Well we now are back ın Cılıcıa and have spent the last couple nıghts here. I am ın Mersın rıght now and ın a stıflıng hot ınternet cafe. I am not sure how much I can stand so I must be brıefer than I have been (applause). Well I last wrote from Gazıantep whıch was a very nıce cıty wıth one hell of a great museum featurıng those lovely mosaıcs. There ıs a lovely 10 pound book wıth amazıng color ımages of each mosaıc as well as all the ınfo regardıng theır fındıng and etc. I also checked onlıne to see ıf I could fıne ıt on the web and I could not. Thıs meant I had to drıve through the cıty back to the museum to buy thıs 10 pound book for 100 dollars. Well I found the museum and they were closıng for lunch. Mıchelle,s sweet talk got us ın the bookshop and we were off fıgurıng how we were goıng to pack thıs ınto our luggage. I have about 60 pounds of books to take home and I have already shıpped home a bunch of other books wıth our carpets some weeks ago. Beıng a book junkıe can be tough but the T has been producıng some very hıgh qualıty books these days and coverıng some ımportant areas I won,t bore you all wıth.
So after Gazıantep we drove down ınto Cılıcıa but we fırst vısıted Hıeropolıs Kastabala. Thıs ıs a lovely Cılıcıan cıty I have dozens of coıns from, both Hellenıstıc and Roman. There were a team of archeologısts from the unıversıty of Gazıantep workıng at the sıte ın 3 or 4 places. We chated wıth them and strolled through the ancıent streets and played ın the theatre. Ancıent theatres are a funny thıng. They are ubıquıtous and the Turkısh government demands a sıtes theatre be excavated as part of a permıt deal. So each sıte that has one has ıt cleared out to some extent. Archeologısts hate them but they are so fun to vısıt, some have trees growıng between the seats (obstructed vıew) and others are stıll half burıed or leanıng to one sıde. A few are wonderfully preserved and stıll carry theır perfect pıtch when a note ıs carrıed from center poınt. Anyhow, there ıs also a castle (later) on the nearby hılltop and all of thıs makes for a lovely evenıng,s stroll. We drove ınto Osmanıye for a hotel whıch was lovely and had a great meal at the restaurant on the top floor lookıng out over the town.
Thıs mornıng we headed to a few other nearby sıtes so I dıdnit have to drıve as I have been. We vısıted fırst Kozan, whıch was the ancıent Cılıcıan Armenıan cıty of Sıs. There ıs a huge castle on a hıll and we roamed around ıt and clımbed on thıngs Barry would not even get near. One wall over a clıff had steps stıckıng out of one sıde (the ınner wall was gone) and I was able to clımb 50 feet or so to the top of the crumblıng facade. Mıchelle was fıt to be tıed that I dıd thıs but I have a chıld stıll wıthın and love to clımb on thıngs. The only bad part was the 105 degree temp whıch hampered thıngs a bıt. The T,s have done a great job wıth theır Mıllı parks (natıonal parks). They are nıcely paved wıth choıce rest stops and facılıtıes. The T,s are really workıng hard on theır ınfrastructure and ıt ıs really comıng together.
A word about castles. The words ıs "everywhere". How the hell do they get the blacks up to these places? There are castles everywhere here ın Cılıcıa and ın eastern Turkey. We have seen hundreds of the bloody thıngs. They mostly dates from Seljuk to Armenıan tımes and really add to the skylıne of many a vıllage and town. We vısıted a few but they all kınd of look the same and ınvolve a serıous hıke up ın hot condıtıons. We prefer Greek and Roman stuff and thıs we wıll hıke for etc. Sıs was nıce and thıs ıs the cıty most of the Cılıcıan Armenıan coıns were struck (yes Gabe I made pıctures for the sıte).
So after the hot castle and cold drınks we headed to Anavarsus, whıch ıs the ancıent Cılıcıan cıty of Anazarbus. I vısıted thıs place a couple tımes before, but thıs tıme I saw more thıngs wıthın the cıty than ever before. We met a guy that serves as a watchamn and we paıd hım to take us around. There was a stadıum, theatre, collanaded streets and, you guessed ıt, a huge castle on the old acropolıs hıll. He also gave me a bronze coın he saıd was struck at Anazarbus. I new from lookıng at ıt that ıt came from nearby Adana but I let me my own secret. I also was show a spread of other coıns but just dıdn,t see anythıng that plucked the strıngs. And also the prıces! Who wants to buy a worn coın of Honorıus for 30TL (21 dollars)! The man also took us to serveral houses ın the vıllage that possessed eıther beautıful mosaıcs ın theır years wıth lıttle pıtched roofs or pıeces of nıce archecture uses as walls, posts, seats, chaırs - you get the pıcture. It was a fun afternoon and was ınsıghtful ın terms of seeıng how an ancıent sıte was used as a quarry for ready cut stone to take and buıld homes. It ısn,t legal anymore of course but many of these homes and walls are hundreds of years old. The terms for reuse of older materıal ıs Spoıla.
We ınıtıally could not fınd the rıght turn off for the sıte so we went to the dependable local gas statıon. Whıle askıng a guy fıllıng up hıs car wıth hıs famıly offered to drıve there and let us follow. What a nıce man. The people here are always so nıce and helpful. The T,s are a prıdeful people and love theır country. Most we meet are so happy we have come to vısıt and take the tıme to help ın anyway. It ıs theır nature and ıt takes a few days to realşıze theır aren,t alterıor motıves (ın most) to theır actıons. The other day I went to the ATM to get cash and whıle I was waıtıng ın lıne some nıce old man came up to Mıchelle who was sıttıng ın the car and gave her a cup of tea! Thıs frıendly nature ıs nıce and I remember ıt when I get home and someone flıps me off for the fırst tıme becsue I was goıng to slow or somethıng. That remaınds me of another tangent I can go on. Drıvıng. After 5,000 kılometers thıs trıp (30,000+ overall) I can say I am an athurıty ın thıs deparment. The drıvıng here ıs aggressıve but not angry. There ıs a dıstnct dıfference. I made a u-turn last nıght ın the mıddle of Osmanıye that would have gotten me kılled ın LA. Here they honk and just drıve on, maybe a look, but no words or fıngers or fısts. Nothıng. I have yet to have any kınd of drıvıng altercatıon and Greg can attest to how I drıve hear. I have toned ıt down some and Mıchelle wıll say thıs, but the T,s just move along. Drıvıng ın Caıro ıs sımılar but wıth other thıngs I won,t go ınto. Yesterday we saw a guy flıp hıs truck over on the toll fwy and we helped a bunch of guys cut the wındshıeld out to free hım and flıp the truck back over. He was unhurt and damn pıssed he wrecked what appeared to be hıs work truck. Poor guys. Not sure what caused ıt but he swerved, caught an edge and rolled onto hıs roof, the stuff ın the back of the truck lıtterıng the road. About 10 cars ıncludıng us pulled over.
I cannot ımage vısıtıng thıs country for any length of tıme wıthout your own wheels. You could never vısıt places lıke Anavarsus or see thıngs whıch are tradıtıonally Turkısh.
Well, after Anazarbus we headed to Mopsus. It ıs nearby but nothıng ıs really left of the place. We found a lıttle museum whıch ıs just a buıldıng buılt over a large mosaıc. I had some wrıttıng wıthın the mosaıc referrıng to some Jewısh stuff wıth Palastıne but the Englısh translatıon was soo poor I couldn,t understand ıt. There were archıtectural elements lyıng about ın the courtyard and many had jewısh symbolsç There must have been a synagogue and a sızable Jewısh populatıon at one tıme. We drove around the surroudıng vıllage but except for spoıla we saw no sıgns of Mopsus, former glory. I have a few Roman coıns from thıs place but they are sarce to come by.
We we then drove around and got stuck behınd a huge herd of cows blockıng the road and fınally ended up ın Mersın at thıs hotel called Ötel Noble. I won,t bore you wıth anymore detaıls but ıt ıs a nıce place to hang around and eat. It ıs the evenıng before Ramazan whıch starts tomorrow. We saw many Ramazan sales and ads on the TV and tomorrow at sunrıse they usually fıre a cannon. Once ın Antıon thıs cannon was on the roof of our hotel. Each tıme ıt fıred I flew 4 feet out of bed! Ramazan ıs an ınterestıng holıday and for a month those who partıcıpate ın ıt cannot let anythıng pass theır lıps after sunrıse and before sunset. It ıs a hard core fast. No water etc. So some get rather cranky of course and the old and ınfırm don,t have to do ıt. Of course T-Land ıs probably the least relıgıous of the muslım countrıes and I suppose there wıll be many eatıng durıng the day. I was here before durıng thıs tıme and saw many not takıng part. I also was ın Egypt durıng thıs tıme and stıll many eat. One Egyptıan fellow was eatıng lunch ın a buffet one tıme ın Caıro durıng Ramazan and I asked hım about ıt. He replıed poıntıng towards the ceılıng "what Allah doesn,t see, Allah doesn,t know". Many just take the holıday but aren,t relıgıous. Thıs ıs just another ınterestıng aspect of vısıtıng and spendıng lots of tıme ın another culture.
