Adventures in Turkey: a 5000km Hayabusa tour

[hayabusaTravels]

After a hearty breakfast, we go to the motorbike to pack it up and leave.

Kitty asks me where we is our next stop. I answer Gaziantep dry, at 250 km, because I know that he is used to short distances. But I spoke at the reception and learned that the road to Sanliurfa is "straight ahead", just highway. If only there's no rain ahead ... it's just 440 km.

I can't believe how quickly we get out of Mersin and et already on the highway.
Beautiful roads.

After no more then 50 km, the wind statd to pick up. Heavu side wind as I rarely met on the bike. In bursts. I felt like a boxer in the ring. Got some front wind it was affecting my ability to keep a constant speed.

It starts to get cold even though the sun was shining brightly.
Kitty takes her rain gear and tells me it's better.

We pass Gaziantep with 140km/h and Kitty is already asking questions. I tell her that it's early and we have to make the most of it, especially as a place to be visited (Halfeti) is closer to Gaziantep than to Sanliurfa. And in Sanliurfa we must reach beeing the final destination, the purpose of this trip.
I do not see the meaning for which I pay accommodation in Gaziantep twice. We finish the "job" in Sanliurfa and then we return to Gaziantep.
Kitty approves of me, so ... ahead we go, in cold and windy conditions.
I'm very resistant to the cold, but I also had to take my rain gear on.

I start seeing road signs with Sanliurfa and a shiver goes on my spine. I still cannot believe that I am here, that we are here and that, finally, I will be able to tick off a desire that has been brewing in me for a long time.

We stop at 30 km from Urfa (Sanliurfa) to enjoy tea or coffee. And fill up the gas tank.

We enter Sanliurfa with eyes after hotels. It was about 16.30, when we were in the city center. In the morning I didn't find anything on the internet. All busy.

I begin to lose my patience and I go to some cops on the motorcycle.
I ask about the hotel, they don't speak much English, I don't speak Turkish. I left them and at the next stop light, the police comes beside me and says: "Sir, follow me!"
And so we got a police escort to the hotel!

Fine boys they are and took us right at the door of a 5 star hotel.
We have finances but we still have some km to do until home and it doesn't seem ok to spend 1500TL/night at 5 stars hotel, especially since we have to stay 2 nights in Urfa.
I come to the reception and ask for cameras, but they only had one room just for one night only.
Kitty let the police crew leave as there was no point in keeoing them along.

And here we are where we left off: No Hotel!
We went that street and found a three star hotel for 150TL/night! Perfect!

Tomorrow will be a special day. A day in which I fulfill a dream that I have for more than 6 years.

 

[Red05]

A fine adventure! Your filming and editing is quite professional. Is that your occupation? We look forward to the continuation

 

[hayabusaTravels]

Thank you!
I own a small web services company in Romania, specialized in developing custom web applications such as intranets, e-commerce sollutions and any other type of websites. But only custom made.
Youtube is a hobby and I pretty much learned about making videos from youtube tutorials.

Let's get back to the trip:

October 27, 2018 - a special day:

GöbekliTepe:
Today is the big day.

We take a quick breakfast having Göbekli Tepe in my mind. The main reason for this trip.
We quickly exit the city (signs everywhere) and reach the location. I didn't even feel the road up to there.

We arrive at the location and find out that it is closed, but it can be visited. Initially it's 50TL to visit.
From the car park (where the museum is also located), go up higher and, after passing the toll station, you will expect a minibus to take you up to the main attraction.
You can also walk. The minibus trip was also free.

Do not visit in summer because the temperature rises by 60 degrees celsius, according to what the seller said from the souvenir shop.
By the way: the seller there is the owner of the land, being the grandson of that farmer who accidentally discovered one of the pillars that came out of the ground. He went quickly and announced the authorities but they did not give so much importance to the location.
Göbekli Tepe stood buried for 9000 years, until 1963...

They were then occupied with digging at Nevalı Çori, a "younger" location which was subsequently submerged when the Atatürk Dam was used.
But we understand them, considering that at Nevalı Çori, the first domesticated wheat seeds in the world were discovered!!

Although October, it was over 25 degrees, but the wind was quite strong.

As I said, the location is officially closed due to water leaks in the roof that had only been built for two years. For two years the location has been closed to build the roof.
It seems that the roof was por quality made and water started to drip in.
Water is the biggest enemy there, as you can see in the video.

There is a lot to say about Göbekli Tepe.
At least 12,000 years old, Göbekli Tepe is absolutely fascinating.
First of all, the age of the construction places Göbekli Tepe well before the appearance of the writing, pottery, even the wheel. Stonehenge was built 6,000 years after Göbekli Tepe. The Egyptian pyramids themselves were built 4,000 years after Göbekli Tepe. Agriculture dates back after Göbekli Tepe. The reason for abandoning the Göbekli Tepe location, archaeologists speculate, is the emergence of agriculture.

More time has passed from the construction of Gobekli Tepe to the invention of the written word, than from Sumer until today.

Because no human bones were found, only animals, (over 100 thousand animal bones found so far) the main theory places Göbekli Tepe as an annual / periodic meeting place between tribes in order to socialize, and the perfect opportunity to start new families.

So we have a huge building complex, which was buried so that later, other circles will be raised over the old ones, already buried. Archaeologists say the site requires a minimum of 150 years from now for complete excavation! All the surroundings are rich in archaeological content.

Göbekli Tepe has been used for 1000 years. During this time, the circles were buried completely, then rebuilt others over.
Just imagine how much archeology is there!

