2010.07.05-09 #4 TURKEY [Kahta - SanliUrfa - Harran - Birecik]

#4 TURKEY

 2010.07.05-09


The East: the "Fertile Crescent"

[Kahta - SanliUrfa - Harran - Birecik]

We left Cappadocia by bus late on Monday, 5 July. We transferred to a luxury bus at Avanos (it even had wireless!).

At Kayseri (the biblical Caesarea) we had supper to fortify us for our night on the bus while travelling to Kahta. Mrad's "Patlican musakka".

Inge's "Gayseri Manti".

Our next target? KAHTA. When the sun rose on Tuesday, we had a new type of landscape to enjoy.

Our road changed from tar to gravel - but Turkey is working on her roads. (Not only here, but all over Eastern Turkey.) 

The countryside became even more inviting.

Turkish busses are the lifeline for distant villages - this man disembarked in the middle of nowhere to walk to his distant village.

It seems as if most of Turkey is cultivated and grazed - can you see the shepherd watching over his flock?

Often grapevines are trained to serve as shady pergolas - sometimes growing three stories high.

This building-related plant signals Turkey's development plans for its eastern provinces.

Water from the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers is stored in the Ataturk Baraji (4th largest dam in the world). A major irrigation system makes it possible for the desert area between the two rivers to return to their biblical glory - Mesopotamia and to become the bread basket of the Middle East.

Adiyaman's high rise buildings all sport solar panel geyser systems. After all - there's plenty of sun here.

A wide highway is being built between Adiyaman and Kahta - another sign of planned prosperity for the eastern regions.

Kahta owes its fame to its proximity to NEMRUT DAGI the highest mountain in northern Mesopotamia region. However, this truck filled with broken plastic objects, shows that life goes on as normal here too.

Hotel Kommagene in Kahta takes its name from the 1st century BC King Antiochus I of Commagene who used Nemrut Dagi as his funerary sanctuary.

En route to Nemrut Dagi, we saw much of the Ataturk Dam which dams up the Euphrates River.

Another 1st centry BC sight was the Karakus Tumulus (Monument Grave) which is famous for the guardian eagle which hovers over the grave mound - do you see the mound of small stones in the background?

The road winds through beautiful mountains.

We visited Cendere Bridge, dating from the Roman times BC. This brigde is still in perfect order after 2000 years!

On to Yeni Kale. Imagine Mamelukes defending themselves behind the crenellated turrets against the invading Crusaders.

We are in awe at the antiquities, but for this woman daily life goes on as always.

A white mulberry tree (the fruit is delicious, especially when dried) which we found along the way.

We also crossed the "Satan Bidge" - so called because of the people who died during its construction. Can you see Yeni Kale on the horison?

Once we had entered Nemrut Dagi Milli Park (National Park), the first site we reached was the ARSEMEIA RUINS (1st century BC). 

Initially the Commagenes (3rd Century BC) used this site. But it was also used during the Hellenistic, Roman and Middle Ages as its position high up in the valley must have appealed to all these cultures.

This is what Mrad saw through his lens.

Tunnels lead into rock chambers.

But the famous handshake between the arrogant King Antiochus I and the god Herakles really exceeds our expectations regarding its beauty and size.

See how the king's crown is higher than the god's head? This is how the king gave himself a higher status than the god.

Much of King Antiochus' self-importance is explained in this Greek inscription near the statue. Can you read it?

We continued up the mountains towards NEMRUT DAGI - can you see the little conical tip appear on the horison? That was our first view of Nemrut Dagi (mountain).

Just look at the mountains which we have driven through to get here! See the black basalt which had to be chopped away to make the road?

Nemrut Dagi itself. The whole tip is man made!

Such a World Heritage Site is well-protected.

Can you see the difference between the natural rock of the mountain (right) and the fist sized stones (left) which Kind Antiochus 1 had carted to the tip of the mountain for his funerary mound? Built in 1st century BC.

The Eastern Terrace boasts enormous statues - all the heads lying below the torsos!

Top: funerary mound. Middle: seated torsos, Bottom: heads (toppled by earth quakes).

The Western terrace with its conglomeration of statues.

My favourite "face".

Sunset from Nemrut Dagi.

A summary of our Nemrut Dagi tour as displayed in the hotel's foyer.

The following day we left for SANLI URFA - here we changed from one dolmus to the other.

We passed many such buildings. Some semi-completed (the completed sections are occupied!), others mere skeletons.