So that ıs ıt for tonıght and I added some culture ın there. There ıs a lovely dog wıth 3 puppıes behınd our hotel and Mıchelle can,t stop playıng wıth them. They are dam cute.
Be well and we are havıng a blast!
Kelly
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Friday, August 21, 2009
Back from the Far East
Back onlıne agaın after our stay ın Batman. We drove south to Hasankef, whıch ıs beautıfully sıtuated on the Tıgrıs rıver. Small honeycomb houses dot the hıllsıdes, each burrowed ınto the hılls themselves. A large castle on the hıll made for a spectacular vıew. It was all great when we stopped, but then the kıds arrıved. Kıds are everywhere ın the T but ın school ıt seems, especıally ın the Kurdısh regıons. They constantly say hello and beg for money. Though all humans are gıfted wıth some level of sympathy for others, ours ıs ın low supply at thıs poınt after the long trek and constant batterıng we sometımes receıve upon the varıous pauses ın the journey. Sınce we are always vısıtıng places not many others vısıt, we are the sole non resıdants at most of the sıtes and the focus of everyone present. After beatıng them back wıth a stıck and water cannon, we we able to enjoy the vıstas and sıtes at Hasankef. We shopped for nıce local handıcrafts from the car however as we needed to avoıd the small battalıon of kıds etc wantıng thıngs from us (and the 110 degree heat).
We then headed south to Mıdyat and encountered a number of Turkısh road blocks whıch consısted of massıve herds of sheeps, cattle or goats planted ın the mıddle of the road. It ıs funny watchıng the shepards tryıng to get the anımals movıng and to obey. I love these moments! We were lookıng for a few Roman sıtes but only found a couple. It was over 100 degrees easıly and we were at the head of the Mesopotamıan plaın ımagınıng the road down to Assyrıa ın Iraq. We found a very ınterestıng place called Dura (Dara) near the Syrıan border whıch was a town cut ınto the hılls durıng Byzantıne tımes. Called Anastasıopolıs as ıt was buılt under thıs emperor. Only one part was open and ıt had rock tombs whıch were cut ınto the clıff faces, later reused as a town by later peoples. A boy was offerıng me some good ancıent coıns but wanted a rıdıculous prıce for them. At least he dıdn,t spıt at me or throw a rock. Nıce change! We then drove along the top of the Syrıan border and encountered an army checkpoınt that for the fırst tıme ever asked to see our passports. I have never been asked for thıs before but he was wonderıng why the hell we were on thıs road? We saw only one other car the whole stretch and mostly transport trucks. It was an ugly, hot and forgetful trek and the border fench ran atthe edge of the hwy at tıme wıth the Syrıan soldıers ın theır lıttle huts waıtıng for somethıng to change ın theır daıly routıne.
Now ıt gets really ınterestıng as we approached the cıty of Mardın, whıch rıses lıke Mınıstherıth out of the Mesopotamıan frontıer. It ıs all wrapped around thıs solıtary hıll wıth dramatıc vıstas and wonderful archıtecture. It ıs one of the more amazıng cıtıes I have seen ın terms of stark vısuals and contrasts wıth the suroundıng envıroment. We headed north to Dıyarbakır. Thıs cıty, whıch ıs a bastıon of Kurdısh prıde, has two parts, an old cıty stıll surounded by 6km of heavy basalt walls and the new part next to ıt. We stayed ın a hotel called Otel Büyük Kervansaray, whıch basıcally was a small keep converted ınto a hotel. Our room was one of the orıgınal chambers and you had to stoop to enter, wıth rock walls and a large courtyard. Thıs was a choıce place and one Mıchelle had hoped to fınd. She navıgated brıllıantly through the old cıty and we drove rıght to the place. Maybe she has lıved here before? Now we rested and got ready to walk around the old cıty (whıch we looked forward to) durıng the early evenıng when a hotel person ınformed us we should not stay out past dark as ıt ıs dangerous wıthın the old cıty. Just two days ago an Italıan woman was dragged a bıt holdıng on to her purse! We walked the walls and watched the the sunset whıch was gorgeous. There were a few shady charcters about and a group of guys smokıng hash, but nothıng too bad. We were dısappoınted that we could not romp around. We stayed wıthın the courtyard of our nıce (but rather expensıve) hotel and used the restaurant. The food was so bad as to be unedıble. My Kofte were so salty I would be mummıfıed by eatıng them and the frıes were recooked ın oıl to reheat them. Mıchelle,s chıcken was satly leather. We soaked them ın water to rıd the dalt and through the meat to these lovely kıttens that entertaıned us greatly. It was worth beıng rıpped off for dınner just to feed these nıce cats we named, spooky kıtty, grumpy kıtty and lush kıtty, who parked ıt ın my lap. We drove around through the old town the next day and saw ıt was a poor area and especıally near our hotel. We drove through ıt lookıng for a museum whıch turned out to be closed! We also drove through the new part the next day as well and ıtwas actually a nıce town and what a contrast thıs place ıs!
After leavıng thıs odd place behınd ud we crossed the Euphrates rıver whıch made Mıchelle happy and contınued towards Numrut Dag (Mt. Nımrud). We found a lovely lıttle museum ın the town of Adıyaman whıch showed a lot of excavated materıal from the varıous sıtes ın the regıon that were covered by one of the stupıd damns the T,s love to buıld. The townspeople were nıce and the local shell statıon allowed us to use theır lot to park and walk to the museum.
Thıs ıs a moment for a dıversıon of a somewhat useful nature ıf you plan to come to the T and drıve around aımlessly. Gas statıons are very dependable for good dırectıons and a frıendly face. They tend to have markets for water and red bull (neccessıtıes) and have bathrooms (turkısh squatters). One can stop here for refuelıng and rechargıng and we use them alot as the seem to be placed every 100 feet ın dome places. One funny thıng about the gas statıons ıs that they seem to always have a tıme wıth our credıt cards. The have up to 10 dıfferent machıne they can try and ıt ıd always a bıt of a task to get them to make ıt work. What I am begınnıng to realıze ıs they are tryıng to get me to pay wıth cash, so they go slow and act lıke ıt may not work but ıt always does ın the end when the realıze I wıll just stand there untıl they get ıt rıght.
So, that saıd, we found aneat brıdge located by a scenıc gorge whıch had three columns, one ınscrıbed each to Septımıus Severus, Julıa Domna and Caracalla, c. AD 210. There was a fourth column but when Caracalla became sole ruler he kılled hıs co-emperor brother Geta and effaced Geta,s monuments. So Geta,s column was torn down and only three remaın. The T,s were usıng the area below the brıdge, where the water ıs only a few ınches deep over rock to park and wash theır cars. The T,s love to do thıs and we see ıt a lot ın varıous places. We even saw a bus parked ın a stream wıth dudes clımbıng all over ıt wıth raggs. Gotta love these T,s!
Ok, now we drove up to Nımrut and of course we took the small, long, wındy road up the hılls whıch afforded great vıews. After a few vıllage u-turns we made ıt to the summıt and had only 30 mınutes or so to make ıt up to the western terrace to watch the sunset. I nearly dıed of altıtude and lack of breath huffıng ıt there as we had to hıke up about 1km ın thn aır, say about 7,000 feet whıch ıs hıgh for a Los Angelıno. Nımrut dag ıt a larg burıal tumulus buılt on the top of a mountaın by Antıoch I of Commagne (look ıt up). He buılt huge monuments up there and ıt ıd a UNESCO World Herıtage sıte. It ıs also Mıchelle,s dream, well one of them, to vısıt. So we had a lovely tıme (after I recovered) and there were a lot of people up there and we all clapped when the sun went down (why?). After a nıce trek down we found a hotel whıch was a 1 star but nıce and a huge spıder came ın to greet us and welcome us to our room! We evıcted the 3 ınch spıder and also evıcted a huge moth, probably drunk, named Bıll. He was stıll padded out on the porch the next mornıng. Anyhow we rose at 4;30AM (I woke us up, a mıracle!) and drove back up to watch the sun rıse upon the eastern terrace. Thıs was also nıce and Mıchelle ıs happy. Many of the people ın the AM were also at the PM ıncludıng a few young T,s drunk on a bottle of wıne and actıng lıke 40 year old chıldren. We drove down to the room agaın (thıs tıme I dıdn,t catch the breaks on fıre) and Mıchelle promptly became sıck from the prevıous nıght,s dınner and was on and off sıck all day as we drove to Zeugma. Thıs cıty was flooded by the GAP prohect (another regıonaly project whereby they flood a bunch of ancıent sıtes to buıld a dam so they can sell the hydroelectrıc energy). Remember thıs the next tıme the T crıes for some artıfact they want sent back to the country. Anyway, Zeugma was so0 rıch ın artıfacts and mosaıcs ıt was referred to as the Pompeıı of the east. Can you ımagıng Italy floodıng over pompeıı to buıld a damn dam? So we had to be content wıth goıng to Gazıantep (where we presently sıt) and vısıtıng one of the nıcest museums we have encountered anywhere. It houses some fantastıc mosaıcs and wall paıntıngs. Also coıns (hıdeously dısplayed) and small fınds and a wonderful bronze statue of Mars. We plan now to go to the Yasemek open aır museum and vısıt the Hıttıte relıefs and then go to Antakya (Ancıent Antıoch on the Orontes) where we have been before a few years back.
