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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Sep 24, 2021 08:00 PM Ancient Perge
Tourists from the beach hotels in Antalya usually do not know that just 18 kms from the city they can find the ruins of the Roman city. To get there jump on the "tramway" heading to EXPO and get of on Aksu station. You have to have at least 4,10 lira on your Antalya Card for single ride. Once in Aksu you have to walk uphill around 2 kms to get to the Perge entrance. The ticket costs 60 lira in cash, no discounts. There is huge amphitheatre on one side of the road and stadium, agora and other ruins on the other side.
I spent there more than two hours. An interesting half-day tour for less than 10 dollars!
The sky is blue in Antallya and lovely, strong sun shines every day. But for me it is the time to think about the return flight....
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Sep 23, 2021 08:00 PM Pamukkale in Hierapolis
I have been in Turkey several times but always far from this world-class tourist attraction. There is nothing in the world like Pamukkale white water terraces. What to compare? Ocho Rios in Jamaica. Some places in Yellowstone? It is quite far from Antalya - more than 200 kms each way through the picturesque mountains so I decided to take the organized full day door-to-door tour. It cost me 45 euro, with lunch and entrance fee included. White terraces of Pamukkale are on the terrain occupied by the ancient town of Hierapolis, so on one ticket (normally 120 TL) you have two attractions. Amphitheatre is definitely worth to see, but to reach its upper tribunes you have to walk uphill some 10 minutes. If you do not want to hike there is minibus for 1 euro.
Cleopatra pool is an interesting place with broken column in the water. Photography is free, but if you want to swim between the columns you gave yo pay extra. Then you will be pushed to take of the off the shoes and you can wade in the warm water down: terrace to terrace. It is not slippery this calcium hydro carbonate.
Great place, but for me too much people! It was worth to be there anyway....
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Sep 22, 2021 08:00 PM Goodbye, lovely Kurdistan!
I was waiting more than an hour on the bus station in Slemani. The minibus was still not full. Finally I started to worry if I willbe on time in the airport in Erbil. Thanks God the driver decided to start 3- hours journey. The views were great. In the middle of the route we stopped at the roadhouse. When I was complaining to the driver, he said thatKurds are not too religious, but we have on board also Arabs and they must have some time to perform their salalt (mid-day pray).
He put me on the taxi on the outskirts of Erbil and I arrived to the airport on time. Surprise! They started procedures with covid checks. -Where is you covid test result? -I have been in this airport 2 weeks ago and nobody asked me for covid test, vaccination certificate was enough! -No, Erbil airport requires the test! No discussion! Fortunately there was quick solution: they called labs technician and he performed "real time test" asking for 30 USD (45000 dinars) and and giving receipt for 39500). So you can see how it works! After 2 hours flight I landed in Antalya, Turkey. How nice! The temperature was 28 deg Celsius instead of 38 in Kurdistan...
I took a tramway from terminal 1 to my cheap Turunc hotel (they charge your card for 4,10 lira fare). Before check-in in my Turunc Hotel I bought flat breads (3 lira each. Welcome tback o Turkey!
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Sep 21, 2021 08:00 PM What I found in the bazaar...
Suleimaniya is more westernised than Erbil. Along the main Salim street you will see high, fancy hotels. There are also more ladies in the European dressing. I had enough time to walk around the centre, visit Azadi Park with the modest Love Monument., talk with many locals. Local bazaar is very crowded and noisy. Smells in some areas not so nice, but is very authentic. I found there the quarter where they sell Kurdish traditional costumes. I had there a chance to try the headdressing of the Kurds. It consists of two parts: little round hat to put on the top of your head and the cloth - to be wrapped around the hat. Look at the picture - I and the sellers from nearby shops we had a lot of fun... What a nice souvenir from Kurdistan. It is necessaryto to bargain, but you can buy both parts for just 10 - 12 dollars :)
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Sep 20, 2021 08:00 PM By bus to Al - Suleimajiya
Receptionist from the hotel helped me to stop and to negotiate taxi ride to the bus station (3000 - two dollars). The minibus (they don't have big buses) was waiting there. Departure time? When it will be full!
No tickets. The driver just collected 10000 IQD from everybody. Fortunanely there was English-speaking Ali aboard. He took care of me. I got front seat for photography and we departed at 10 am.
Nice mountain and desert landscape on the route. Half way to the destination we stopped in chaikhana for the meal. Ali hosted me. There is artificial lake on the route, but sorry - it is nof visible from the road.
We rached Slemani (locals use this nickname) after 3 hours. The bus stotion is again on the outskirts of the town - taxi to the hotel cost me less than 3 dollars. I found Al - Suleimaniya more westernized than Erbil. It has interesting bazaar and long main street with many new, high buildings. A lot of people is crawling the streets around the bazaar. I have been invited to drink a tea with the locals - Kurds are very hospitable! They serve the tea on the streets - see the picture!
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Sep 19, 2021 08:00 PM Akre - the most picturesque township of Kurdistan?
The road from Amadiya to Dohuk is very picturesque, passing many green pine forests. I stopped in Sarsang to ask about possibility to drive up to the former summer house of Saddam Hussain located on the slope above the village. No way! The police occupy the house and they say you have to bring special kitab (paper) from Baghdad to dive up.
Then I enjoyed the views of Duhok - the third city in Kurdistan. Especially nice panorama opens from the Mustafa Barzani Park - where the monument of this Kurdish patriot stands.
Finally I drove to the little town of Akre, located in the little valleys between the mountains. The location is excellent. The city should be painted by the artists. I believe that Akre should be the most picturesque town in Kurdistan...
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Sep 18, 2021 08:00 PM North - to the Turkish border
There are many checking points on the roads in Kurdistan. Before the young soldiers newer asked for my ID. Go, go, go... Today we (I and Ali) we were driving through the real outback where apart from soldiers I saw little tanks. On the one of many posts they asked to show document. I hope for the last time....
Wo used mountain roads first to reach village Barzan - the birthplace of Mustafa Barzani - well known leader of Kurds. There i a lot of green in this region (not so common in the rest of the country) there are wide rivers and nice panoramic views. Roads are all paved but rather narrow. At 4 pm we reached legendary Amedija (Amedi, Amadi) - the settlement established on the flat mountain by the Asyrians. Many civilizations passed through later...Old city gate built of stone is the main landmark here. Some city walls are also wort h to see. There is old mosque recognized by the high minaret. Because there is no hostel in Amadija the backpackers are welcome to sleep for free in the mosque. What a hospitality! They say it is only 10 kms from here to the Turkish border....
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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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