Turkey Trip Day 19

Tuesday July 03

Packing up and leaving again. But today was a day with downs. Even being in danger of TMI I have to report: I woke up with diarrhea. I had been suspicious of the salad at last nights dinner but didn't listen to my inner voice. Shame on me. Always listen to your instinct. Pink pills, Imodium and finally Cipro. I was o.k. on the bus because no more diarrhea but I had to throw up 4 times. I felt so sorry for my fellow travelers to have to witness this but they are such wonderful people.

We arrived at  Halfeti to cruise the River Euphrates.

 It's a nice boat and we are the only ones on it.

 It is so peaceful. Just wished I felt better.

Approaching  Rumkale, the medieval city on the peninsula.  
Here  a link to some really neat pictures we could not take.

This is a man made gorge to stop enemies from attacking from the back of the peninsula. Must have been a lot of work cutting all this solid rock by hand!

Tradition has it that St John staid here while he was writing his Gospel.

The fishermen help Aykut look for spearheads he thinks are in the wall.

The fishermen are proud to have caught a fish. 

Approaching  Savaşan Village with the sunken mosque. This part of the Euphrates is a man made lake above a dam which flooded several villages.

The flat part is the roof of the old mosque with just the minaret sticking up. All those displaced people ...

A lunch place for the rest of the group. It was no hardship for me because I really didn't feel like eating.

When we left I happen to turn around and loved the red carpet.

Bold Ibis Breeding Center

Trying to safe the endangered species.These birds are depicted in many ancient carvings and are almost extinct. There are only 125 remaining today, but this is up from just 11 some 20 years ago when the breeding center was opened

Driving over the Euphrates.

Arriving in our hotel in Gaziantep. Love the hotel.

Love just resting and feeling better. James is checking out the bazaar with the others. It's just across the street.

Didn't feel like dinner either ... but when I heard the others in the court yard underneath our window, I stepped on the hall way balcony:
Romeo, Romeo, may I take thy photo?

Later James brought plain rice and greek yoghurt up. A few bites of that were perfect.
















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From Aykut's CD:

Day 19 Tuesday 07.03.2012 (Gaziantep)

• Depart for Halfeti

• Cruise on the River Euphrates

o Rumkale, the medieval city on the peninsula

o Savaşan Village, which is swollen by the reservoir, famous with its sunken Mosque

• Lunch on own at a local restaurant in Halfeti

• Visiting Bold Ibis Breeding Center

• Drive to Gaziantep

• Walking through the bazaars of Gaziantep after check in

• Port talk about the following day’s Program

                                                                          Overnight at Anadolu Evleri Hotel, Gaziantep