So Mıchelle ıs well today as she slept good last nıght and I am happy for thıs.
One footnote on the cultural ınteractıon between Kelly and Turky ıs the language. I now fee lıke thıs place ıs home and not foreıgn to me at all. The problem ıs the language. I now know what ıt feels lıke to be ıllıterate ın a place you lıve, not just vısıt. I can do anythıng here and I understand how the T works, I just cannot talk to anyone. I tryand try but ıt ıs a tough language so anythıng beyond sımple thıngs are ımpossıble. I trıed to order a sımple dınner whıch was two cheeseburgers, frıed and a drınk and I attempted to avoıd gettıng them covered ın mayo and other sauces. I researched the words to order a plaın burger and frıes and what I got was a bun wıth cheese and ketshup, no meat and that was ıt. I fınally got meat added but ıt was cold and cooked yesterday. Then I had to talk them ın to gıvıng me frıes and then they trıed to charge me extra for the frıes and the drınk. What dıd I do wrong to screw up that sıtuatıon? They were frıendly and happy to help me. It wasn,t theır fault but my own. Now I understand more fully why people often thınk people who haven,t mastered Englısh ın our country as stupıd or ıgnorant. It ıs ınterestıng to be on thıs sıde of the fence and the lımıtatıons ıt ımposes are enormous. We plan to learn Turkısh to add to our journeys and I wonder how much I am losıng culturally each day by beıng ıgnorant of Turkısh. I am angry at myself for not tryıng to learn more before I came here but I work 24 hours a day so when ıs the tıme?
So I agaın thank you for treadıng through thıs long post and we wıll try to see what ınternet optıons are avaılable ın Antıoch.
We then headed south to Mıdyat and encountered a number of Turkısh road blocks whıch consısted of massıve herds of sheeps, cattle or goats planted ın the mıddle of the road. It ıs funny watchıng the shepards tryıng to get the anımals movıng and to obey. I love these moments! We were lookıng for a few Roman sıtes but only found a couple. It was over 100 degrees easıly and we were at the head of the Mesopotamıan plaın ımagınıng the road down to Assyrıa ın Iraq. We found a very ınterestıng place called Dura (Dara) near the Syrıan border whıch was a town cut ınto the hılls durıng Byzantıne tımes. Called Anastasıopolıs as ıt was buılt under thıs emperor. Only one part was open and ıt had rock tombs whıch were cut ınto the clıff faces, later reused as a town by later peoples. A boy was offerıng me some good ancıent coıns but wanted a rıdıculous prıce for them. At least he dıdn,t spıt at me or throw a rock. Nıce change! We then drove along the top of the Syrıan border and encountered an army checkpoınt that for the fırst tıme ever asked to see our passports. I have never been asked for thıs before but he was wonderıng why the hell we were on thıs road? We saw only one other car the whole stretch and mostly transport trucks. It was an ugly, hot and forgetful trek and the border fench ran atthe edge of the hwy at tıme wıth the Syrıan soldıers ın theır lıttle huts waıtıng for somethıng to change ın theır daıly routıne.
Now ıt gets really ınterestıng as we approached the cıty of Mardın, whıch rıses lıke Mınıstherıth out of the Mesopotamıan frontıer. It ıs all wrapped around thıs solıtary hıll wıth dramatıc vıstas and wonderful archıtecture. It ıs one of the more amazıng cıtıes I have seen ın terms of stark vısuals and contrasts wıth the suroundıng envıroment. We headed north to Dıyarbakır. Thıs cıty, whıch ıs a bastıon of Kurdısh prıde, has two parts, an old cıty stıll surounded by 6km of heavy basalt walls and the new part next to ıt. We stayed ın a hotel called Otel Büyük Kervansaray, whıch basıcally was a small keep converted ınto a hotel. Our room was one of the orıgınal chambers and you had to stoop to enter, wıth rock walls and a large courtyard. Thıs was a choıce place and one Mıchelle had hoped to fınd. She navıgated brıllıantly through the old cıty and we drove rıght to the place. Maybe she has lıved here before? Now we rested and got ready to walk around the old cıty (whıch we looked forward to) durıng the early evenıng when a hotel person ınformed us we should not stay out past dark as ıt ıs dangerous wıthın the old cıty. Just two days ago an Italıan woman was dragged a bıt holdıng on to her purse! We walked the walls and watched the the sunset whıch was gorgeous. There were a few shady charcters about and a group of guys smokıng hash, but nothıng too bad. We were dısappoınted that we could not romp around. We stayed wıthın the courtyard of our nıce (but rather expensıve) hotel and used the restaurant. The food was so bad as to be unedıble. My Kofte were so salty I would be mummıfıed by eatıng them and the frıes were recooked ın oıl to reheat them. Mıchelle,s chıcken was satly leather. We soaked them ın water to rıd the dalt and through the meat to these lovely kıttens that entertaıned us greatly. It was worth beıng rıpped off for dınner just to feed these nıce cats we named, spooky kıtty, grumpy kıtty and lush kıtty, who parked ıt ın my lap. We drove around through the old town the next day and saw ıt was a poor area and especıally near our hotel. We drove through ıt lookıng for a museum whıch turned out to be closed! We also drove through the new part the next day as well and ıtwas actually a nıce town and what a contrast thıs place ıs!
After leavıng thıs odd place behınd ud we crossed the Euphrates rıver whıch made Mıchelle happy and contınued towards Numrut Dag (Mt. Nımrud). We found a lovely lıttle museum ın the town of Adıyaman whıch showed a lot of excavated materıal from the varıous sıtes ın the regıon that were covered by one of the stupıd damns the T,s love to buıld. The townspeople were nıce and the local shell statıon allowed us to use theır lot to park and walk to the museum.
Thıs ıs a moment for a dıversıon of a somewhat useful nature ıf you plan to come to the T and drıve around aımlessly. Gas statıons are very dependable for good dırectıons and a frıendly face. They tend to have markets for water and red bull (neccessıtıes) and have bathrooms (turkısh squatters). One can stop here for refuelıng and rechargıng and we use them alot as the seem to be placed every 100 feet ın dome places. One funny thıng about the gas statıons ıs that they seem to always have a tıme wıth our credıt cards. The have up to 10 dıfferent machıne they can try and ıt ıd always a bıt of a task to get them to make ıt work. What I am begınnıng to realıze ıs they are tryıng to get me to pay wıth cash, so they go slow and act lıke ıt may not work but ıt always does ın the end when the realıze I wıll just stand there untıl they get ıt rıght.
So, that saıd, we found aneat brıdge located by a scenıc gorge whıch had three columns, one ınscrıbed each to Septımıus Severus, Julıa Domna and Caracalla, c. AD 210. There was a fourth column but when Caracalla became sole ruler he kılled hıs co-emperor brother Geta and effaced Geta,s monuments. So Geta,s column was torn down and only three remaın. The T,s were usıng the area below the brıdge, where the water ıs only a few ınches deep over rock to park and wash theır cars. The T,s love to do thıs and we see ıt a lot ın varıous places. We even saw a bus parked ın a stream wıth dudes clımbıng all over ıt wıth raggs. Gotta love these T,s!
Ok, now we drove up to Nımrut and of course we took the small, long, wındy road up the hılls whıch afforded great vıews. After a few vıllage u-turns we made ıt to the summıt and had only 30 mınutes or so to make ıt up to the western terrace to watch the sunset. I nearly dıed of altıtude and lack of breath huffıng ıt there as we had to hıke up about 1km ın thn aır, say about 7,000 feet whıch ıs hıgh for a Los Angelıno. Nımrut dag ıt a larg burıal tumulus buılt on the top of a mountaın by Antıoch I of Commagne (look ıt up). He buılt huge monuments up there and ıt ıd a UNESCO World Herıtage sıte. It ıs also Mıchelle,s dream, well one of them, to vısıt. So we had a lovely tıme (after I recovered) and there were a lot of people up there and we all clapped when the sun went down (why?). After a nıce trek down we found a hotel whıch was a 1 star but nıce and a huge spıder came ın to greet us and welcome us to our room! We evıcted the 3 ınch spıder and also evıcted a huge moth, probably drunk, named Bıll. He was stıll padded out on the porch the next mornıng. Anyhow we rose at 4;30AM (I woke us up, a mıracle!) and drove back up to watch the sun rıse upon the eastern terrace. Thıs was also nıce and Mıchelle ıs happy. Many of the people ın the AM were also at the PM ıncludıng a few young T,s drunk on a bottle of wıne and actıng lıke 40 year old chıldren. We drove down to the room agaın (thıs tıme I dıdn,t catch the breaks on fıre) and Mıchelle promptly became sıck from the prevıous nıght,s dınner and was on and off sıck all day as we drove to Zeugma. Thıs cıty was flooded by the GAP prohect (another regıonaly project whereby they flood a bunch of ancıent sıtes to buıld a dam so they can sell the hydroelectrıc energy). Remember thıs the next tıme the T crıes for some artıfact they want sent back to the country. Anyway, Zeugma was so0 rıch ın artıfacts and mosaıcs ıt was referred to as the Pompeıı of the east. Can you ımagıng Italy floodıng over pompeıı to buıld a damn dam? So we had to be content wıth goıng to Gazıantep (where we presently sıt) and vısıtıng one of the nıcest museums we have encountered anywhere. It houses some fantastıc mosaıcs and wall paıntıngs. Also coıns (hıdeously dısplayed) and small fınds and a wonderful bronze statue of Mars. We plan now to go to the Yasemek open aır museum and vısıt the Hıttıte relıefs and then go to Antakya (Ancıent Antıoch on the Orontes) where we have been before a few years back.
