Sat 5 May
Flight from Manchester to Istanbul. Video safety briefing ‘enhanced’ by Manchester United football stars. Arrived Istanbul soon after 5pm, through immigration and customs and into a taxi to the hotel. Issues finding the hotel (phone number provided did not work), but reached it eventually (Hotel Nanda, Beyazit). Due to roadworks, vehicles couldn’t get to the hotel, we had to walk the last few hundred yards.
Strolled up to the Hippodrome, along shopping street with several wonderful cake shops.
Sun 6 May
Breakfast at the hotel, went back to the Hippodrome and visited Aya Sofia. Long but fast moving queue at the entrance. Walked down to Galata Bridge, and took a boat trip along the Bosphorus. Passed several palaces, a sixteenth century fortress and under the Bosphorus suspension bridge. Boat very crowded, but no music and no commentary. Docked again on the other side of the Galata Bridge – reeked of frying fish from the cafes and restaurants under the bridge. Posters on the bridge saying ‘Istanbul – European City of Sport 2012’ – anyone told London? Walked back up via the Spice Bazaar – lots of stalls with wonderful smelling spices, tea mixtures and Turkish delight. Also lots of old Ottoman style houses in the surrounding streets. Went back to the hotel, Ian had a sauna.
Rest of the group arrived before 7pm (noise of trundling suitcase wheels on the street). Went out to dinner at a fish restaurant under the Galata Bridge (by tram). Lots of fishing lines visible, from people fishing from the bridge above. Beautiful large orange moon rose over Seraglio Point and Topkapi Palace. Back to the hotel by tram (absolutely packed, worse the the Underground).
Mon 7 May
Early start (7am breakfast), leaving the hotel at 8 for a tour of the Hippodrome and Blue Mosque (Aya Sofia – and a lot of the museums – closed Mondays). Hippodrome patrolled by policeman on 3-wheeled Segways, and full of street vendors selling roast chestnuts, corn on the cob, and watermelon.
Sat in a little park for a while, then visited the Grand Bazaar (narrowly avoided being sold a carpet). Carried on the Sulimanye Mosque, via the University. There was a small demonstration near the University, various police with guns and riot shields parked in a road.
Had lunch (lentil soup) with some other members of the group in a cafe by the mosque, then went to find the Aqueduct of Valens (lots of traffic passing underneath it).
Sat on the roof terrace of the hotel for a while (good views of the shipping in the Sea of Marmara) – very noisy when the muezzin of the adjacent mosque began the call to prayer. Bought some pastries from a shop for dinner.
Walked up to the main road (with the luggage) for the bus to the airport. Traffic chaotic on the airport road. Flight to Trabzon not too long (1 hr 20 mins). VIP treatment on arrival at the airport! Did not need to get the bus with everyone else, walked (100 yds) to the terminal, baggage appeared almost straight away (and only our baggage). 15 minute drive to the hotel, road very wet.
Tue 8 May
Another early start (left hotel at 8:15), very misty damp day, could barely see the sea. Drove to the Aya Sofia of Trabzon – on a promontory looking out to sea (and next to a school). Beautiful (though somewhat timeworn) frescos inside – similar style to those in Goreme, same artist. Tortoise asleep on the ground.
Next headed up into the very lush, green wooded hills to the Sumela Monastery, clinging to a cliff face. Drove beside very fast running, silty river (full of snow melt). Road to the monastery very narrow, very steep, very twisty. Met a cement lorry coming down, there was only just room for it to squeeze past. Rhodedendron (Ponticum – in the Pontic hills) growing amongst the trees. Monastery at approx 1300m.
Walked approx 1km along a rough path to the monastery, then up a flight of steps beside the aqueduct, and down another flight into the monastery. Clump of violets growing by the path. Very old church, partly in a cave, fresco’d both inside and outside (some badly vandalised).
Stopped at a cafe just down the mountain for lunch (very good lentil soup, and slightly spicy beef stew). Then drove to Erzurum (arrival 7:30). Initially through more wooded mountains (almost Alpine looking – till you see the mosque and minaret in each village). Went (almost) over a pass (through a tunnel just before we got to the top), came out to stunning views of snow-covered mountains. Not so many villages the other side of the pass. Held up at roadworks (road under construction).
Landscape changed to rolling hills (still with snow-covered mountains in the distance); went over another pass (2400m) with a monument to the martyrs in the war against the Russians at the top.
