Urfa, Nemrut Daghi, Harran, and Abrahams Birthplace

Hello now where we on the last post? 
It has been really hot in the desert and we have had some problems with blogger software. Also the Turkish Military blocked all alien telephones. Due to the skirmish over the border with the Kurds in Iraq. We are  a long way from the trouble now.

On the Bank of the Euphrates River Urfa

OK we left Erzurum after collecting my Iran visa and caught a bus to Diabaykir. Our intention was to stay in that city but the connection to Urfa was waiting. 
Arrived in Urfa just on dusk. Friday 14th.
Urfa is a magic place and it should be in the Blue Book for must see places. The foundations of Urfa are reputed to be 9000BC. It is the birthplace of the prophet Abraham. His cave is a sacred Moslem pilgrimage site, 

The birthplace of the Prophet Abraham Urfa

The city is large some 870,000 people live here. Industry is farming and tourists. Not your usual tourists. But Middle East tourists from Bahrain, Dubai, Saudi and Iran. We found it to be vibrant alive and so hospitable, If you are a Christian then there are plenty of 12th century Crusader churches converted to Mosques but still unmistakable. 

With the Kids in Urfa

Jesus is  reputed to have sent a cloth here to cure a leper. The well where the leper washed is still intact covered with a rock!

Urfa from the old Fort 7000BC to Roman times
Citt and I have had random acts of kindness here, people just loved the fact we were visiting their city. A daughter and her Boppa. >me.

Our hotel was an old Armanien house renovated our host was a genial Kurd English teacher Aslan Asia. He was just great organized a trip to Nemrut Darghi And Harran taking in all the Roman Ruins. Historic sites and modern marvels of this region.

Aslan Konek Evi Hotel Urfa

We visited the Ataturk Dam part of the Gap Irrigation Project. That has turned desert into cotton fields and satisfied the Kurds with money and a future. 
Nemrut Darghi National Park sits on top of a mountain 2150mtrs. It is a pyramid of rocks with statues of Lions Apollo, Hercules,.Zeus,  King Antiocheus 62 BC built this monument to himself. 

Nemrut Darghi 62 BC

To the West it is Greek to the East the statues are Persian.

Nemrut Darghi Persian Side

Good Politician this guy hedging his bets. He was caught between the Byzantines and the Persians.

Nemrut Darghi Greek Side

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Nemrut
These guys sure outshone our modern politicians for egalitarian acts.
http://www.google.com/search?q=nemrut+da%C4%9Fi+national+park&hl=en&biw=1024&bih=577&rlz=1W1SKPT_en&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=tl-gTtrPK4WLswbEz4jfAg&ved=0CFwQsAQ

It is a unesco site.


The Roman Bridge and perfect Seljuk period bridge burial mounds old cities all in the fertile crescent the land of the scriptures.

Roman Bridge

Citt 

That is it for now we are crossing into Iran tomorrow so not too sure if I can update you. I will try my best. You are yet to visit the Biblical town of Harran and the old Sun god caves. 

Thanks for coming along.

Erzurum, Ancient Ani, Historic Kars

Hello 13/10/2011

Arrived in Erzurum under a cloak of darkness. Taxi to our hotel from the train from Istanbul. Fairly uneventful journey as I spent most of it with my head in the toilet bowel. A bad case of tummy BUG. But a few Norflaxin had me up and around in a couple of days only for Citt to be struck as well. So we spent 2 days in a quiet 5 star in Erzurum. In hindsight we were both jet lagged and down on our health so it was timely to get it out of the way. We did not eat so we enjoyed the heavily discounted Marriott.

Rennaisance Hotel Erzurum

Erzurum sits smack bang on the cross roads of trade routes. It has a violent history since the earliest man walked here in 3000BC. The sites are fewhowever  there is an exceptional 12th century mosque and a Seljuk Hall.



Mongol Council House Central Erzurum

The main square has a Mongol council house with no windows and a single minaret added to make it look  like a mosque. True the minaret is beautiful with tiles and mosaics.

 Apart from the jewel markets (a 12th century palace converted to shops.) There is little else to hold ones attention. Unless you love cakes and sweets as this town has a caveat on them. Baklava, Eclairs, Rich sponges, and ice cream to die for. There are salons where women can go by themselves and of course the guys take their girls to sit and giggle while taking photos and texting to friends and facebooking the result.