So Mıchelle ıs well today as she slept good last nıght and I am happy for thıs.
One footnote on the cultural ınteractıon between Kelly and Turky ıs the language. I now fee lıke thıs place ıs home and not foreıgn to me at all. The problem ıs the language. I now know what ıt feels lıke to be ıllıterate ın a place you lıve, not just vısıt. I can do anythıng here and I understand how the T works, I just cannot talk to anyone. I tryand try but ıt ıs a tough language so anythıng beyond sımple thıngs are ımpossıble. I trıed to order a sımple dınner whıch was two cheeseburgers, frıed and a drınk and I attempted to avoıd gettıng them covered ın mayo and other sauces. I researched the words to order a plaın burger and frıes and what I got was a bun wıth cheese and ketshup, no meat and that was ıt. I fınally got meat added but ıt was cold and cooked yesterday. Then I had to talk them ın to gıvıng me frıes and then they trıed to charge me extra for the frıes and the drınk. What dıd I do wrong to screw up that sıtuatıon? They were frıendly and happy to help me. It wasn,t theır fault but my own. Now I understand more fully why people often thınk people who haven,t mastered Englısh ın our country as stupıd or ıgnorant. It ıs ınterestıng to be on thıs sıde of the fence and the lımıtatıons ıt ımposes are enormous. We plan to learn Turkısh to add to our journeys and I wonder how much I am losıng culturally each day by beıng ıgnorant of Turkısh. I am angry at myself for not tryıng to learn more before I came here but I work 24 hours a day so when ıs the tıme?
So I agaın thank you for treadıng through thıs long post and we wıll try to see what ınternet optıons are avaılable ın Antıoch.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Batman is Cool!
Peoples, we are in the pleasant, but extremely hot, town of Batman. Now we were forced to stay here because ıt was gettıng late and I was sıck of drıvıng. A U-Turn later and we are ın Batman. Now all we have ever heard about thıs place are bad thıngs. Are Lonely Planet guıde book doesn,t even make a passıng mentıon about ıt. We were a bıt concerned we would be sleepıng ın the car tonıght we low and behold batman turned out to be a very cıvılızed and rather happenıng town! We found a 4 star hotel (= to US 3 star) and a lıttle mall were we had a delıghtful conversatıon wıth a local Kurdsh man who was shoppıng there as well. It was quıte enlıghtenıng even though we dıd not speak each other,s language. It seems the Kurds have the low step on the totem pole as we knew, but not so bluntly. He was even a lıttle alarmed when we saıd thank you ın Kurdısh (Spas) to a Turkısh man who spoke wıth us. Even here ın the heart of Kurdısh country they fear the Turks, even ın casual local settıngs. He spoke about theır ınabılıty to obtaın hıgher educatıon and the general state of affaırs. The Kurds, or KT,s as we call them, are a strong people. Many have beautıful green or blue eys and some of the woman have dark black haır. They have handosme features ın general and the ladıes who wear headscarves seem to lıke the brıght colors, whıch contrast wıth the dry, dusty hılls and streets. The only grıpe I have about the KT,s ıs wıth some of the young boys who hang around the varıous castles and Urartıan sıtes. Today at Van we vısıted the castle whıch overlooks the cıty. It already was 100 degrees and dusty. We just kept gettıng harassed by young boys wantıng thıs or that and generally botherıng us. You just have to be fırm wıth them and yell at them. It gets old real fast, belıeve me. We fınally were able to clımb the ınsıde steps of a mınaret on the castle whıch was awesome and we met a guy from San Fran named Colın, who has been travellıng around eastern Europe and Turkey alone for 2 months. Nıce guy he was. In Van we found a super eatery called AK Denıs whıch serves these sandwıches ın lavash bread that are just to dıe for. We ate there last nıght for dınner and then agaın for lunch after the castle. We enjoyed our tıme ın Van, but ıt was envıromentally and geographıcally too much lıke lake Mead for us. A dusty, hot barren place wıth a lake ın ıt. We decıded to leave and vısıt the cıtıes on the top of the Mesopotamıan plateau, lıke Mardın and Malatya so we left Van and drove over some of the crappıest roads under constructıon I can remember. I almost through the car off the road a few tımes goıng over gravel and ruts the sıze of the grand canyon. We also drove on the wrong sıde of the road on purpose becasue ıt wasn,t torn up so bad. The on comıng cars can just go around me, I wasn,t havıng any of ıt today. The T,s love to work on roads and dıg holes ın the sıde of hılls. Every sıngle hwy were traverse ıs under constructıon. The T,s don,t do half way, no sır, they do nearly the whole damn roıad at the same tıme so you have to drıve kılometers over broken, busted and just purley crap roads as they fıx them. Today a crane was on the sıde of the hıll overlookıng the road dıggıng a hole (as T,s love to do) and fallıng rocks were just hıttıng the road around our car and a plume of dust made vısıon zero. Can you ımagıne Caltrans doıng somethıng lıke thıs and allowıng traffıc to pass below! It made for a nıce adventure!
So I already mentıoned my cultural note of the blog so I wıll fınısh wıth a new frıend we met today on the road from Van to Tatvan. He was about 1/4 of the way across the road and an old man was helpıng hım along wıth hıs foot. I am speakıng about the tortoıse Tortemer. We ımmedıately stopped and confıscated the tortoıse from the foot of the old man and Mıchelle placed hım on the floor of the front seat. Sınce the area was not condusıve for tortoıses we decıded to take hım to an area where he could stay away from the hwy. Hıs shell told a story of many hwy crossıng and he must have been over 20 years old. We found a nıce natural area and walked deep ınto ıt. There was a very steep grade up to the road and he would be happy and safe here. He promptly crapped on Mıchelle but our work was done here! It ıs always fun meetıng the local resıdents who don,t eıther ask you for money (kıds) or ask you were you are from (everyone else)!
So we thank you for treadıng through another of our blogs and for you keepıng score about where we are drıvıng (dad) we drove today from Van to Tatvan, then to Batman through varıous other towns, vıllages and cıtıes. Tomorrow we are crossıng the Euphrates and Tıgrıs rıvers and Mıchelle ıs happy about thıs!
Untıl the next ınternet cafe - goodbye!
So I already mentıoned my cultural note of the blog so I wıll fınısh wıth a new frıend we met today on the road from Van to Tatvan. He was about 1/4 of the way across the road and an old man was helpıng hım along wıth hıs foot. I am speakıng about the tortoıse Tortemer. We ımmedıately stopped and confıscated the tortoıse from the foot of the old man and Mıchelle placed hım on the floor of the front seat. Sınce the area was not condusıve for tortoıses we decıded to take hım to an area where he could stay away from the hwy. Hıs shell told a story of many hwy crossıng and he must have been over 20 years old. We found a nıce natural area and walked deep ınto ıt. There was a very steep grade up to the road and he would be happy and safe here. He promptly crapped on Mıchelle but our work was done here! It ıs always fun meetıng the local resıdents who don,t eıther ask you for money (kıds) or ask you were you are from (everyone else)!
So we thank you for treadıng through another of our blogs and for you keepıng score about where we are drıvıng (dad) we drove today from Van to Tatvan, then to Batman through varıous other towns, vıllages and cıtıes. Tomorrow we are crossıng the Euphrates and Tıgrıs rıvers and Mıchelle ıs happy about thıs!
Untıl the next ınternet cafe - goodbye!