Erzerum altitude approx 1800m – surrounded by mountains going up to 3200m. Illuminated ski jumps, built for the University Olympics. Hotel Kral, large, slightly anonymous and run-down, but quite comfortable. Out to dinner to a kebab restaurant (lentil soup and kebab), huge portions and very good (bill for two only 30 lira – approx £10). Hotel very quiet despite its central location. Very harmonious muezzin at 4:30, did not seem to suffer the distortion the amplification seems to cause to most.
Wed 9 May
Breakfast in the hotel (not buffet, already laid out on tables), then left at 9am for a walking tour of Erzurum. Visited the Twin Minaret Medress (closed for restoration), the Three tombs and the Citadel. Houses in this part of town are being demolished so the area can be coverted to a historical park. Citadel built of local volcanic rock. It retains the heat well. City surrounded by mountains. WW1 fort visible on an adjacent hill.
At 1pm set off for Kars. Passed a sign for a curling arena on the way out of town.
Had a photo stop at a medieval Turkish bridge which was being renovated. Landscape was a broad flat-floored valley with mountains on either side. Lots of small villages. Fields being cultivated (potato planting?), often using horses, sometimes tractors. Beehive shaped ‘blocks’ of dung being dried for winter fuel. Road ran parallel to a railway line for a while, at one point the rails had been relaid with the old ones just thrown beside the track. Further on lots of concrete sleepers were lying beside the track. Also stopped briefly at an obsidian (volcanic glass) vein, exposed by road improvements.
Went straight to the supermarket in Kars to purchase ingredients for picnic lunch at Ani. Arrived at the Hotel Sim-Er, on the edge of town overlooking a park.
Room on 7th floor. Buffet dinner in the hotel, very good – rice pudding with cinnamon for dessert. Bar seemed to be out of a number of drinks.
Thu 10 May
Early breakfast for 8am departure for Ani. Stopped briefly at a bakery to buy bread for lunch. Reached Ani after approx 1 hr, having passed through various villages and a Turkish military base. Site is right on the Armenian border – watchtowers visible over the river. Like a field with piles of rubble and some semi-ruined buildings dotted about. Skylarks singing, swifts/martins flitting about, and also some buzzards soaring over the river, very peaceful. Snow covered montain visible in the distance – not-Mt-Ararat!
Drove on through very poor villages on dirt roads. Lots of horses grazing, also sheep and cattle. Fields full of piles of stones, used to mark boundaries. Saw some more buzzards, including a pair that flew across the road in front of the bus. Stopped at a cafe for a picnic – tea (not too strong) provided, lovely shady area to sit in. Passed storks sitting in their nests.
Carried on to Dogubeyazit, with wonderful views of Mt Ararat (top shrouded in cloud). Landscape very dramatic, craggy and with wonderful coloured rock strata. Passed through the town, went up to the Ishak Pasha Palace, perched on a crag part way up a pass into Iran (very close to the border). Big military base in town, tank repair and training apparently (had passed a few armoured personnel carriers on the road).
Palace being renovated, but many of the rooms were still open – beautifully carved dining room, many small harem rooms with fireplaces and windows looking out over the plain. Police checkpoint on the way down, all cars being stopped. Brief stop at the supermarket to buy picnic for tomorrow. (Not such a smart supermarket as the Migros in Kars). Arrived Golden Hill Hotel – 7 storey building, quite smart looking, but appeared to be missing a star (one had been removed from the signs). Room large and pleasant, but somewhat dilapidated…curtains did not meet, towel rail fell off the wall when a (small hand) towel was placed on it.
Dinner good, but slightly hit and miss – they ran out of some items of food (plates had the name of the hotel – and 4 stars). Dogs barked and howled a lot of the night.
Fri 11 May
7am breakfast for 8am departure. Drove towards Van, over a 2225m pass. Stopped near the top of the pass to look at the lava flows; grassy areas covered in wild flowers, cilla types and fritillaries (?). Road very close to the Iranian border, (Turkish) watchtowers visible along the ridge. Reached the edge of Lake Van (1750m); beautiful turquoise colour. Stopped at a supermarket in Van to buy bread. Still some buildings showing signs of earthquake damage in Van (earthquake Oct 2011) (apparently almost half the population has left – 250 000 out of 500 000). Turned away from the lake, to visit the fort of Cavustepe (2900 years old) – perched on a ridge above the plains. Original irrigation channels still visible (next to modern ones) in the fields. Ate picnic on the ridge, then toured the fort. Cuniform writing on the basalt blocks, blocks very sharply cut (and showing no signs of weathering). Irises growing on the hillside by the fort.
