved to be a bit of a disappointment in part because we could not get up to the citadal or walk along the valley due to a rock having fallen and killed someone a few weeks previously. In my cynical mood, I think probably the Turkish government has stopped tourists getting into the site because they are planning to flood the whole area. It would be a terrible shame and a lot of the funding from overseas has been cancelled because of the furore concerning this flooding. We were escorted by two little girls around the area where we could walk. They were aged about 10 and tried very hard to practice their English unlike the boys who just yell 'hello' 'goodbye'. The landscape is pretty hard and one of the girls lived in a cave until recently. Our onward journey proved a little difficult as all the dolmuses were full. We waited by the side of the road and eventually one very full dolmus stopped but the driver opened the back, pushed the bags aside and we sat of a little bench sitting sideways and had a very bumpy, uncomfortable and dusty journey to Midyat where we changed buses for Mardin. It was dark by the time we arrived in Mardin and we were just working out how to find the Ogretmin Evi (Teacher's house) when a car roared up and loaded my bag into it and Sue turned round to see me yelling for her to come as I piled into back of car. These young guys roared round to the Ogretmin Evi and bundled us out and roared off again. I love the Turkish people, so helpful and never (or most often) not wanting anything more than a thank you. The Evi was clean and spacious and we chatted to a young teacher who took us to a bar where we drank expensive red wine and ate bad toasted sandwiches.

After an early start and a good breakfast with the most delicious honey, we headed to bus station and met up with most of the others from yesterday's trip. They were all headed off to interesting destinations and we boarded our service bus which took us to quite the worst otogar I have ever been too where after a few minutes the bus that was standing at the first bus station drove in. It was a rather smelly bus and caused Sue to drape a wet-wipe over her nose. We bumped out way to Igidir where we changed buses and bumped over another hour of roads until we arrived in Dogabayazit. Dogabayazit was the last town on the hippie trail before Iran and I remember my friend Jill saying it was a terrible dump so my hopes were not high. However, it was a clean tidy town with a lovely atmosphere. We later found out that the mayor is a Kurdish woman and the town showed the woman's touch! The little hotel was friendly and although the plumbing left a little to be desired I evenutally discovered how to stop the toilet was permanently running and how to turn on the tap without it coming off in my hand. We took a bus up to Ishak Pasa Palace which had been restored but still retained its charm.
Onwards we walked to Eski Bayazit which must have been magnificent in its time but apart from the mosque, it was little more than a ruin.
Whilst waiting for the bus back we got chatting to a Turkish girl who was studying to be an English teacher. She offered a place back to town on their mini bus so we piled on plus a couple of Italian girls we had met. Back in town Sue was chatted up by a man who worked for the Council and he took us into the Council offices and gave us books about the town.

Day 7 - Off to Van. The scenery was magnificent but we couldn't get our bearings on arrival and had to be led to our hotel, if you could call the dump that. Basic was an understatement but for 25 TL you don't expect the Ritz. The Manager was sleezy and tried his best to sell us a tour to Akdamar but we headed off on our own after many a false start to find the bus station. A lovely old man eventually led us there with his little granddaughter trotting along beside him. I tried to give her some money for sweets but Granddad said 'no'. We arrived at Akdamar in pouring rain so went to the restaurant opposite and had lake fish which were a sardine like fish with lots of bones but delicious. Back into Van and we wandered round town in the rain but did not get to like the place much. Fortunately Van was the last place that we did not like. There was a wedding going on opposite the hotel but I was so tired I did not even hear the call to prayer in the morning.

Day 5 - Sue had had a call after we had gone to bed asking us if we wanted to join a tour to Ani so we were up and out early for the journey there. Our travelling companions were diverse and interesting - Polish, American, German and a French Armenian. We had long wanted to visit Ani and it did not disappoint. Ani was once the Armenian capital but is now a series of ruins overlooking the Turkish-Armenian border. We could actually see the fence dividing the two countries but there was no sign of the military on either side. It is an incredibly atmospheric site and we felt the three hours we had there was just not enough. It is a place that I really hope to revisit and to spend a little more time without feeling that I had to run!

