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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
............ 
Sep 17, 2021 08:00 PM Waterfalls, canyons, strong sun...
I found the driver to take me to the northeast region of Soran. Soran it self is nothing special, but around it there are mountains with many view points - public transport will not take you there...
Some 100 kms from Erbil we entered yellow/brown mountains dotted by many green, lonely trees. The road was climbing the slopes over the river opening great panoramas. Traffic is weak here allowing many stops to enjoy the views. Gali Ali Beg Waterfall is a sensation in this dry landscape, no wonder that many locals are coming to wade in the shallow water below the fall. Some 15 m high fall is still impressive even if surrounded by the little restaurants and chaikhanas. They charge 1000 dinars (less than a dollar) for entry.
Number two attraction of the day was Ravanduz Canyon - nice, some 100 m deep but undeveloped. The place is nice but there is lack of information, markers, viewpoints... Who in this hot country is ready to climb upstream from the bridge at the canyon entry, carrying in the heat the supply of water and food? Locals prefere to sit in the shade near the cascade (there are two more in the area: Bekhol and Jundian).
For me it was the day of great panoramic views!
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Sep 16, 2021 08:00 PM Never on Friday?
It is Friday today - the holy day in Muslim Kurdistan. Shops except groceries and all institutions are locked. What to do?
Imagine that for me it was great day! In the morning I stroll around animal market opened just for few hours in my street - just 200 m from Janet Bludan. Goats, sheep, ducks, chicken and other birds were on sale. Men only in the lively crowd... Great photo opportunities...
Then I walked about half an hour in the heat to the main mosque of Kurdistan - Jalil Khayat Mosque. The mosque is huge, has ornate decoration inside. And it was nice to see sitting in tha back how they pray (men only).
Then friendly Kurd gave me a lift to the biggest park in Erbil with shaddy alleys and artificial ponds - Sami Abdul Rahman Park, where the locals families are coming for picknics. Sorry - you are not allowe to photograph their ladies. :)
Coming back home I passed again the citadel and enjoyed the fountains on the square below. The view was excellent - especially from the tereace of the famous Machko Chai khana. Coffee wendors in red dressing operate on the square like in Marrakesh - see picture... What a Friday!
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Sep 15, 2021 08:00 PM Erbil - capital of Kurdistan
It is very hot even in the morning. After very basic breakfast served in my little hotel (flat Arab bread, pea soup, yoghurt, boiled eggs) I took the walk to the old part of Erbil. Just round the corner I found myself in the large oriental bazaar. Very authentic! Such institutions in Turkey or Egypt are tourist- oriented. The tourist is non-stop bothered there to buy something. Nothing like that happens here - because no tourists in this country... The most interesting part of Elbil's bazaar (at least for me) is exchange alley where bricks of the banknotes are on display and nobody steals them. Very impressive scenes! Only once in my lifetime, in northern Somali I saw similar views.
The ancient citadel from BC era, listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List occupied the hill in the centre of the town. Today it was closed because the ongoing production of the movie. But even from outside it is impressive. I took the walk to the nice, green Minara Park where the remains of the minaret from 2nd century stands. In the middle of the day the park was almost empty... Kurds are nice to me, I like this country from the first day. Tomorrow I will try to organize my trip to the province...
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Sep 15, 2021 08:00 PM The front of the Erbil's citadel
In the citadel there is old textile museum, but not much more...
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Sep 14, 2021 08:00 PM Van from the air
Nobody is perfect. Turks too. In Antalya airport they do not respect boarding passes from on-line check-in. They sent me back to check- in counter for the regular one. OK. Our plane to Erbil started at 2.15 pm. Boeing 737 was full of Kurds going to homeland. No foreigners aboard at all. SunExpress have an inflight service, but you have to pay even for the water. Instead we had some great views like the legendary Lake Van - see the picture.. We were descending over the desert at 4 pm. Welcome to Kurdistan!
Erbil airport has a modern terminal. On arrival they are kindly ask you if you are covid-vaccinated. Yes. But nobody check the certificates :) Then before immigrations you go to the little kiosk opposite (situated back to front) to pay 70 USD for your visa. They will give you the change in Iraqi Dinars - it seems to be a good private deal! :)
Then you are free to go out. Surprise! No transport at the entrance except hefty Airport taxi. You have to board free shuttle bus to go some one km away to the "station" where other taxis and private cars are allowed... Locals helped me to find the shared ride for 10 USD pp. We were riding the crowded streets. I was surprised by the big number of the new, modern buildings. The driver didn't speak any English - he used Google to find little known Janet Bludan Hotel. Here I am - in the blind but clean room. Good night from Kurdistan!