Carried on along the valley (past a dam and hydropower scheme), to the 17th century Kurdish fortress of Hosap (montains on the Iranian border visible in the distance). Fort perched on a pinnacle of rock, very dramatic. Entrance ‘tunnel’ cut through the rock. Lots of sheer drops (unfenced off). Drove back to Van, arrived Hotel Azur. Ian went out to dinner, I fell asleep.
Sat 12 May
9am departure for Akdamer Island. Passed several ‘container cities’ for the earthquake victims (each container fitted with a satelite dish). Most of the petrol stations appeared to have a mescite (small mosque – or prayer room) attached. Stopped at a lakeside resort to get the ferry to the island. Pleasant boat trip (cool breeze), some seagulls flying around. Lake Van is seven times saltier than normal sea water.
Reached the island and disembarked. Small owl perched in a tree. Walked a short distance to the Church of the Holy Cross – 10th century Armenian church, with very beautiful carvings of biblical scenes round the (external) walls. Badly worn frescos inside the church. The ground outside was still covered in almond blossom. Climbed to the highest point of the island (bit of a scramble), saw a black snake. Returned to the mainland for lunch (yoghurt soup and delicious beef stew, with hot peppers). Drove to Tatvan (2 hrs). Part of the drive was by the lake, part through the mountains. Passed many small villages (many surrounded by trees just starting to blossom), also a police checkpoint.
Weather (which had been hazy) grew worse, windier and a rain shower shortly before we reached Tatvan (Hotel Karaman). Strolled around Tatvan, not a lot to see (lots of shops, large mosque), had a cup of tea and then went to a kebab restuarant – lentil soup and chicken kebab. Streets full of barrows selling a rhubarb variant – looked like rhubarb stalk, but with a strange flower at the end. Also a large tobacco growing area. Cafes mostly full of people watching Galatasary v Fenerbache (league decider), though one cafe which appeared to be showing the match was almost completely empty.
Match ended c.9pm, streets full of people chanting and driving cars, hooting their horns as they drove. Thunderstorm (very violent and close) then started. Another thunderstorm started soon after the dawn call to prayer.
Sun 13 May
Left 8am to drive to Mardin via Diarbekyr. Detour necessary to avoid PKK activity round Batman. Passed many police watchpoints and a few checkpoints. Took a short cut through a very dramatic gorge, with a tributary of the Tigris flowing through it. (Drove via Mus and Kalp). Stopped in Diarbekyr for lunch – beef stew, very good. Caught a glimpse of the basalt walls of the old town as we left. Passed several telegraph poles and pylons with storks’ nests on top.
Arrived Mardin just before 4pm, staying in the Yay Grand Hotel, very new, very big hotel outside town. Orange or cherry juice to greet us, and lots of rabbits in an enclosure below the entrance. Took a dolmus into Mardin (1.25 lira). Lots of beautiful old (and ramshackle) buildings. Had a cup of tea in a medresse, caught the dolmus back to the hotel (whoever sits behind the driver has to pass fares to him, and pass change back to the passengers). Beautiful views over the plains of Mesopotamia and the Syrian border to the South. Much hotter in Mardin, only about 700m above sealevel.
Mon 14 May
8am departure for Hasankeyf. Little village on the Tigris river, about 20km upstream from the Ilisu dam, and therefore due to be flooded in 2013 when the dam is completed. New village under construction on the opposite bank – current inhabitants of the village will receive some compensation, but not enough to cover the cost of a flat in the new village. They will also lose their land, so will have no way of making a living.
Remains of an Ottoman bridge visible in the river (village was an important stop on the Silk Route) – it was a ‘double decker’ bridge with a lower passage for camels and an upper one for people. Lots of buildings carved in the rock, including a mint with a stairway cut into the rock. Tour with a local guide, whose grandparents died in one of the cave houses at over 100 years old. Storks nesting on top of the minaret. Kurdish wedding party touring the site, very smartly dressed women chanting.
Had a glass of tea in a cafe just outside the site (Arabic coffee also provided). They had a back room cave, with the original storage containers for rice and wheat.
