The trip from Hasankeyf to Munzur was not so easy as I thought. It took me quite a while, I was facing quite a few problems that ended up coincidently in interesting and funny situations. On such a travel all the programm can be changed in a minute, itcan happen always in life but in living the direct output of the movement made in one moment you feel it indenpendently and regardless of further consequences.
So many things including a broken rim ended in a three days stay in Dyarbakir, where I got to know very good people and I had the house staying european feeling again for one day where I also had some tea I from home which made the feeling complete. I first realized that I am far away and thoughtfully not be coming back soon..
There were also these days again with very intense dreaming, like real and I am thinking of writing a script for a movie, maybe. Extraordinary story, just one dream could say so much.
This trip to Diyarbakir was alright, 142km in one day, leaving midday. Then something started and fate told me not to hurry for future time schedules. Fırst rim is gone and two times broke the chain, of course in relation with flat tire. One day it was at a boggler in this city who was supposed to fix some parts, probably working the first time with hydraulic brakes and putting a 32 hole center to 36 hole rim, there was no other. Anyway we had some nice pets ın this garage. Afterwards I fixed the things that should be fixed in one more day. But it was worth it staying at the Professors house.
For further days I was confronted with real nice nature again and just local Jandarma (Military that is all over Turkey) was playıng some funny games with me and
asking me hundreds of questions trying to tell me what to do and what not, but also giving me tea and sometimes also food.
I found some good way for campıng sites, since there are no. For example I stayed in University area, nobody disturbed me and everything is abound.
Now I am in Tunceli and Munzur National Park sorrounded with at least 3000m mountains, all green at the rivers and white on top, I will see some more dams 2 already built and 6 more in planning and construction.
I took the bus for time reasons to be on time at a declared meeting date where a local information center in Hasankeyf should be opened with big press appearance. I got this information from eca-watch newsletter. I also got in contact with Ulrich Eichelmann, the frontman in Austria, who was also here and declared this site to be worth of protection.
Starting ahead, entering the southeastern region of Turkey the landscape was shifting to dry stone valleys appearing to have no end. Hills after hills with not much, but stones and some dry plants. Green could just be seen on depressions of land, where human watering systems take their impact.
First I thought I am caught in nowhere, all the same and nothing different.
Until I entered the valley of Tigris I understood immediately why people want to preserve this area. They called this area from bibliographical times the garden of Eden, culture here is more than 10 thousand years old. People used to live in caves till the late 70’s, afterwards it was forbidden by law to live in historical monuments and houses where built and hundreds of caves are for tourist attraction nowadays. Besides there are many more monuments in this unique landscape. Even the way to have dinner at the river, or to use water channels to send water to all the caves is very well thought.
The NGO that is now dealing with this issue is Doga Dernegi. All of them are really friend
ly, well organised and could even manage the biggest star in Turkey, called Tarkan, to visit this village. There was a tour all around the sights for everybody and while walking I was impressed by biodiversity in this place. Not only endemic plants are found in this place, but also birds, turtles some species of fish that only live here and nowhere else on the world. Wildlife, landscape and cultural monuments are extraordinary and fit this place in an outstanding way.
One small problem there is: all this should be flooded in order to await the immense increase of needed energy for growing of urban population and their expectation for industrialism. A huge dam should be built with water level rising of more than 100 metres, disappearance of the village and ambient habitats included.
The funny thing is that also Austrian Banks will give huge export credits for this project, more details you can read on
eca-watch and their Ilisu Campaign.
My next days ride will lead to some relating aspect, I am going to visit Munzur and 2 dams that have been built and 6 more are planned.