Tea shop

 It would be difficult for a single woman to travel here as the men are really in your face.

Visa to Iran is proving difficult as they do not seem to have the necessary documents I paid for from Tehran. So after the first call and we got nowhere decided to head out to Kars and the ancient city of Ani. Trying to not waste time waiting for Beurocrats to send a file via god knows how.

Kars is an old city standing in the road of Emporers, Kings, Despots and Kahns. It has a bloody history. Has been a part of Armenia. Russia, Persia, even the British had a go at it during the Caucus wars. I think the light brigade was around here somewhere will do some research and let you know.

Kars Memorial museum Russian house

Kars is dominated by a huge bluestone fort. The city is Russian built you would think you were in Irkusk or central Russia with stone houses on a neat grid with well laid out streets lined with trees.

From here we visited the ancient 'city of Ani

The olive Press Ani City

This city now derelict once housed 100,000 people It was a vital link and a major trading place on the Silk Road. It was founded in 950  or thereabouts by the Armenian Bogradite Kings who made it their capital. These guys were pretty big in those days. They did OK with some fist fights with the Byzantines and Seljuks but it all came unstuck when the Mongols came and got rid of the lot. The City was left deserted and earthquakes did the rest. It is lttle more than a  heap of stones and ruined churches on the border of modern Armenia. By the way the border is closed due to a dispute so nothing has really changed.

Ruins

We spent three hours at the site and it was eerie to be in houses with the evidence of fires, in shops with the Pide oven in place. Walk a cobble street where Mums would have met and spent a time gossiping  The gates  where the tax agent lived and stand outside the church where a bride and groom Would have started life together. Dreams and realities all dead long gone.





We left the site and retruned to Erzurum to get the elusive Visa.

It is Thursday 13th and after a further 2 days, 3 visits and some Euros in the right place. I have my Visa to Iran. (:

Tomorrow 14th we leave for Mesopatamia. Diyabakur, Sanlurfa and Lake Van. The attraction?  Hanny near Lurfa is reputed to be the oldest inhabited city on the planet. Plus Nemrut Darghi (Roman Heads) and  Gobeki Tepe (10000BC older than stone henge). here Abraham was borne, this is the beggining of civilisation as we know it and it is all still standing ready for us to visit.

Are you still with us?

Let's go.

 

We are in search of Persia

The Jewel Market Erzerum

 

Istanbul heading East

Istanbul
Visions of Dervishes swirling and Minarets in the sunset with the call to prayer loud and clear from all directions.
It is a bit like that but the Dervishes I missed....
Today I got going real early in the hope of beating the tourist hordes. No such luck in the night three huge ships snuck in, the mob were out. But I got into St Sophia's early and missed most of the hordes.

Saint Sophie

 

To me Saint Sophia is not AFC it is one of the great engineering achievements of this world. It was originally built in 330 AD by the Roman Emporer Constantine. Constantine commissioned a Physicist and a Mathematician to design the structure. 

Looking toward the altar area

Constantine founded the eastern Roman Empire known as the Byzantine Empire and which was around till the Ottoman took over in 1413. It had some shaky times in its history notwithstanding Crusaders and Mongols. However Saint Sophias is the history of Istanbul and the Turkish people. It started life as a Catholic and morphed Orthodox and  in 1400 was converted to a Mosque. In 1930 it was closed and became a museum. It really wasn't untl the 1990 that renovations restored it to some of its former glory.It has been hit by numerous earthqulkes and repaired over its life. But it still stands glorious.

As I entered the Building my mind went back to 1973 when Pam, Kellie and I squeezed through and hole in the fence to get in. It was closed to tourists. Inside the building was derelict. Street people used it as a home. It was refreshing to see loads of people enjoying this great monument to man's ingenuity.

Some of the crowd

The Blue Mosque rivals St Sophia but Sophie is my girl.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagia_Sophia

Sultan Ahmet mosque (Blue  Mosque)

I thought it time to get to see some of modern Istanbul. Metro to Cabatas then a fernicular up to Taksim Square in the business district. 