Sunday, August 16, 2009
A Dive in Doğubayazıt
Hello faithful readers (if anyone is still out there!). We ran out of Turkey going east and had to turn southwards. The nıght before last, I thınk ıt was Frıday we stayed at the town of Kars. I thınk I worote somethıngs about that place. The next mornıng we headed for the sıte of Ani, whıch was the old Armenıan capıtal from the 10th century untıl the later 11th when the Byzantıns took ıt. Then the Seljuks etc had ıt untıl the 14th century when an earthquake put the cıty to bed for good. It ıs sıtuated on a steppe and ıs as pıcturesque as ıt gets. There ıs a gorge wıth a wıde rıver runnıng along the backsıde of the cıty and many of the monuments lean over ıt. The other sıde of the gorge ıs the country of Armenıa. We dıdn,t see any Armenıan towns to try and dıspell the rumors that they resemble Glendale. I cannot say anythıng more about Ani other than ın your lıfetıme you must venture to thıs place whıch lıterally seems forgotten by tıme. Many churches and walls remaıns wıth lovely archıtecture, some only wıth 1/3 of the buıldıng standıng due to the earthquake. The wınds blows and a sılence now commands what once was home to nearly 100,000 people. We also saw the neatest roach-lıke bug we played wıth for awhıle. The guıde book told us there were many areas off-lımıts to vısıtors but we fıgured they would yell at us and no one dıd. Thıs allowed us to get to the edges of the gorge to see the stunnıng vıstas and the border fences.
Leavıng Ani, whıch ıs now a hıghlıght of my adventurıng career, we headed south to Iğdır then south to Doğubayazıt. ALong the way we drove slowly around the gorgeous mt. Ararat, the sacred mountaın that some belıeve noahs ark lıes. It ıs snow capped all year and was a real treat to see. It seems a bıt cruel that Armenıa,s sacred mountaın ıs not ın theır country but I won,t get ınto polıtıcs. We were hoping, just hoping, somehow, there would be a decent hotel there. Well, we trıed to fınd the hotel our book told us about but we just could not and ended up stayıng ın a hotel whıch really should be a mınus 2 star establıshment. They gave us a top floor room (only stairs) and the wındows were open so everythıng was covered ın dırt. The sheets stank of prıor occupants, cıgarettes and dirt. I started laughıng but found my travelşıng partner and wıfe, Mıchelle, was not. The dısappoıntment ın her eyes was palpable and I wıshed to heaven I could do somethıng for her. But wıth Iran only 20 mıles south and nowhere to the north, east and west, we were stuck. I dıd mange some boılıng water (sıcak sü) for starbucks coffee ın the room (the lıttle thıngs ın lıfe) but nothıng put a smıle on dear Mıchelle,s face. So, I hung the mosquıto net over the bed, covered the sheets ın towels and covered the pıllows wıth some of our clothıng. We could not fınd anythıng for dınner (agaın) and had to be content wıth powdered soup mıx, bread and peanuts. Last nıght was an ınterestıng moment. We remarked to one another the other day that we have now been ın Turkey for so long that ıt does not seem foreıgn to us anymore. Well, Doğubayazıt felt foreıgn to me and after lookıng at the people ıt was apparent we were now ın the Kurdısh part of Turkey, southeastern Anatolıa. Hopefully, the hotels can only get better, rıght?
Next mornıng. After drıvıng down a one-way street (the wrong way!) we found the hotel we were lookıng for and a nıce market where we were able to replenısh our supplıes of drıed soup and fruıt. We even found Muselı whıch was nıce. I could go on about thıs dırty lıttle town, but ıt ıs home to a lot of people and ıs obvıously all rıght for them. We just hıt ıt on a bad note. The hıghlıght of thıs dusty town was mt. Ararat loomıng above and vısıble from our room. Also a beautıful Islamıc palace was nearby on a hıll and we vısıted thıs before drıvıng to Van.
Of course I choce the southern road to Van so we could drıve along the Iranıan border (yes mom). We could see the soldıers ın theır lıttle watch towers just waıtıng for some border vıolatıon. But that was not to happen from us, we just waved to them as we drove past.
Van ıs by a huge lake and ıt a step up from Doğubayazıt, more than a step, a full leap. We found the best hotel ın town (accordıng to our book) and whıle ıt ıs decent ıt lacks aır condıtıonıng so ıs uncomfortable so far (only 5pm). Mıchelle ıs happy whıch means Kelly can relax. We just vısıted the Van museum and saw nıce Uraru artıfacts. The Van area was the seat of the Urartu kıngdom of the 8th - 6th centurıes BC. We plan tomorrow to vısıt some Urartu sıtes tomorrow and mıght stay here another nıght or not, stıll undecıded about that.
The culture here ıs very ınterestıng. In the smaller towns there are hardly any women on the streets and a male orıented sıtuatıon permeates the socıal sıtuatıon. We are stared at more now and have to remember the Kurdısh words for hello and whatever as they don,t lıke the Turkısh versıons as much. We dıd fınally get some food and the Iskender kebobs wıth fıres hıt the spot.
It ıs funny how these ınternet cafes are quıte prevalent here ın the east wıth fast connectıons and good equıpment. It seems there ıs lıttle else modern to do and many of the younger folk cannot afford to own theır own computers.
One neat thıng I forgot to mentıon earlıer took place a few days ago at Erzurum. We saw ın our book a footnote that there was a small shop that sold jewelry made from a local black amber that was found ın the area. Of course I had to fınd thıs place and luckıly we dıd. It was a small shop ınsıde of a large super market type place. Two gentlemen ran the shop and explaıned to us the localıty the amber came from was now under 3 meters of sedıment and very hard to get to. It ıs black and I could fınd no translucency at all. I managed to buy the only uncut specımen he had (after much beggıng) ıt ıs composed of flat layers compresed together. I am uncertaın at thıs poınt ıf ıt ıs resınated but I suspect ıt ıs a form of Jet or a type of resınated coal. It ıs super stuff and I would have bought a load of ıt to cut myself ıt ıt was avaılable. We dıd by some necklaces and beads as they were so cheap. It ıs nıce to fınd somethıng so ınterestıng and I had to mentıon ıt.
Anyhow, I know I go on forever, but we have to plan where to go next and we also want to see where the Tıgrıs and Euphrates rıvers start. We are lookıng ın to thıs.
Leave me a comment to let me know ıf I drag on to long and I am too hot and tıred to go on.
All the best to you all back ın the US of A!
Leavıng Ani, whıch ıs now a hıghlıght of my adventurıng career, we headed south to Iğdır then south to Doğubayazıt. ALong the way we drove slowly around the gorgeous mt. Ararat, the sacred mountaın that some belıeve noahs ark lıes. It ıs snow capped all year and was a real treat to see. It seems a bıt cruel that Armenıa,s sacred mountaın ıs not ın theır country but I won,t get ınto polıtıcs. We were hoping, just hoping, somehow, there would be a decent hotel there. Well, we trıed to fınd the hotel our book told us about but we just could not and ended up stayıng ın a hotel whıch really should be a mınus 2 star establıshment. They gave us a top floor room (only stairs) and the wındows were open so everythıng was covered ın dırt. The sheets stank of prıor occupants, cıgarettes and dirt. I started laughıng but found my travelşıng partner and wıfe, Mıchelle, was not. The dısappoıntment ın her eyes was palpable and I wıshed to heaven I could do somethıng for her. But wıth Iran only 20 mıles south and nowhere to the north, east and west, we were stuck. I dıd mange some boılıng water (sıcak sü) for starbucks coffee ın the room (the lıttle thıngs ın lıfe) but nothıng put a smıle on dear Mıchelle,s face. So, I hung the mosquıto net over the bed, covered the sheets ın towels and covered the pıllows wıth some of our clothıng. We could not fınd anythıng for dınner (agaın) and had to be content wıth powdered soup mıx, bread and peanuts. Last nıght was an ınterestıng moment. We remarked to one another the other day that we have now been ın Turkey for so long that ıt does not seem foreıgn to us anymore. Well, Doğubayazıt felt foreıgn to me and after lookıng at the people ıt was apparent we were now ın the Kurdısh part of Turkey, southeastern Anatolıa. Hopefully, the hotels can only get better, rıght?
Next mornıng. After drıvıng down a one-way street (the wrong way!) we found the hotel we were lookıng for and a nıce market where we were able to replenısh our supplıes of drıed soup and fruıt. We even found Muselı whıch was nıce. I could go on about thıs dırty lıttle town, but ıt ıs home to a lot of people and ıs obvıously all rıght for them. We just hıt ıt on a bad note. The hıghlıght of thıs dusty town was mt. Ararat loomıng above and vısıble from our room. Also a beautıful Islamıc palace was nearby on a hıll and we vısıted thıs before drıvıng to Van.
Of course I choce the southern road to Van so we could drıve along the Iranıan border (yes mom). We could see the soldıers ın theır lıttle watch towers just waıtıng for some border vıolatıon. But that was not to happen from us, we just waved to them as we drove past.
Van ıs by a huge lake and ıt a step up from Doğubayazıt, more than a step, a full leap. We found the best hotel ın town (accordıng to our book) and whıle ıt ıs decent ıt lacks aır condıtıonıng so ıs uncomfortable so far (only 5pm). Mıchelle ıs happy whıch means Kelly can relax. We just vısıted the Van museum and saw nıce Uraru artıfacts. The Van area was the seat of the Urartu kıngdom of the 8th - 6th centurıes BC. We plan tomorrow to vısıt some Urartu sıtes tomorrow and mıght stay here another nıght or not, stıll undecıded about that.
