More From Southeastern Turkey: Mardin & Hasankeyf

Nighttime view of Mardin (photo taken from the internet)

Before flying back to Istanbul from Diyarbakir (and then on to Tamil Nadu, a state in southern India), we decided to tour two ancient cities in southeastern Turkey near the Syrian border.  Our long daytrip from Diyarbakir started in Mardin, a charming hilltop city filled with old stone buildings and historic mosques that cascade up a hill to a massive fortress.  It's a very scenic place and we met a fair number of Turkish tourists.  We did a leisurely tour of the city, popping into several old mansions that have been restored as boutique hotels and stopping to enjoy some drinks at a rooftop tea house with stellar views up to the castle and across the plains below to Syria.

Panoramic view of Hasankeyf

Our second stop was Hasankeyf, a beautiful old village that clings to a cliff overlooking the Tigris River.  There are ancient caves carved into the rock (some of which are still inhabited), a crumbling old mosque with some incredible stonework, and dramatic views aplenty.  It's a great place for children to run around and climb on the rocks, and for parents to worry about where the nearest hospital is should their children fall off the cliff.  There are literally thousands of caves in Hasankeyf, which has accordingly been dubbed "Cappadocia in miniature."  It's a place of significant archeological interest, but sadly, the village will likely soon be underwater due to the planned construction of a dam.  The price of progress, I guess.
 
So that does it for our Turkey blog.  It was a fantastic adventure, in a country whose future seems to lie in two directions at once:  towards the West, and the European Union, of which it's striving to become a member; and toward the East, where it has strong historic, religious and economic connections.  It's a thrilling place to be a tourist and we'll definitely miss traveling here.

Here are the pictures of Mardin

At a scenic tea house

Photo taken from the internet

Shot from the car, on the road from Mardin to Hasankeyf

Picturesque village, on the road to Hasankeyf

Same village, different angle

Another village on the way to Hasankeyf

Ali, our friendly, smooth-talking, tale-telling guide

Here are the pictures of Hasankeyf

Same view as above, closeup shot

View of medieval minaret

Same view as above, closeup shot

Men hanging out in modern Hasankeyf

Where are all the women?

Same doorway, different child

Remains of an old mosque

Sheep & goats, on the way back to Diyarbakir from Hasankeyf