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Published: October 25th 2014
Market in Urfa
Copper metal artistUp at 2:45 a.m. for plane trip to Diyarbakir, at the far east part of Turkey. We did a short tour of Diyarbakir which included the City of Amid, in Mesopotamia. This is a city of 1M people and we are definitely in a different world than Western Turkey!!!! This is the FAR East! Whatever stereotypes we may have had, it is all here. The people dress differently & are far more conservative. It is old world country. The word Mesopotamia means the fertile crescent of land between two rivers, the Tigres being one & Euphrates, the another. See the picture of the famous bridge crossed by the caravans. It is called Ongoziu Kopru which means 10 eyed bridge (it has 10 arches). They say is where the Garden of Eden was --- Adam & Eve! The walls of the city (dating back to the Asyrians in 1850 B.C although I believe the wall is just 1,000 years old). The city walls are still in tact and surround the city in a circle with 4 gates. Inside are small cobblestone streets. There used to be a moat on the other side of the wall. We visited a mosque in the main
Caravan rest stop with mosque.
Caravan stops every 25 miles -- these are rooms where people stayed overnight. Animals tied up in this courtyard. part of the old city with it's unique architecture. There is also a caravan bazaar across the street dating back to when people traveled via caravan and the silk road. Just a few days before we arrived on our trip there were huge demonstrations with tens of thousands of people coming out onto the streets -- protesting the Turkish government and their non-stance in handling the ISIS situation. This area is mainly inhabited by the Kurds and when there is a bombing or other threat, the loud speakers announce to the people that it is time to hold another demonstration. We are told it could happen any time although presently, all seems calm. I did, however, purchase a set of "worry beads". On the way here we passed guard booths along the highway and at some main intersections of the city were water trucks and police at the ready to spray a crowd of demonstrators with forces of water in case of an instant uprising.
We took a 2 .5 hour bus ride to Sanliurfa -- better known as Urfa. Getting here we stopped at a melon stand and spoke with the proprietor who lives in the tent during
the harvest season. Erol considered this a "social visit" as he offered the man a cigarette, the common social gesture. Most men smoke and this man was smoking Iraqi cigarettes -- the border being about 40 miles away. His melons were absolutely delicious. We also saw many sheep herders along the way. We drove through Silverik, a city of 232,000.
Our hotel in Urfa is right in the old city and is actually, partially in a cave. To give you an example of what kind of a world we are in currently, women are not allowed to swim in the hotel's indoor swimming pool. Linda and I were ready to start our own uprising until Erol told us he would not claim us and leave us to fend for ourselves. So, I guess that is a bad idea!!!! We are in a "dry" part of the country which means no beer, no raki, only tea and soft drinks. Urfa is the city of the prophets -- Job, Lut + more. Tomorrow we will visit the ancient sites including where Abraham and Sarah lived. Our hotel is next to a park and the Lake of Abraham which is stocked with
Ongoziu Kopru
10 eyed bridge, part of caravan route. Land of Eden. Carp -- all a very Holy place. It is said that Abraham was a good man, a worshipper of Alah. The King of Syria was Nimrod, who was not a good man and worshipped adultery. So, Nimrod decided to punish Abraham by pushing him off a cliff and putting his body on a wooden pyre to burn. However, the fire turned into water and the wood turned into fish -- Abraham lived. People come from all over to this Holy place to see where this all happened. I will include pictures of the columns where Abraham was pushed through and down the hill, as well as the pond.
We spent the afternoon at the covered bazaar and marketplace, somewhat resembling the one in Fez, Morocco. However, no animals like in Fez but there were very narrow Cobblestone streets and shops selling all kinds of goods. Different streets specialized such as the tailors, woodworkers, blacksmiths, jewelry, spices, scarves etc... We sat in the main square and did some people watching of which I got some great pictures of men playing games and drinking their tea. Today was the kind of day I cherish -- I love the people portion of
our trips, far more than visiting temples and buildings. Fascinating!!!!!
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