Taksim Fernicular

As it was morning tea time. Coffee and Baklava yum.

I was in search of the modern art museum but I walked for miles and could not find it. However I did get to have a look at the old Venetian quarter with the Galata Tower.The streets are so narrow and most one way.

I have never seen a device like this. It,s purpose is to stop traffic from travelling up a one way street.

Rip a $600 Pirelli low profile run flat set of  tyres apart real quick. Guess you could call it a fine on the spot.



s

Silent cops



Make damn sure you are going the right way

Oh honey the tyres are flat. 

Oh sorry love I did not see the sign.

It was time to meet Citt coming from Franfurt.

We had a superb dinner in a famous Turkish Lokanta. It was a fitting end and a celebration of Citts achievment in ataining her Master of Science degree.

Love Istanbul where East really does meet West.
Tomorrow a train  journey to Ezerum East Turkey 36 Hours on a sleeper.

Istanbul where East meets West

Hi from Istanbrul
Arrived in good sted after a marathon flight through Bahrain.

Istanbul my favorite city steeped in history, Sitting serenely on the the Bosphorous. Commandaiing access to both Europe and Asia.
The city is a live and well. My first vist was in 1973 with Pam and little Kellie. We were travelling in a VW pop top. I came again in 1977 with Tony for a week. This time I am here for 2 days.
Citt joins me tonight from Franfurt.
I recollect camping outside the Blue Mosque and eating at the pudding shop so called as they made the best rice puddings and the hippy viet dodger set were there. It was the best place to get information as lonely planet was not around and the war in Israel was on.
Enough nostalgia i am now just an old traveller passing time like the rest of the tourists mouth open and being shown only what is in the guide book.

BUT yesterday I took off on the ferry mainy to get away from the tourists *3 Cruise boats in) Took it out to the Asian side where the views of the city are astounding. Drank tea with the locals and then went along to the fish market for lunch. Had grilled mackeral with a salad, sitting in amongst the fish. Does not get any better.



Fish monger note: modern scales



The touts are smooth they all have a family member in Australia. Suppose if I was Danish they would have family in Copenhagen.



My Istanbul Fish Sandwich



Did the Blue mosque.

The interior arches of the georgeous Blue Mosque

Visited the pudding shop. Sat and wondered where  my life had gone.



THE pudding shop Istanbul.



38 years ago.

Do you ever do that?

In search of Persia

Hello 
You are invited to join us on the journey of a lifetime. 
"In search of Persia" A trip through antiquity.

If you want to look at the future? Look at the past!

• Our itinerary. Citt and I meet up in Istanbul Turkey. 
• Train to Ezerum Nourthern Anatolia ( Ancient Mesopatamia). 
• We then bus it to the ancient sights to search for the remains of the Assyrians, Hittities, Babylonians, Byzantines, Crusaders, Mongols, Seljuks and if we have enough energy left the Modern Turks. (This list is not complete)
• Southern Turkey and Iran are part of the "fertile crescent" an area reputed to be the source of  most modern agricultural species wheat, oats, cattle, sheep, goats owe their existence to the ancients, 
• Religion was born at Goeble Teke 10,000 BC and the list goes on. 
• Noah's Ark is reputed to be lodged on Mt Ararat. Yeah! Do you believe that? 

Fertile Crescent

There is a link here that is like reading "Lord Of the rings". Please spend a little time, easy to read history and it helps to understand how relevant it all is today.
http://timewatch.greathistory.com/2010/02/16/15minmesopotamia/


We cross the border into Iran to "search for Persia".  This amazing  country that has been the scene of so much. Where civilization has been since 2,500 BC.  The site of the seventh wonder of the world.

Perspolis

 "The ancient city of Persepolis"

Described as the gate to the world.

Useful links to explore.

"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persepolis
http://www.persia.org/imagemap/perspolis.html


Are you coming? 
Don't pack a bag, or worry about the visas. The airline tickets and the train tickets are not important. Just join us. It means a lot to the journeyers (Citt and I) to have you with us. As lucky says, "lots a photos Malcolm"


Welcome aboard and let's go I am in Kuala Lumpur writing this waiting for a flight to Istanbul.