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Sep 13, 2021 08:00 PM Give your HES code, otherwise....
Nowadays before you will fly to Turkey the airline will ask you to fill online the covid form to receive special personal code. Do that! They will ask for this code at the hotel check-in. But also when you buy a transport card for trams and buses the card will be not active until you will give the code. Those Turks!
I have been to Antalya in 1973, returning overland from Baghdad, Damascus and Beirut. But this was the time of black & white photography... It was nice to walk around and refresh the memories. The old city with the minarets and medresas is nicely restored. On the cliff you will find many lookout points. The picturesque old port is full of small excursion boats. They have also interesting retro-tram-line to use. At the "museum" final stop there is great panorama of the beaches with the mountains in the background.
In the morning, when I was there it was cloudy, I got even some warm rain... Nothing like that will be tomorrow in the hot and dry Kurdistan!
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Sep 12, 2021 08:00 PM Direct flight: 3 hours - 2500 kms
This was for me the best solution, even if not cheapest one. Without going to Warsaw, without any connections charter flight of Freebird airline took me to Turkish Antalya. I recognized that from the airport a tram will take me to the door of my inexpensive hotel but...
You have to know that there are two terminals: 1(domestic & international) and 2 (international). They took us to terminal 2. Long line at the immigrations, but it goes fast because they did not register you in their computers. Then you collect your luggage and you can change the money to local lira ( but this is not the best place - they will give you 7 lira per euro while the official rate is almost 10!) And you are free!
OK, but where is the tram stop??. - Good 2 kms away - at terminal 1. No free bus between the terminals, bad taxi drivers ask for 6 euro. I am turning right and following the exiting cars - there is only one way out and it goes to terminal 1. Tiny sidewalk in the palm alley is overgrown but not like in Africa. After half an hour walk in the 28 deg heat I see the concrete flyover and the tram on it. They call it tramway but it is more like a modern light railway. OK, only ticket machine at the entrance, accepting only local currency, not a card and it didn't give you the change. So bring the coins because the ride is dirty cheap - it costs only 3,50 lira.
I am surprised by so poor knowledge of English - they receive so many tourists!
The street is elegant an full of the big shops - not like years ago, when I was here for the first time. My Turunc Hotel is easy to find just 100 m from the Dogu Garaji tram stop. Clean basic room costs only 8 euro per night. Good night!
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Sep 11, 2021 08:00 PM New voyage - Kurdistan
Tomorrow I am flying to Turkey with the intention of reaching Kurdistan in Northern Iraq.
What do you know about Kurds?
It is one of the largest ethnic groups that have been deprived of their own state for hundreds of years. It is estimated that there are about 40 million of them in the world, most of them live in Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria. The current government of Iraq has agreed to create an autonomous region for the Kurds with its own government, army and flag. It is, for now, such a "quasi-country"...
I wonder what it looks like and what they are like.
This is definitely not a tourist destination and it is not known exactly how the trip will turn out.
Please keep your fingers crossed! :)
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Aug 31, 2021 08:00 PM Landed in Gdansk!
The fifth voyage of the year 2021 is over. All my plan was implemented. Even more - I saw some "extras" taking the advice of the local people. In Gdansk we still have some summer sun during the day, so it will be nice to work on the open air in my "Wojtkówka". I also have to prepare the next voyage. The departure will be sooner than you expect! :)
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Aug 30, 2021 08:00 PM Mostly cloudy day in Latvia, but...
Riga has a compact old town on the bank of Dolgava River the castle, two cathedrals (Catholic St James and lutheran Dom) as well as many other churches, city walls.... But the headlight of the Old Riga is ornate headquarter of the former Blackheads Society. I was walking cobbled streets to the nice opera house and Independence Monument...
Than I had the rendez-vous. I met Tanya three years ago on the ship, crossing Atlantic Ocean to Brazil. We were dancing and romancing. Now she was very happy to meet me again in Riga. She took me to her dacha on the outskirts of the city, showed me her cottage and garden. Then we took a walk along Gauja river and I was invited to try six different kinds of tinctures made of different local fruits as well as samogonchik (homemade spitit) She offered also her tasty pirozhki, made of the apples from her garden. What a feast! I was very sad to say her goodbye when she brought me to the Riga airport late afternoon. But there is a chance that I will see her again. Thank you Tanya for your warm hospitality!
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