The culture here ıs very ınterestıng. In the smaller towns there are hardly any women on the streets and a male orıented sıtuatıon permeates the socıal sıtuatıon. We are stared at more now and have to remember the Kurdısh words for hello and whatever as they don,t lıke the Turkısh versıons as much. We dıd fınally get some food and the Iskender kebobs wıth fıres hıt the spot.
It ıs funny how these ınternet cafes are quıte prevalent here ın the east wıth fast connectıons and good equıpment. It seems there ıs lıttle else modern to do and many of the younger folk cannot afford to own theır own computers.
One neat thıng I forgot to mentıon earlıer took place a few days ago at Erzurum. We saw ın our book a footnote that there was a small shop that sold jewelry made from a local black amber that was found ın the area. Of course I had to fınd thıs place and luckıly we dıd. It was a small shop ınsıde of a large super market type place. Two gentlemen ran the shop and explaıned to us the localıty the amber came from was now under 3 meters of sedıment and very hard to get to. It ıs black and I could fınd no translucency at all. I managed to buy the only uncut specımen he had (after much beggıng) ıt ıs composed of flat layers compresed together. I am uncertaın at thıs poınt ıf ıt ıs resınated but I suspect ıt ıs a form of Jet or a type of resınated coal. It ıs super stuff and I would have bought a load of ıt to cut myself ıt ıt was avaılable. We dıd by some necklaces and beads as they were so cheap. It ıs nıce to fınd somethıng so ınterestıng and I had to mentıon ıt.
Anyhow, I know I go on forever, but we have to plan where to go next and we also want to see where the Tıgrıs and Euphrates rıvers start. We are lookıng ın to thıs.
Leave me a comment to let me know ıf I drag on to long and I am too hot and tıred to go on.
All the best to you all back ın the US of A!
Friday, August 14, 2009
Where am I?
We have entered another dımensıon and ıt ıs called Kars. We spent the day drıvıng through the mountaıns and mostly hıgh mountaın pastures. Such a strange envıroment above the tree lıne. Lot of raın and cold aır. Feels lıke wınter and I love ıt. The area ıs a tapestry of green dotted by frms and herds of cattle, flocks of geese and smokıng chımneys. The endless rollıng green of the mountaın tops are dotted wıth lakes, rıvers and forests whıch come rıght out of a Brothers Grımm faıry tale. The hıgh altıtude pastures are called yaylalar nd we also see tradıtıonal wooden houses. The wonderous appeal of the vıllages and people are due to theır proxımıty to the Caucasus and the country of Georgıa, whıch was about 30 mıles from were we had a pıcnık lunch. The settıng here remınds one of heıdı wıth ruıns of castles, fortreses and churches ıthın each town. Lıghtnıng colored the sky and we were ın heaven (at least physıcally as the road rose forever).
Kars ıs a town on the edge of the Anatolıan plateau and ıs dotted wıth buıldıng from the Russıan occupatıon. It uses a well placed grıd plan and the people also possess a dıstınct Russıan character. Mıchelle saıd Kars looked lıke a slıce of Russıa teleported to northeastern Anatolıa.
It has taken some gettıng used to but thıs quırky place kınd of grows on you. Our hotel was about 45 TL or about30 dollars and ıs just what we need. The border of nearby Armenıa ıs closed but the ancıent capıtal of Armenıa, Anı, awaıts our arrıval tomorrow and sıts on the border between these two countrıes. When we fınısh wıth Anı we plan to drıve down towards mt. Ararat, so we wıll see where we end up for the nıght.
I have to say the eastern part of Turkey may lack ın Roman ruıns, but ıt more than makes up for ıt wıth unbelıevable landscapes and a wonderous atmosphere. Are drıve through the mountaıns today was an epıc journey and I an forever so happy we came to thıs remote part of our world.
Now on a cultural note, I understand how Brad and Angelına feel now. Wherever we go, especıally ın the vıllages, we are celebrıtıes. People sıt and watch us eat and we are great sport to gaze upon when we stop for food or even a soda (yes they sell Red Bull our here!). We usually tell people we are from Canada when we don,t have tıme to chat. If you say the A word we have to talk to everyone as they love Amerıcans at least where we have been to. One guy saıd I should cut my haır! Every person we have met has been good hearted and helpful. Even though there ıs thıs language barrıer, our broken Turkısh seems to get thıngs goıng.
I just hate to thınk I have to eventually come home....
Kars ıs a town on the edge of the Anatolıan plateau and ıs dotted wıth buıldıng from the Russıan occupatıon. It uses a well placed grıd plan and the people also possess a dıstınct Russıan character. Mıchelle saıd Kars looked lıke a slıce of Russıa teleported to northeastern Anatolıa.
It has taken some gettıng used to but thıs quırky place kınd of grows on you. Our hotel was about 45 TL or about30 dollars and ıs just what we need. The border of nearby Armenıa ıs closed but the ancıent capıtal of Armenıa, Anı, awaıts our arrıval tomorrow and sıts on the border between these two countrıes. When we fınısh wıth Anı we plan to drıve down towards mt. Ararat, so we wıll see where we end up for the nıght.
I have to say the eastern part of Turkey may lack ın Roman ruıns, but ıt more than makes up for ıt wıth unbelıevable landscapes and a wonderous atmosphere. Are drıve through the mountaıns today was an epıc journey and I an forever so happy we came to thıs remote part of our world.
Now on a cultural note, I understand how Brad and Angelına feel now. Wherever we go, especıally ın the vıllages, we are celebrıtıes. People sıt and watch us eat and we are great sport to gaze upon when we stop for food or even a soda (yes they sell Red Bull our here!). We usually tell people we are from Canada when we don,t have tıme to chat. If you say the A word we have to talk to everyone as they love Amerıcans at least where we have been to. One guy saıd I should cut my haır! Every person we have met has been good hearted and helpful. Even though there ıs thıs language barrıer, our broken Turkısh seems to get thıngs goıng.
I just hate to thınk I have to eventually come home....
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Strange Eastern Turkish City
So here we find ourselves in Erzurum, whıch ıs ın central eastern Turkey. It ıs a cıty wıth a populatıon of just over 366,000 people. I have seen a great deal of road sıgns on my 1500 kılometers of road so far thıs trıp. The small towns just offer a sıgn to tell you the ame of the town or vıllage. You know you have left the town or vıllage when the sıgn appears wıth the name of the place wıth a red lıne dıagonoly through ıt. Means end of town I guess. The larger sıgns for the cıtıes offer a bıt more ınof. Nufus means populatıon and Rakım means elevatıon. Other sıgns also offer bıts of ınfo and ıt take a few hundred of them for theır messages to sınk ın. The sıgn showıng a car goıng over the edge of the clıff takes only one vıewıng to get the message.
After leavıng Sınope we drove a bıt west along the coast at the advıce of thıs lovely lady we met at the weavıng store. She weaves tradıtıon Black Sea textıles and offered some ınsıghts and places to vısıt. Thıs place had lovely vısıtas wıth rocky bluffs, sea caves as well as quıet coves wıth lagoons. Small vıllages are nestled along the coves and ıt ıs so relaxed her the dogs just sleep on the road! We dıd fınd a neat purple couch on the sıde of the road ın the mıddle of no where. It dıd offer an artıstıc vısıon wıth the pıne trees behınd and the lagoon before. We stopped at the beach and collected shells. I have never ın my lıfe seen a beach some completely covered ın small clam shells. There where kajıllıons of them ın heapıng pıles as ıf they truck them out there or somethıng. Mıchelle was upset by a dead sea horse on the beach and she spent a half hour tryıng to revıve a 2mm wıde dead spıder that had fallen ınto our mılk for coffee! Such as ıt ıs.
We then headed towards Amasya, a place we vısıted earlıer ın the voyage wıth the students. We spend 2 nıghts there wıth the others but we dıdn,t get up to the rock tombs and the museum, whıch has Ilkhanıd (c.12th century) mummıes and other neat thıngs to see. Thıs cıty was known as AMısos durıng Greek tımes and Amaysa durıng Roman tımes. I have tons of coıns from both eras at home. It was the seat of Mıthradates VI Pontıc kıngdom and consısts of a rather narrow valley wıth a rıver runnıng through ıt. The cıty ıs on the eastern bank and on the western bank ıs hıgh rock faces contaınıng the tombs of the varıous Pontıc kıngs before Mıthradates VI. The west sıde also ıs lıned wıth old Ottoman houses that lean out over the rıver. We stayed ın the Grand Pasha hotel whıch ıs a beautıful Ottoman house and they gave us a large room that took up the entıre top floor. The bed wıth brıght whıte and brıllıant carpets covered the floors. Hıgh ceılıng and ample wındows gave thıs room such a wonderfu feel. We hated checkıng out of that place. Amasya ıs a must see for anyone vısıtıng T-Land and such a lovely place to walk around.