Stopped in Midyat to buy picnic, then stopped later by the road to eat it. No poppies near the picnic spot, though there are a lot around, beautiful red colour, more brilliant than at home.
Carried on to Dar-es-Zafran (Saffron Monastery – due to the crocuses that grow on the hillsides). Dates from 5th century AD, Syrian Orthodox (Aramaic), on the site of a 4000 year old fire temple (remains visible in the basement). Very beautiful (and original) carvings on the arches in the church. Services are still held three times a day, in Aramaic. Two wells in the courtyard, where the monastery still gets its water. Lots of olive trees round the monastery.
Stopped in Mardin on the way back, toured the market. Saw shoe shops, metal working, lots of spices, clothes and linen, and also chickpea plants (chickpeas in pods, like peas). Returned to hotel and said hello to the rabbits.
Had dinner in the hotel, very good, mezze followed by beef stew and rice, and very sweet dessert – 20 lira. Brief power cut during dinner.
Tue 15 May
Left hotel at 8am. Drove for a couple of hours, had a tea stop at a service station, then turned up to Gobekli Tepe (PotBellied Hill). Site is the world’s oldest known temple (9500BC), no evidence of a local settlement. Very isolated, on the highest hill in the area, looking across to Mesopotamia. A number of megaliths, with carvings, have been excavated (German archaeologists working on the site). Walkway through the site, good views of the carvings (some covered up to preserve them). Islamic wishing tree (with strips of cloth around the branches) at the top of the hill, and some graves. Lots of flints scattered about. Crossed a large irrigation canal on the drive to the site, full of very turquoise water (from the Ataturk Barrage on the Euphrates). Whole area was a desert before the dam was built.
Carried on to Sanliurfa, dropped off for lunch at a restaurant with views of the citadel. Lots of old houses on the slopes being demolished, to reveal Neolithic caves. Good lunch, yoghurt soup, lentil soup and lahmacun (tortilla type bread covered with spicy meat and folded over). Pigeon with very feathery feet living at the restaurant.
Looked at the mosaics at the Halephibache Museum – from Roman villas, showing scenes from the Trojan Wars (including Achilles being dipped in the Styx), and centaurs and Amazons (who also fought for the Trojans).
Carried on to the Pools of Abraham – full of carp, very clean looking water, lots of locals strolling about. Also visited the cave which is the birthplace of Abraham. Next visited the bazaar, covers a huge area, and sells everything. Includes some rather nice little squares with teashops.
Walked back up the main road to the Hotel Akgol, right opposite the football stadium.
Wed 16 May
Breakfast on the top floor, then 8am departure for Harran. This village is close to the Syrian border, and not far from Sanliurfa. Passed lots of concrete irrigation channels on the way there.
Stopped in the village, picked up a local guide. Saw the ruined mosque (tower is now 30m high, used to be 72m, was used for astronomy). Camel grazing in the distance. Saw the Aleppo gate in the city walls. Visited a village house – beehive shaped single rooms (interconnected), around a central yeard. ‘Beehives’ made of rocks covered with mud, with the cone made of shaped stones – cool in summer, warm in winter. Had tea in the yard, moved on to view the castle, still an impressive structure. Hoopoe flying about outside.
Returned to Urfa, visited the museum. Not large, but some good exhibits, including some monoliths from Gobekli Tepe. Also a strange device, not labelled, which might have been used for weaving (?).
Walked into town, back to the Pools and up to the Citadel. Very hot and sweaty, lots of steps! Good view of Urfa (not a very attractive town) from the top. Exit is via a passageway cut down through the rock – steps a bit worn, and dark after the bright sun. We did wonder if they actually went to the exit – but they did! Went to the bazaar and (with difficulty) found the kilim shop and bought some kilims. Returned to the hotel, bought some soft drinks and sat on the roof terrace.
Went out to dinner, to a kebab restaurant on the main street. Soup and pide (Turkish pizza) – good. Turkish football cup final on TV (Fenerbache vs Bursaspor in Ankara. Apparently the street was very noisy after the match finished. Also a football match (in the afternoon) in the stadium opposite the hotel – resulting in several casualties!
Thu 17 May
8am departure for Nemrut Dagi. Stopped first at the Ataturk Dam on the Euphrates (some time spent showing paperwork at a police check point). Dam produces hydropower and also water for irrigation. Stopped just below the dam to walk across a bridge over the Euphrates.