After a delicious of meat and eggplant at a Lokanta, we headed out to see Kars. It poured with rain on and off all afternoon and that combined with the mud and an overall slightly sinister feeling about the place, did not endear us to the place. It was obviously a place of importance in the past and was occupied by the Russians at one time so had some fine buildings, rather lovely Mosques and a castle that dominates the town but I still did not like the place even when some in-bred offered me seks! We found a bar and listened to music and whilst wandering around trying to find hotel again, we saw the French Armenian guy eating pide so joined him. He was making a documentary about the Armenian genocide and I was quite worried that the security police would rush in and arrest us all but I don't think anyone could understand his strong French accent!

Day 3 - We had an early start and made out way to the station with great excitement. Our train was waiting and a very helpful guard helped up with our bags. Our room was comfortable with a little fridge which turned out to be warmer than the room itself and a wash basin. The toilet was ok but it was early in the journey! I bought a sade acma (a bun with a hole in the middle) and tea for breakfast and the train got under away. We passed places we knew - Pendik, Hereke, Sapance and then on to new territory passing by fruit orchards and small towns. At Pamukova people with large packages got on and the people at the end of our carriage started making a movie - yes literally a movie with people running up and down the corridor with bloody sheets and lots of drama happening. Our next door neighbours were a Canadian couple and Ross was very interested in birds and he and Sue were able to exchange notes on birds they saw. My great contribution turned out to be a crow! I think I need to swot up a bit more. After 10 hours we arrived in Ankara (it takes 5 hours on the bus - this train is never going to beat any speed records but a great way to travel). We got off the train and went to the Bufe to buy bread etc for tomorrow's breakfast. Caused great confusion as I got food for Margaret-Ann too (Ross's wife) so there was a long rather ratty queue behind us by the time we finished. Our steward made up our very comfy beds for the night and after dinner in the dining car (very average) and a couple of glasses of red wine had a great night apart from noisy soldiers going up and down the corridor at some stage during the night.

Day 4 - Got up and crept out to have tea in the restaurant car. We were going along a small stream which we later identified as the Euphrates. The time passed bird watching, reading and tut-tutting at the environmental tragedies which we could see from the train - dams, new roads, quarries abounded. More interesting were the irrigation systems which were obviously old but still in use. Scenery changed many times but was particularly good going through the mountains with the Euphrates constantly running along side the train (or vice versa). Ross and Margaret-Ann got off in Erzarum and the last 4-5 hours of the journey dragged somewhat as it was dark. Eventually got into Kars and took a taxi to the hotel which was a bit of a dump - I had a room for six people and slept pretty well.

Trip to Eastern Turkey - Day 1

Day one was pretty uneventful. Flew to Istanbul and apart from being kept waiting for ages at airport because they had to cancel my resident's permit (even though it was out of date) and battling with my new backpack which turned out to be a disaster - never buy a Berhaus Jalan 65 + 15 unless you are much stronger and bigger than me, I met Sue in Sultahnamet. Hostel had mixed up our booking and we were taken to a flat which was a lot better than being in the hostel so that worked out ok.

Day two was spend in Istanbul and we went to Kucuk Aya Sophia which I had not seen as it was being restored when I was last there. I then was able to take Sue to a Mosque that I had been to in the past and that she did not know. Not easy to find somewhere that Sue has not been. The same miserable caretaker was there as before but the Mosque has beautiful tiles and it is worth braving his disagreeableness (is that a word) to see them. We walked through the Spice Market which was packed and then took a boat ride down the Golden Horn. It was good to see that the Iron Church (Bulgarian Church) was being restored. I will have to visit next time I am in Istanbul as last time I went by it was closed. I so love this city and can't wait to visit again. We then took the ferry to Kadikoy where we stayed the night in a very noisy and hot hostel. We ate in the town and bought supplies for the train in the wonderful market - delicious olives, cheese, mucver (zucchini fritters), tomatos and grapes.