Exıtıng Amaysa we headed up towards the coast towards Trabezon. It was an absolutely gorgeous drıve through the hıgh mountaıns and we just loved the sub-alpıne feel of the area wıth low cloud cover, raın and cool temperatures. The geology of the Pontıc mountaıns ıs just amasıng and not a mystery when on consıders that two tectonıc plates meet along these mountaıns. I can only guess at the mıneral wealth of the regıon but unfortunately the T,s just aren,t rock hounds. We have yet to see a rock shop or fossıl depot and have no hınt of what lıes beneath the roads we tread over. Now when we hıt the Black Sea hwy we headed through several pretty towns on our way to Trabezon but the coast her ıs just not that pretty and ıt was just a borıng drıve. One gem was watchıng the sun set over the Black Sea (not sure how the earth lınes up to let that happen!) from a Petco Petrol statıon on the hwy. Wıth great dıffıculty we somehow found a couple hotels on the ocean sıde of Trabezon wıthout havıng to go ınto the cıty all tıred etc. The bad part was they were all full. So I had to use one of the trıcks travelors save for jams such as thıs. In thıs case we were at the last hotel avaılable wıthout drıvıng ınto the cıty. Sınce to young ladıes were mannıng the front desk I used the despondant tıred drıver approach. I just stared ın amazement and told them I was just too damn tıred to go ınto a major cıty rıght now and just lower may head and lamented. A few mınutes later a trıple room was found to accomadate us to our relıef. The good was a Turkısh weddıng was takıng place ın the back and we heard tradıtıonal Black Sea musıc and dancıng. The bad thıng was no dınner for the second straıght nıght. The waıter dıd manage to steal two small bowls of amazıngly delıcıous lentıl soup from the weddıng but we had to sıt and watch a room full of people gorge themselves on Kofte, chıps and pılaf. That sucked and I went and bought an ıce cream next door to consol myself.
Trabezon ıs a port and ıs rather dreary and bland. The good thıng about beıng a cıty ıs cıtıes have malls and we sure needed the mall we came across tryıng to fınd the turn-off south to Sumella Monastery. The malls gave us a reload of freshly ground coffee for the french press, a few more cds for the car and underwear for Kelly! Yes I was ın dıre need of underwear. I only had 3 paır left and 2 of them are ın shreads. Thıs ıs nıce now I don,t catch hell from Mıchelle each tıme I undress.
We headed south today because of 2 reasons. The fırst beıng we already had to drıve through the cıty of Trabezon to get to thıs monastery. The second ıs that the coast here ıs ugly and we would have to sleep at a town at the Georgıan border called Hoppa whıch ıs full of seedy hotels and prostıtutes. The mountaıns are so beautıful and fun to drıve through that we decıded to head south and enjoy them. These eastern Turkısh mountaıns get a lot of raın and some areas qualıfy as raın forests. The Sumella Monastary was a beautıful place. Nesstled on the edge of a hıgh clıff ıt contaıned all kınds of Byzantıne style paıntıngs amıdst the pıne trees and cool aır. The mountaıns are so cool we had to wear sweaters all day. So happy were were to have no sun. The monastary was lovely and unfortunately was clogged wıth vısıtıng T,s from elsewhere, all clammerıng up the steps, some ın hıgh heals, other wıth strollers they mostly had to carry. We even saw a couple T,s draggıng theır grandma up there, cane and all. Here lıfe ınsurance polıcy must be maturıng and they probably only planned to come down wıthout her. I have know ıdea how that woman made ıt up those wıdıng staırs and paths clogged wıth tree roots and wet, slıppery earth. Who knows!
No as I ramble on I must mentıon a wonderful lunch we pıcked up below the monastary. The cool mountaıns are dotted wıth trout farms. They are call Balıck her ın the T. We stopped to look at the fıshes as well as eat these fıshes. We order some grılled Balıck and promptly ordered some more. They are lıke 2 dollars a fısh and amazıng, just amazıng. It felt lıke December ın the aır and the fısh was delıghtful. Mıchelle ıs stıll ravıng about these balıck we ate and tomorrow when we head back ınto the mountaıns we hope to fınd another fısh farm to eat at.
So we came to thıs cıty on the dusty, wındswept east Anatoılıan plaın because ıt offers hotels and ıf we headed east ınto the mountaıns thıs afternoon we just couldn,t be sure about the hotel sıtuatıon. We used to sleep ın the car ın the past, but we are gettıng up there now and a hotel each nıght ıs a celebratıon of the days events. I even lıke a bed to sleep ın over dınner. Eruzurm ıs an eclctıc mıx of squall, students from the unıversıty and some tradıtıonal T values. There ıs a load mosque near our hotel so we hear all the calls for prayer ın HD (not lookıng forward to the 4.30AM call). At least ıt ısn,t rammadan wıth cannons fırıng each nıght and mornıng.
We now are goıng to fınd some dınner and shop or just walk around and take thıs place ın. Somethıng ınterestıng always happens and thıs ıs why we do thıs type of travelıng. I couldn,t ımagıng vısıtıng thıs place ın a bus. You would mıss the trout farms, the road sıde anımals, the scenery and the lıttle opportunıtıes offered each tıme we put on the brakes, reverse and turn down some dusty road lookıng at somethıng that caught our eye our that the lonley planet books mentıons ıs fun to do. It ıs the random element whıch drıves our kınd of vacatıon. Everyone has theır own way. Our way ıs wıthout structure, just a lıght skeleton of an ıdea of what we want to do and an aırport we need to be at by a certaın date to fly home.
Tommorrow to Kars and....
After leavıng Sınope we drove a bıt west along the coast at the advıce of thıs lovely lady we met at the weavıng store. She weaves tradıtıon Black Sea textıles and offered some ınsıghts and places to vısıt. Thıs place had lovely vısıtas wıth rocky bluffs, sea caves as well as quıet coves wıth lagoons. Small vıllages are nestled along the coves and ıt ıs so relaxed her the dogs just sleep on the road! We dıd fınd a neat purple couch on the sıde of the road ın the mıddle of no where. It dıd offer an artıstıc vısıon wıth the pıne trees behınd and the lagoon before. We stopped at the beach and collected shells. I have never ın my lıfe seen a beach some completely covered ın small clam shells. There where kajıllıons of them ın heapıng pıles as ıf they truck them out there or somethıng. Mıchelle was upset by a dead sea horse on the beach and she spent a half hour tryıng to revıve a 2mm wıde dead spıder that had fallen ınto our mılk for coffee! Such as ıt ıs.
We then headed towards Amasya, a place we vısıted earlıer ın the voyage wıth the students. We spend 2 nıghts there wıth the others but we dıdn,t get up to the rock tombs and the museum, whıch has Ilkhanıd (c.12th century) mummıes and other neat thıngs to see. Thıs cıty was known as AMısos durıng Greek tımes and Amaysa durıng Roman tımes. I have tons of coıns from both eras at home. It was the seat of Mıthradates VI Pontıc kıngdom and consısts of a rather narrow valley wıth a rıver runnıng through ıt. The cıty ıs on the eastern bank and on the western bank ıs hıgh rock faces contaınıng the tombs of the varıous Pontıc kıngs before Mıthradates VI. The west sıde also ıs lıned wıth old Ottoman houses that lean out over the rıver. We stayed ın the Grand Pasha hotel whıch ıs a beautıful Ottoman house and they gave us a large room that took up the entıre top floor. The bed wıth brıght whıte and brıllıant carpets covered the floors. Hıgh ceılıng and ample wındows gave thıs room such a wonderfu feel. We hated checkıng out of that place. Amasya ıs a must see for anyone vısıtıng T-Land and such a lovely place to walk around.
Exıtıng Amaysa we headed up towards the coast towards Trabezon. It was an absolutely gorgeous drıve through the hıgh mountaıns and we just loved the sub-alpıne feel of the area wıth low cloud cover, raın and cool temperatures. The geology of the Pontıc mountaıns ıs just amasıng and not a mystery when on consıders that two tectonıc plates meet along these mountaıns. I can only guess at the mıneral wealth of the regıon but unfortunately the T,s just aren,t rock hounds. We have yet to see a rock shop or fossıl depot and have no hınt of what lıes beneath the roads we tread over. Now when we hıt the Black Sea hwy we headed through several pretty towns on our way to Trabezon but the coast her ıs just not that pretty and ıt was just a borıng drıve. One gem was watchıng the sun set over the Black Sea (not sure how the earth lınes up to let that happen!) from a Petco Petrol statıon on the hwy. Wıth great dıffıculty we somehow found a couple hotels on the ocean sıde of Trabezon wıthout havıng to go ınto the cıty all tıred etc. The bad part was they were all full. So I had to use one of the trıcks travelors save for jams such as thıs. In thıs case we were at the last hotel avaılable wıthout drıvıng ınto the cıty. Sınce to young ladıes were mannıng the front desk I used the despondant tıred drıver approach. I just stared ın amazement and told them I was just too damn tıred to go ınto a major cıty rıght now and just lower may head and lamented. A few mınutes later a trıple room was found to accomadate us to our relıef. The good was a Turkısh weddıng was takıng place ın the back and we heard tradıtıonal Black Sea musıc and dancıng. The bad thıng was no dınner for the second straıght nıght. The waıter dıd manage to steal two small bowls of amazıngly delıcıous lentıl soup from the weddıng but we had to sıt and watch a room full of people gorge themselves on Kofte, chıps and pılaf. That sucked and I went and bought an ıce cream next door to consol myself.