Bought some snacks in Kehte, moved on the the Karakus Tumulus, and picniced in the cafe. Tumulus erected for the mother, sister and niece of a Commagene king. Stone pillars to the south, east and west. Magnificent views of the surrounding coutryside from the top of the tumulus.
Headed into the mountains towards Nemrut Dagi, through various small and impoverished-looking villages. Stopped at Mount Euphrat Hotel – fantastic situation, terrace with views across the valley to the escarpment opposite. Unfortunately only three rooms ready (rest of hotel being renovated), so most of the group had to go back down the valley to an alternate hotel in the next village (same owners). Blue flowers and trees with white flowers (acacia?) around the hotel. Saw buzzards, a hawk, swallows, and hoopoes while sitting on the terrace (free drinks and evening meal provided as apology for the lack of rooms).
Dinner in the hotel: soup, salad and beef stew with rice (mint in the soup). Walked up the road to look at the stars – very little light pollution, and bats flying around.
Fri 18 May
Leisurely start, no actual appointment till lunch at 1pm. Went for a walk, initially following the stream up from the hotel, then followed animal tracks and construction tracks. Lots of wild flowers and butterflies, also lots of dung beetles and a snake. Found a (concrete) irrigation channel, with water flowing through it.
Reached a tree on what had appeared to be the ridge line from the hotel, but there was still another ridge beyond. Beautiful views to the South, over the top of the ridge opposite the hotel. Walked back down the road (passed a Dutch campervan). Walk took 2-2.5 hours.
Returned to the hotel, sat on the terrace, had lunch (soup, salad, chicken), then (using hotel minibuses) set out to visit various local sites.
Road over the mountain most spectacular, very narrow and twisty, and tackled by the driver at speed (and occasionally with mobile phone in hand).
First stop was the Cendere Bridge, built during the reign of Septimus Severus. Lots of locals also busy viewing the bridge, photography was a bit difficult. Left the bridge in a hurry, to try to get to the next site before the masses. Pair of storks in the gravel bed downstream of the bridge.
Passed the remains of Yeni Kale on a crag above the road then headed up to the remains of Arsamaia. Followed little paths across the hill to the various sites, including a couple with water cisterns (caverns) dug into the rock. Also had a splendid view of all the other minibuses heading towards the site.
Next headed to Nemrut Dagi itself, back on the twisty mountain roads. Arrived at the carpark, and tackled the path up the mountain. Not a long (600m?) or steep (150m?) path, but quite rough, and an effort at 2000m! Arrived at the East Terrace, this has an altar plus a row of thrones and seated torsos (heads on the ground in front of them). Moved on to the West Terrace (via the North Terrace – not much to see here) – similar to the East Terrace, but no altar and thrones. Settled down to watch the sunset (more and more people arriving all the time). Not allowed to climb the tumulus itself (someone did, and a guard whistled and shouted).
Person from the carpark cafe arrived to sell tea and coffee (as the sun started setting it got noticably colder – anorak and gloves on!). A small and noisy band also arrived (drum, violin and singing) to serenade the sunset – not a very good one, too much cloud. Headed back down before dark, lots of very dark rainclouds gathering to the South. Watched lightning flashing amongst the clouds below us – loud thunder too. Some people still heading up the path to the Terraces.
Returned to the hotel in the dark (not raining too heavily, so the road was (fortunately) still reasonably dry. Dinner as soon as we got back (around 8pm) – then straight to bed!
Sat 19 May
8am departure for Gazientep. Dull and overcast day. Reached the Zeugma Museum around 12, had an hour to look around. Wonderful mosaics, mostly rescued from being flooded by a dam.
Arrived Hotel Kaleli before 2pm. Went for a little stroll around town – shopping area very busy (and someone welding in the middle of the street with no protective clothing, not even goggles). Failed to find the citadel, had lunch in a fast food kebab place and returned to the hotel.
Had dinner in the hotel, good but no soup!
Sun 20 May
Left hotel at 7am for the airport. Passed signs to Aleppo on the way out. Short (1hr 20) flight to Istanbul, where it was pouring with rain, then a walk (under cover) from domestic to international terminal.
Flight to Manchester delayed due to late arrival of plane, and the weather (spent over an hour taxi-ing around the airport). Arrived Manchester shortly after 4pm, caught train to Glasgow, home 10pm.
