So long and thanks for all the kebab!!

Middle East » Turkey » Black Sea » Trabzon
June 23rd 2006

Published: August 11th 2007

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His Dudeness

Dogubayazit

Ishak Pasa Palace at sunset

This will be my last post in Turkey... Yes I am finally leaving the country... With a sad heart though...

But let me first tell what I have been doing till now...

First in Van I met Brian who I had met earlier on my Mt. Nemrut sunset tour and together with him and Tim a Kiwi who was staying in the same hotel we did a tour of Akdamar Island.. After this Brian and I also went for a look at Hosap Castle about an hour east of Van...

Next Brian and I went to Dogubayazit where we stayed at Murat camping just below Ishak Pasa palace... This is one of the nicer places I have stayed in in Turkey, not because the rooms where especially clean or anything but location wise it was unbeatable... Ishak palace is like a fairytale castle from Arabian nights and it is great to sit at the restaurant just above it sipping a cold beer watching the sunset over the palace...

Than it was off to Kars which is the base to visit Ani... Ani was a long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away the royal capital

Dogubayazit

Gateway to the second court

of Armenia lorded over by the evil emperor Palpatine and his cruel stooge Lord Vather... Then little Frodo and his gang of circus freaks came along and overthrew the emperor and everybody lived happily every after... Historians find this story to be utterly ludicrous and look down in contempt on those propagating the story.. Be that as it may, the site is very beautiful and untouristy making it a great place to while away a couple of hours.

After this I had to go to Erzerum where I was going to try and get my Iranian visa at the consulate there, having heard it is the best place to get one... The staff seemed friendly enough, I had to fill out an application form and in 10 days I will know if my request has been granted or not..

So I decided not to hang around Erzerum for that time but make a foray into Georgia..

I am now in Trabzon, from where I made a daytrip to Sumela monastery which is clinging to the sheer rock face and has some amazing frescoes..

Tomorrow I will enter Georgia for my reconnaissance mission.. Than back to Erzerum

Dogubayazit

Palace Mosque and the family tomb in front

where I will hopefully get my visa.. So technically I have not left Turkey for good yet..

Still I would like to thank all the Turkish people for their hospitality and I will definitely return! It has been great!

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