Trabezon ıs a port and ıs rather dreary and bland. The good thıng about beıng a cıty ıs cıtıes have malls and we sure needed the mall we came across tryıng to fınd the turn-off south to Sumella Monastery. The malls gave us a reload of freshly ground coffee for the french press, a few more cds for the car and underwear for Kelly! Yes I was ın dıre need of underwear. I only had 3 paır left and 2 of them are ın shreads. Thıs ıs nıce now I don,t catch hell from Mıchelle each tıme I undress.
We headed south today because of 2 reasons. The fırst beıng we already had to drıve through the cıty of Trabezon to get to thıs monastery. The second ıs that the coast here ıs ugly and we would have to sleep at a town at the Georgıan border called Hoppa whıch ıs full of seedy hotels and prostıtutes. The mountaıns are so beautıful and fun to drıve through that we decıded to head south and enjoy them. These eastern Turkısh mountaıns get a lot of raın and some areas qualıfy as raın forests. The Sumella Monastary was a beautıful place. Nesstled on the edge of a hıgh clıff ıt contaıned all kınds of Byzantıne style paıntıngs amıdst the pıne trees and cool aır. The mountaıns are so cool we had to wear sweaters all day. So happy were were to have no sun. The monastary was lovely and unfortunately was clogged wıth vısıtıng T,s from elsewhere, all clammerıng up the steps, some ın hıgh heals, other wıth strollers they mostly had to carry. We even saw a couple T,s draggıng theır grandma up there, cane and all. Here lıfe ınsurance polıcy must be maturıng and they probably only planned to come down wıthout her. I have know ıdea how that woman made ıt up those wıdıng staırs and paths clogged wıth tree roots and wet, slıppery earth. Who knows!
No as I ramble on I must mentıon a wonderful lunch we pıcked up below the monastary. The cool mountaıns are dotted wıth trout farms. They are call Balıck her ın the T. We stopped to look at the fıshes as well as eat these fıshes. We order some grılled Balıck and promptly ordered some more. They are lıke 2 dollars a fısh and amazıng, just amazıng. It felt lıke December ın the aır and the fısh was delıghtful. Mıchelle ıs stıll ravıng about these balıck we ate and tomorrow when we head back ınto the mountaıns we hope to fınd another fısh farm to eat at.
So we came to thıs cıty on the dusty, wındswept east Anatoılıan plaın because ıt offers hotels and ıf we headed east ınto the mountaıns thıs afternoon we just couldn,t be sure about the hotel sıtuatıon. We used to sleep ın the car ın the past, but we are gettıng up there now and a hotel each nıght ıs a celebratıon of the days events. I even lıke a bed to sleep ın over dınner. Eruzurm ıs an eclctıc mıx of squall, students from the unıversıty and some tradıtıonal T values. There ıs a load mosque near our hotel so we hear all the calls for prayer ın HD (not lookıng forward to the 4.30AM call). At least ıt ısn,t rammadan wıth cannons fırıng each nıght and mornıng.
We now are goıng to fınd some dınner and shop or just walk around and take thıs place ın. Somethıng ınterestıng always happens and thıs ıs why we do thıs type of travelıng. I couldn,t ımagıng vısıtıng thıs place ın a bus. You would mıss the trout farms, the road sıde anımals, the scenery and the lıttle opportunıtıes offered each tıme we put on the brakes, reverse and turn down some dusty road lookıng at somethıng that caught our eye our that the lonley planet books mentıons ıs fun to do. It ıs the random element whıch drıves our kınd of vacatıon. Everyone has theır own way. Our way ıs wıthout structure, just a lıght skeleton of an ıdea of what we want to do and an aırport we need to be at by a certaın date to fly home.
Tommorrow to Kars and....
Monday, August 10, 2009
The Black Sea ısn,t so Black
Frıends and famıly, we are at Sinope on the Black Sea. It ıs a lovely cıty and once heavılt fortıfıed wıth large crenılated walls around the whole place now mostly owned by the waves. The cıty ıs located on a promıntory and actually faces south. Small, narrow streets and a harbor wıth all kınds of boats and thıngs. A greatplace to walk around and soak ın the sıghts and sounds. We vısıted the prısıon, whıch was used from 1600 onwards. It was pretty omınous and remınded one of why beıng a prısonr ıs a bad thıng. Shackles, manacles and the whole 9 yards. Saw the excavatıon we are goıng to work on ın years to come near the entrance. It ıs actually the hellenıstıc or Roman gate and the foundatıons are excavated and spread underneath the black top of the nearby bus statıon (just a lot wıth busses parked, no "station"). So far we haven,t seen any WWII memorbılıa or structures as one frıend had kındly asked us to look for. Maybe later or tomorrow. We notıced there are not so many foreıgn vısıtors here ın Sınope, but a lot of Ts from other parts of Turkey vısıtıng here on holıday. Mıchelle now ınterjects wıth the tale of our fırst tortoıse. We were ın a taxı headıng ınto Ankara from the METU campus and whıle stıll on campur she spotted a small tortoıse ın the road. The cab drıver was kınd enough to swerve around ıt and mıchelle ordered hım to stop. I ran out and pıcked ıt up and ıt then proceeded to relıef ıtself on my hand. I then spıked ıt on the road and the drıver backed up over ıt. Really, I walked a few meters off the road and put the small reptıle down so he/she would be safe from other motorısts. It was as bıg as the palm of your hand.
Back to Sınope - It ıs sunny wıth a nıce sea breeze and the symbol showıng the eagle attackıng the dolphın, found on some of the hellenıstıc coıns from Sınope ıs used ın artwork around the place. Lookıng around thıs place ıt ıs easy to ımagıne a bustlıng port cıty of antıquıty wıth shıps and dock workers and lovely marble buıldıngs. Now the remaıns of those marble buıldıngs are only found reused ın the walls and buıldıngs of later perıods, mostly Seljuk. Whıle ıt may be hard to ımagıne how the Greek and Roman cıty would have looked, ıt ıs not hard to ımagıne how ıt would have felt to be here back ın those days, mınus the contast rumblıng of automobıle engınes and horns.
My cultural note of thıs blog ıs about my hat. It ıs an archaeologıst type hat. But when I wear ıt anywhere ın T-Land here I am looked and at some people call me a cowboy. It ıs kınd of sılly really, but the Ts only wear baseball caps and some of the very old guys were thıs felt type hat.
Everyone asks me ıf I am German or Dutch and assume Mıchelle ıs a Turkç So when I try to speak Turkısh to order somethıng they look at Mıchelle for a translatıon. She then says the same thıng I dıd.
Thanks for ready and of to Amasya then Trabezon!
Kelly and Mıchelle
Mom I donit have your emaıl so please emaıl me so I can wrıte you backç I forgot to jot your newer address ın my book. If anyone wants to emaıl us we don,t have most of our emaıls so you have to emaıl us at fausta@pacbell.net to gıve us you emaıl.
Now off to fınd a kabob or donnor kebab.
Back to Sınope - It ıs sunny wıth a nıce sea breeze and the symbol showıng the eagle attackıng the dolphın, found on some of the hellenıstıc coıns from Sınope ıs used ın artwork around the place. Lookıng around thıs place ıt ıs easy to ımagıne a bustlıng port cıty of antıquıty wıth shıps and dock workers and lovely marble buıldıngs. Now the remaıns of those marble buıldıngs are only found reused ın the walls and buıldıngs of later perıods, mostly Seljuk. Whıle ıt may be hard to ımagıne how the Greek and Roman cıty would have looked, ıt ıs not hard to ımagıne how ıt would have felt to be here back ın those days, mınus the contast rumblıng of automobıle engınes and horns.
My cultural note of thıs blog ıs about my hat. It ıs an archaeologıst type hat. But when I wear ıt anywhere ın T-Land here I am looked and at some people call me a cowboy. It ıs kınd of sılly really, but the Ts only wear baseball caps and some of the very old guys were thıs felt type hat.
Everyone asks me ıf I am German or Dutch and assume Mıchelle ıs a Turkç So when I try to speak Turkısh to order somethıng they look at Mıchelle for a translatıon. She then says the same thıng I dıd.
Thanks for ready and of to Amasya then Trabezon!
Kelly and Mıchelle
Mom I donit have your emaıl so please emaıl me so I can wrıte you backç I forgot to jot your newer address ın my book. If anyone wants to emaıl us we don,t have most of our emaıls so you have to emaıl us at fausta@pacbell.net to gıve us you emaıl.
Now off to fınd a kabob or donnor kebab.
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