We stopped for petrol along the way and all the passengers were given cold water to survive the heat.

We travelled along another bank of the enormous Ataturk dam.

Just look at the terraces along the mountainside - Turkish people work hard.

This young passenger thought we were very interesting.

The area is know for its pistachio trees.

SanliUrfa is a traditional Arab town, but due to the Ataturk Dam it is also developing into the hub of the Fertile Crescent.

Mrad tested whether he would fit into the minute bathroom in our hotel room.

We walked the streets of the medieval part of SanliUrfa - the overhanging first floor intrigued us.

The old city wall of SanliUrfa in the distance.

We were invited to tea on this terrace of a small hotel - a good marketing strategy?

We strolled through a typical SanliUrfa bazaar.

And watched them clean the walls of the old Ulu Camii (Grand Mosque - there's one in every town)!

This is a mosaic on the SanliUrfa pavements.

Part of the old cemetary in the Ulu Camii.

This is street/Sokak 994 - all the streets in SanliUrfa are numbered (much to the confusion of the older SanliUrfa inhabitants).

The courtyard of an uppermarket "caravanserei"/hotel.

A shop catering for the two faces of Turkey: modern versus traditional.

A family on its way home.

The mosque in the Ibrahim Halilullah Dergahi complex where Muslims come to pray at Abraham's Cave.

The entrance to the cave where Abraham was born.

I had to don a scarf to be allowed to enter Abraham's cave (closed behind glass panels). Women fill waterbottels with healing water (extremely chlorinated)!

The Balikligoli (Holy Carp pond) where the carp are fed by many hopeful people.

On the way back to our hotel, we passed this bread (ekmek) baking shop - the speed of the process is amazing.

The next day we found our way to the Yeni Otogar (big bus depot) to catch a dolmus to HARRAN.

We found the correct dolmus easily and were on our way to the south-east of Turkey. Just look at the canal network which, for the last 15 years, has allowed green crops to be grown in what was a desert. It has changed the face of southern Turkey.

HARRAN - a family leaves town to return to their village.

The weekly market in Harran on the site of the ancient town.

The tower (35m) was twice a high as it was used for star-reading. Built in 200BC, used by Romans and destroyed by the Mongols. These ruins are all that is left of the "first university" in Turkey.

Excavations at the mound next to the "university" have proved that Harran was inhabited by 14 different civilisations - also proving that Abraham and Sarai lived here.

The Haran Culture House boasts typical beehive-style mud roofs.

But in reality, the newfound wealth of Harran (due to the water from the Ataturk Dam) allows for a new lifestyle - and the neglect of the ancient/redundant beehive style houses - can you see that the mud roofs are in need of repair?

The Harran Castle was initially built by the Hittites 2000 years BC. Various cultures occupied the castle before it was finally destroyed by the Mongols in 1260 during their rampage across the whole of Turkey.

The area in whch the camels were housed is still impressive.

The smoke stained brick ceiling of the enormous kitchen that had to cater for thousands of people during its existence.

The castle's size is impressive and its position was (meant to be) impregnable.

Was this really a desert 15 years ago? The mounds which can be seen in the distance, were used as beacons to travel cross the desert in days one by.

This is one of the thousands of canals bringing life-giving water to the Fertile Crescent.

Back at the SanliUrfa Otogar, Mrad gets enthusiastic advice on our travels to our next destination from several dolmus drivers.

This time we're headed south-west, 80km to BIRECIK.

Once more we enjoyed the varying country side.

We reached our destination: the Northern Bald Ibis breeding sanctuary - one of two places in the world where these critically endangered birds breed.

The cages where the birds breed - only a few are allowed to breed in the open as they migrate and then are poisoned during their migration.

The Birecik hydroelectric dam which made international news when antiquities were found that would be "drowned" by the waters - causing the flooding to be delayed by 10 days. Do you see the Bald Ibis' breeding cliffs in the background?

Home in SanliUrfa - we tasted Kadayif Kunefe. Here are the three stages of preparation - it's a delicious mix of salt and sweet.

This ended our visit to this part of the Fertile Crescent (middle south) of Turkey.



We stand amazed at the diversity of Turkey - people live side by side, yet in different worlds. Two women walk together, obviously friends or family - the one dressed in modern/Western style, the other covered up in typical Muslim style. It seems as if the differences are of no consequence.


As usual, we wish to say thank you to you who keep us in your prayers. We think of you often, and although our travels are blessed, we look forward to seeing you all at home.


Love to you all,
M&I