After leaving Cappadocia, I crossed a last snow storm and I stopped for the night near a small village.
In the morning, some people knocking at the door wake me up and invite me for breakfast. No doubt about it, I reached Kurdistan during the night ! Another hint ? Police is patrolling the cities in armored vehicles and the police stations are protected like Fort Knox, reminding me of the Belfast of the nineties.
I really like this remote region of Turkey. People as friendly and welcoming as in Iran and beautiful landscapes : lakes, mountains, ... That is the kind of place I would spend holidays. And eventually I get the weather I dreamed of for this trip. For the last 4 days it is bright sun and a nice -5°c to 0°C.
I haven't succeeded in reaching the confluence points I tried. The villages nearby are not inhabited during winter and I didn't want to walk for hours in 1m snow. I will come back one day in spring or summer ! I left some people puzzled and wondering why on Earth I wanted to go to Yigitharmani, and why in winter :-). I didn't even try to explain and left after tea :-)
I have got now the winter I prepared for. 3 nights ago, the temperature went down to -28°C. And I decided not to sleep in my tent. I can manage -15°C, but nearing -30°C is not fun anymore and can really be dangerous. I am not sure I am equipped for that so I didn't risk it. I was invited to sleep in a petrol station. Around Van Lake, no sign of the earthquake of few months ago, all buildings are up and standing. Not even a crack in the walls. What did they showed us on television ? The only visible signed where some "container towns" and few tents of the red croissant that are now used for the cattle.
I had the first view of Mount Ararat when going to Dogubayazit on a road 2600m high at sunset. Really beautiful but I hurried to reach the city, as it was already near -20°C at 5pm.
The border to Iran was closed yesterday for I don't know what reason so I went for a drive around mount Ararat. It seems reopened today so I will try and cross to Iran.
The minute I enter Iran, it means that I have only one month of traveling left, except if I extend my visa. After that, it is back to normal life, work, etc, ... :-(
In the morning, some people knocking at the door wake me up and invite me for breakfast. No doubt about it, I reached Kurdistan during the night ! Another hint ? Police is patrolling the cities in armored vehicles and the police stations are protected like Fort Knox, reminding me of the Belfast of the nineties.
I really like this remote region of Turkey. People as friendly and welcoming as in Iran and beautiful landscapes : lakes, mountains, ... That is the kind of place I would spend holidays. And eventually I get the weather I dreamed of for this trip. For the last 4 days it is bright sun and a nice -5°c to 0°C.
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| First invitation for breakfast |
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| Lakes, mountains, sun and snow, what else ? |
I have got now the winter I prepared for. 3 nights ago, the temperature went down to -28°C. And I decided not to sleep in my tent. I can manage -15°C, but nearing -30°C is not fun anymore and can really be dangerous. I am not sure I am equipped for that so I didn't risk it. I was invited to sleep in a petrol station. Around Van Lake, no sign of the earthquake of few months ago, all buildings are up and standing. Not even a crack in the walls. What did they showed us on television ? The only visible signed where some "container towns" and few tents of the red croissant that are now used for the cattle.
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| Van Lake |
I had the first view of Mount Ararat when going to Dogubayazit on a road 2600m high at sunset. Really beautiful but I hurried to reach the city, as it was already near -20°C at 5pm.
The border to Iran was closed yesterday for I don't know what reason so I went for a drive around mount Ararat. It seems reopened today so I will try and cross to Iran.
The minute I enter Iran, it means that I have only one month of traveling left, except if I extend my visa. After that, it is back to normal life, work, etc, ... :-(
