Buyuk Urartu Van

... He basıcally ındıcated that I bought one for yesterday ınstead of today and asked me to cough up another 15 Lira. I knew thıs was goıng to happen. The day before when I bought the tıcket, I notıced the date on ıt was that day ıtself. I notıced thıs as I was walkıng away from the offıce and I actually went back to poınt ıt out to them. Unfortunately, 'them' happened to be a d&#305 ...

... commemorate their victory over the British, French, Russian and Greek forces that had occupied different parts of Turkey at the end of the WWI. To defeat them enable the young republic to survive. But in this area the day was not simply parade and celebration, but also a lesson of ethnical tension. In that morning when we went out for breakfast we found the main drag closed for traffic and security high. Soldiers and polices ...

... headed in that direction and get off at the boat landing. Which I did. (Furthermore, knowing now what I know, I should have done just that on the bus trip up from Tatvan, then after the island visit, caught another major bus on into Van).<br><br>On the boat over I struck up a conversation with a young Aussie traveler from Canberra. A nice chap, an international law student. But once on the island we went about the place at our own pace. Forgetting to ask at the boat how ...

... was dying to say I told you so but the maternal nurse kicked in instead.<br><br>We arrived at the bus station and James lay down on the cold concrete floor (much to the surprise of the passers-by) - he was clearly in pain. I managed to get him to lie on the seat and put cold wet wipes on his burning head, I was slightly apprehensive on how he was going to compose/contain himself on the long bus journey ahead! Fortunately, James survived the journey without any major ...

... ts envýrons wýth Arün, the hotel manager. Started wýth Hoþap Castle, whých was absolutely gorgeous but locked up by the mýlýtary because the walls are crumblýng. Arün also mentýoned that the výllage surroundýng the castle ýs famouse because ýt slaughtered 40+ sheep after Obama was elected! After thýs we took a pleasant ferry to Akdamar Island, whých has a gorgeous recently restored Armenýan Church. It ýs wýdely known that Turkey slaughtered scores of Armenýans ...

... each car carefully. If the drug runners could get through Turkey, they would have no more borders to worry about as Europe is wide open. 10 minutes after we passed through the checkpoint, we reached another checkpoint. Frig! It made absolutely no sense. The road we were on was the only road that led to this checkpoint. Furthermore, there wasn't a town between the last checkpoint and this one. So why were we being checked again. I didnt try to ...

... bus was absolutely packed with candy. It was clear that these guys were bringing this candy across the border. My guess was that these guys rented the bus and took us as passengers to make some extra cash. It really felt like we were on a cargo bus. None of the men spoke English so it was very difficult to communicate with them. We ended up getting to the border at 3 pm. We had to get off the bus and get our Iranian exit stamp. Meanwhile the bus went through an ...

The general atmosphere in Kurdistan (south-eastern Turkey and northern Iraq) is of a strong Kurdish national Identity. It goes beyond the Kurdish dress, for men, pants with ******es around their knees, for women, a purple headscarf and occasional scarlet red clothing, to serious expressions for political independence on the one side and a psychological campaign and a military presence to maintain unity on the other side ...

... tea garden below I managed to see one of the reputed Van Cats. They are remarkable for being white, and having eyes of different colors, one blue and one green. I can attest. However, this one was not the nice white posing kind of the postcards. It was a scruffy one, and I had to induce it to bite and scratch at my left hand while trying to take its picture with the right. For the pain it was somewhat successful.<br> <br><br ...