Turkey: a human ancient history journey

We are travelling around eastern Turkey, and it seems that we are going through the human ancient history period.

Kars, Doğubayazıt, Van are the cities, whose history goes back not even centuries, but millennia!

Today we had lunch in the city of Diyarbakir on the Tigris River, and stayed overnight in the city of Sanliurfa on the Euphrates River. Do you remember reading about Mesopotamia in ancient history textbooks at school? This ancient civilization can be considered to be the historic cradle of the whole mankind.

Well, today we have reached this unique and very ancient city with a complicated name: "Sanliurfa". During ancient times it was called Edessa. By the way, the most ancient temple in world history was unearthed here. And it dates back to the 10th century BC!

Just imagine!!!

The history of the city is really impressive, covering the period from the biblical prophet Abraham's life, who was born here, to Alexander the Great's epoch.

When we were scarcely riding our motorbikes along the narrow streets of the old city 2-2.5 m wide, I got the impression like I was in some kind of an Arab medina, for example, Marrakech or maybe some Iranian Esfahan or Yazd.

It wasn't easy to find a hotel in the labyrinths of alleys and crossroads. But when we finally found it, we were stunned!

No?

Personally, I have flown twice and, to be honest, I was not impressed as much. You keep hanging out in the basket, and when the ball rises high, it generally seems that you are just stuck between sky and earth and nothing is happening.

But I will remember today's morning for the rest of my life, in spite of the fact I didn't fly in a balloon myself, but only watched a hundred balloons simultaneously rise to the sky over the ancient cave city of the Goreme National Park in Cappadocia..

That was a spectacular sight!

At 5 a.m. before sunrise we arrived at the place, where these weightless monsters were supposed to start their flight from.

Columns of pickups and jeeps (in which trailers huge baskets, gas cylinders, burners, fans and the balloons themselves were laid) flocked here from everywhere. Then the process of preparing the balloons for flight began. Powerful fans pumped a stream of air into the shells of the balloons, which were spread out on the ground. Then the gas burners were connected and the balloon started gradually becoming globe-shaped while rising up.

Just look, how big they are when you stand close! It seems they are as high as a 5-storey house is. Or even higher!

There were so many balloons that some of them did not have enough space and they touched each other.

After the "tourists-balloonists" were loaded into the basket, the flames became longer and more powerful and the balloons slowly lifted off the ground and floated towards the rays of the rising sun over the bizarre rocks, white hills and caves of Cappadocia.

That was something really incredible and fantastic!

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

You can ride along the streets of the oldest cave city by a motorbike, raising dust, while climbing the mountains (inside of which there once was a city with houses of several floors, streets, temples, stables, etc., what we now say "infrastructure" about) as well as see the ancient history of human civilization with your own eyes. All of this is possible in Cappadocia.

Located in a central part of Turkey, this area can be rightfully called another "Wonder of the Ancient World".An unusual space landscape created by nature from volcanic formations was inhabited by ancient people. The soft rock is easy to work on and it was quite possible to "scratch" a small or even a big apartment of 2 or 3 floors in it. Then these dwellings were connected by passages, going deeper into the mountain, up and down, multi-storey streets appeared and after them so did the whole cities, which were similar to termite structures to a certain extent.

What an unusual and interesting experience!

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The morning started with hearing an alarm clock. The "alarm clock" this time was a white-red little bull, which was peacefully chewing straw right under the windows of our hotel. Then his mother cow and two cocks joined him.

I glanced at my watch. It was just ten minutes to 7 a.m., but I definitely couldn't sleep any longer. Day starts early in the countryside.

Last night we reached Lake Salda, situated in the south-west of Turkey, and stopped overnight in the village of the same name. A small room in the outbuilding next to the owner's house contained two beds, a wardrobe, one chair, one table and had a garden&barn view. The place satisfied us quite well as it was tidy and cozy. At least, better than in a tent on the beach. :)

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The lake is quite small and the balloons are huge. There is not enough space for everyone. :)

Cleopatra's pool. If you bathe in its hot water for one hour, you will become one year younger. That's what local guides tell.

Travertine snow-white baths with warm mineral water are favourite photo locations of lovely (and not very) girls and women.

Where else would you find such a great background for a picture to share in your Instagram or Facebook?

The water doesn't taste good.

Amphitheatre of Hierapolis impresses with its scope.