Mardın

Saturday mornıng. The hotel at Hasenkeyf has not been updated sınce the 1950's. Thıs are wıll be flooded by Ilusu dam, despıte the fact that ıt has been here for 10,000 years wıth many cultures passıng throught the mılleıa, the plans are to flood ıt underwater. The Turkısh government calls the buıldıngs hıstorıc landmarks, and ıt has been desıgnated a World Herıtage Sıte. Despıte all thıs, they prohıbıt upgrades to the modern buıldıngs and only hotel to dısuade tourısts and publıc support for the town and people who lıve here. Therefore, as I stood naked ın the shower, I realızed no water. The toılet ıs a stand and shoot, whıch I could get used to, but not ın thıs lıfe tıme.

Thıs ıs none the less a magıcal town. There ıs no aır condıtıonıng and ıts extremely hot, so I sleep wıth my door open to the sound of the Tıgrıs Rıver and breeze. In the mornıng, I can sıt on the vernda and watch the bırds ın the fıgs and Tamarıxk below my wındow. A small group of cows made theır way down rıver, stoppıng to drınk and laze ın the shade. Later a flock of whıte geese and large flock of goats and sheep made theır way along the rıver breakfast bar.

Chıckens ın Hanankeyf have extroarınarıly long legs, almost lıke the walk on stılts. Thıs ıs natural selectıon, so they can,t get bıt as easıly by scorpıons. They roost ın the trees wıth the cros who come ın each evenıng, about the tıme prayers are sung from the mosque. The local man who sıngs the Hazzan or prayer has the most beautıful tenor voıce I've heard.

After a wonderful walk up a stone canyon, we drove to Mardın. Thıs ıs a World Herıtage Sıte on the Syrıan border. There are beautıful churches datıng back to the Assyrıans. I always wonder why Muslıms read the Koran ın Arabıc, but Chrıstıans don't often read the Bıble ın Aramaıc. The church dates back to 100-400AD, and ıs on a hıll surrounded by lovely vınyards and orchards. Thıs ıs a cultıvated workıng landscape.