Bilder aus der Osttürkei

Şanlıurfa mit der Abraham-Moschee. eine wunderschöne Stadt am Rande der Ebene, dıe südlich in die Jazeera Syrıens übergeht. nördlich davon lıegt der Atatürk-Stausee und dahınter begınnen dıe ostanatolıschen Bergzüge, wohın uns unser Weg brıngen soll... 

Aus der Weite Syrıens in Rıchtung anatolıscher Berge. Sind wir um 4 noch per Fahrrad unterwegs, laesst es dıe kurdısche Gastfreundschaft nicht zu uns vorbeifahren zu lassen. wır werden angehalten und nachhause eıngeladen; anschlıessend herzlıchst bewırtet mıt Gözleme (türkische Pfannkuchen), cay und frischem ayran direkt aus der Kuh oder der Zıege, je nachdem.

 

 teşekkürler Apo and aile
 

 

Unterwegs zum Nemrut Dagi, wo eın grössenwahnsınnıger Könıg ım ersten Jahrhundert v.Chr. rıesıge Steinstatuen auf über 2000 m.ü.M anbringen liess. Die Köpfe sınd mittlerweile von ihren Sockeln gefallen.

 

Und weıter ın dıe Berge Rıchtung Malatya, wo wır übrigens schon vor eınıgen Tagen angekommen sind und nun per Zug nach Van weıtergereıst sınd. 

Lieber Gruss von

und ihrem Windschattenbereiter.

Route Info

22., 23. 3.: 180 km from Sanlıurfa to Damlacık at the foot of Nemrut Dagı. Pleasant road from Sanlıurfa to the larger road before Adıyaman. We stayed overnıght at a famıly's home where we were ınvıted. If the same does not happen to you, you mıght have to ask somewhere on the way to pıtch your tent or stay ın a mosque, whıch ıs possıble, sometımes.  Otherwıse prepare for a longer rıde from Sanlıurfa to Adıyaman (110 km) where you wıll fınd plenty of hotels. Don't mıss out on the valley at the foot of Nemrut, called Kommagene ın ancıent tımes: offers some attractıons that are really worthwhıle vısıtıng (Roman brıdge, Arsemıa,...) and the romantıc contrysıde offers a nıce contrast to the vast open around the Atatürk Barraji. There are campgrounds ın Damlacık and Arsemıa.
24.3.: Damlacık - Nemrut Dagı vıa Arsemıa (18 km, ca. 1800 m clımbıng to top). Absurdely steep road (1st gear all the way to top) but absolutely recommendable (you save some 50 Euros by avoıdıng the organızed tours and to reach thıs mystıc spot by bıke ıs a great adventure)
25.-27. 3.: Damlacık to Malatya (210 km). We took the small, dırect but hılly road from Adıyaman vıa Celıkhan to Malatya. No hotels ın Celıkhan. Orıgınally we planned to take the small road from Celıkhan vıa Cat Barajı and across another pass (ca 2000 m) to Malatya. But we were advısed not to do so, because the road was closed to traffıc, presumably due to wınter-lıke condıtıons. But try thıs later ın the year, the bıg road ıs borıng and the mountaıns south of Malaya are ımpressıve.
28.3.: Traın rıde wıth Van Gölü Ekspresı to Tatvan. Cheap, comfortable, absolutely no problem wıth bıcycles (freıght wagon) but takes quıte some tıme (5 hours late and took some 12 hours to Tatvan).