Turkey's Magical Highways Day 20

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We traveled to Gazientep today with several stops on the way. To get here, we traveled along a highway which was just within the border from Syria. We passed right by the village of Suruc and our driver told us that yesterday there were 2 mortars that strayed from Kobani (within a mile of Suruc) and did some major damage. He saw it on the news. I wonder if the fighter jets we heard the night before had something to do with that. We also passed right next to a large refugee camp that was in an old school building with high fences. I took a couple pictures as we drove by. The refugees are free to come and go as they please and many try to get work. The Turks don't like it because they will work for much less money.

From Halfeti we took a boat ride on the Euphrates River which included cruising around the Roman fortress of Rumkale, where it is said that St. John the Apostle wrote his Gospel. Due to the Ataturk Dam that was built on the river, many had to be relocated from their homes (this seems similar to the Chinese situation of the 3 Gorges Dam although this was on a smaller scale). We saw a city where all but one family decided to relocate to the New Halfeti. This man took cash rather than relocation money and is now making money on a café he built. Much of the city is submerged and empty, including a mosque that is 80% under water (see the picture where the minaret is mostly under water).

We passed by fields of pistachio trees and cotton trucks were piled high with cotton. Pistachios are hard to grow -- it takes 8 years for a new tree to produce the nuts. The larger mature trees can be 35 years old.

Another stop was very interesting -- in Birecek there is NGO run refuge center for the endangered Bald Ibis This bird has just one mate for life and after they lose their virginity they go bald. Males & females look alike with no distinguishing characteristics. They reach adulthood at 5 years and live to 25 years or more. These birds have been protected for 36 years and there were only 11 in the beginning but this year there are 165. There is a similar species in Morocco but they are a little different. They migrate here for the minerals in the limestone which they need in order to reproduce. Every February 14th the birds are let free and that is when they usually mate, utilizing the houses built on the side of the hills to nest. They lay up to 4 eggs but not all survive because of DDT and other environment pollutants including poachers. There is a 28 day incubation period. The mothers feed bugs to the babies for 2 months The facility feeds the birds twice daily a diet of ground beef with no fat, boiled eggs including the shell, feta cheese, carrots, chick food. World-wide, there are 2,500 Ibis birds but this includes Morocco and zoos and none of those are this specific species. The Ibis has been depicted in ancient Egyptian temples from 9,000 years ago. We loved talking to the gentleman who is leading this effort and purchased goods from the store in order to help support these birds.

We ate lunch in Birecek and saw many Syrian refugees in the town. Tomorrow is a national holiday (freedom day) so we think schools and businesses let out early. We then drove into Gazientep which is a large industrial city near the border, similar to Istanbul.

We visited the Sergi ve Konferans Merkezi which is the new Mosaic Museum. When building the dam they discovered lots of ruins and mosaics from thousands of years BC and decided to build a musem to house them. This was beautiful -- the museum architecture, and of course, the beautiful mosaics. I have seen nothing in the museums in U.S. that would compare.

We then made our way to the Old Town area of Gazientep where we are staying at a lovely boutique hotel which was purchased by a couple that wanted to preserve the old way of living. There are unique rooms that surround a courtyard, similar to that in The Marigold Hotel movie or the ones that we saw when in Morocco. Our luggage had to be hand carried up a small cobblestone sidewalk, a narrow street that no vehicle could possibly maneuver. There is an internal courtyard surrounded by rooms including dining, living, bedrooms etc. Antiques everywhere -- they are trying to keep the old-time look and feel. Very picturesque and right in the downtown area of the Old City which we will visit tomorrow.

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Photos

Bald Ibis birds in Birecik
Only 165 left in world -- increased from only 11 several years ago.

Syran refugees in Birecik
Park setting -- note women and children on one side of path and men on the other side.

Menard -- Gypsy Girl mosaic
Early artist using technique for eyes as in Mona Lisa.

bathroom
Anadoulu Everi Hotel (like a B & B) with inner courtyard and antiques everywhere.

Bald Ibis cliff houses
Used for mating, nesting and rearing young.

guard dog at Bald Ibis Center
Note spiked collar to protect dog from wild animals who would first attack neck area.

Syrian Refugee Camp
Passed as we drove the highway just over the border.

Turkish Army Missle Truck
with soldiers alongside highway.

Overlooking Euphrates River and Old Halfeti
Just before taking the cruise.

Roman Fortress Rumkale
Where St. John the Apostle wrote his Gospel.

Comments

[Laurie]

Thanks for your wonderful blogs, Brenda. I've read every one and feel as if I am traveling with you and Ray. Be safe!