All the hills in the area, including the one where the video circles are, are absolutely man made.
I had seen a documentary long ago in which they said that altars were discovered in houses, altars that were modeled the architecture found in Göbekli Tepe but on a small scale. The circles and stones placed exactly in accordance, but on a small scale, as it would fit on a chair now.

I'm not even talking about the religious side ...
There are lots of theories regarding the religiosity of the place, but also about the alleged uses.
Difficult to find the truth because, understanding the location implies a way of thinking present then, which we are now incapable of after so long evolution and education.

The problem with Göbekli Tepe is a simple one: according to modern conceptions based on archaeological evidence found in time, people at that time were unable to build such a thing.
Here's the problem: Göbekli Tepe was built by the cave man in practice, hunters gatherers who had just come out of the last ice age.
In order to build such a thing, it is necessary for socialization, mathematics, organization and level of thinking believed to have appeared much later and only due to the emergence of agriculture.
As you no longer have to go crazy all day to find food, it was normal for people to start having time for construction to serve either social or religious needs or just calendars to tell them when it's time to plant, harvest etc.
Archaeologically speaking, nothing "older" of this complexity has been excavated since the Göbekli Tepe period. Because it was not found.

Not even 5% of the site has been excavated and efforts to do that is restricted only at four circles out of the 20. The site is simply to big. Imagine what will be discovered in time.

I continue to "keep an eye" on this location with the plans to revisit it when a major discovery is made.
It is a fascinating place, the internet is full of information, theories and documentation.

Before we leave, we talk to the seller I told you about earlier. It tells us how the location was discovered by his grandfather, how the tourist area was affected and other details are not I forgot.
He is making "stone towers" replicas from rock, but at a smaller size, to put on the desk. But at 200TL, for me, the price is too expensive.
Maybe if I just came by plane to only visit the location, but we are 2500 km away from home and I can't afford to give 200TL on a "stone tower".

After visiting the archaeological site, we stop at the museum next door.
Not much to it, but it's free.
At the entrance we find the Vulture Stone ...
Theories speculate that the drawings represent the trajectory of a comet that hit us causing the last ice age.
Scientists using computers have discovered that animals carved on stone represent celestial constellations from those times.

Archaeologically speaking, the museum is a joke ... but!
A room there deserves "all the money" and especially your time. It is a hallway, round room where images are projected on the walls. And the soundtrack is just WoW!
If Kitty was impressed by a museum, believe me, it's a big deal.
Most of the museums I visited alone, with Kitty waiting at the entrance, after obviously I bought her ticket. I just couldn't leave her on the street.
But she liked it here.

I'm heading to the parking lot where the motorcycle is.
Glad we got here, sad at the same time because from here we start to go back, this is the point of return for us.

But until then, we still have some nice places to visit.

The first of them ... Haran, the ancient city contemporary with Ur.
We experienced some "adventures" in Harran, but not because it is close to Syria.
I'll share them in the next post.

 

[Red05]

The ruins are fascinating, especially considering their size and timing. The room with the projections indeed wow. Thank you. You inspire those with a passion for travel to follow their dreams

 

[hayabusaTravels]

Thank you!
I invite you all to watch the videos as it's really complementing the photos. Even though some parts might be in Romanian, is still worth it. Also, not every video has voice over.

We leave Gobeklitepe with the destination Harran. It is 40 km from Sanliurfa.
This whole area is VERY SAFE. Stop listening to rumors and other nonsense heard on who knows what TV station.

Simple and straight road:

Located very near the border with Syria (15km), Harran is one of the oldest still inhabited cities in the world, being contemporary with Ur.
It is famous for his connections with the story of the prophet Abraham, Harran is mentioned in the Old Testament.
Both in the Bible and in the Quran, Harran is indicated to be the place where Abraham lived after the migration from Ur.
Near Harran, at Sultantepe, the tables with the legends of Gilgamesh were discovered.

During the Roman Empire, Harran became the city of the battle in which Crassus was defeated and killed by the Persians (53 BC.)
The Roman emperor Galerius is also defeated by the Persians, also in Harran but 350 years later.

An important city on the "Silk Road", Harran was also, for over 1600 years, an important worship center for the Assyrian God of the Moon called Sin.

Today Harran is known for its "bee hives houses".

We enter the city and stop to see what and where we go. I was interested in those "special" houses and the fortress of Harran.
As I stop, a "tourist guide" pulls beside me and tells me that those houses are his property. He will help me to find them faster and will also take me sight seeing of all important places from Harran.
For a modest price of 200TL.
Too expensive, considering that with 100TL I get a ful tank of gas.

The "delightfull" negotiation is at the end of the first video posted above.

I try to get directions from some locals over there while "the tourist guide" kept bugging me with "sir, sir, take you there sir. I give you price, now you give me price" ...
I realize that there is no way to get directions from the locals there, all speaking Turkish or Arabic, I decide to take it on my own.
Kitty is nervous: "why I brought her in this poverty?", "I don't feel safe here", "I'm afraid of those people".
Did a mistake because I didn't research the location better before leaving the hotel. Using google maps I could've made my homework and get informed before.

While I was spinning around the village, I found a group of young people and since they were all with mobile phones, I thought to my self that they must know a bit of english.
I get some directions in a Arabic-English attempt and start moving on.

I keep going and the situation on the ground begins to get worse: poverty and more poverty.
I'm not gonna give up, I rode +2500km for this.
29 degrees celsius outside...

Seeing some identical houses, I make a right on a dusty hill, a bit of soft enduro. Suddenly Kitty goes quiet as I climbed the hill.
When I stopped at the top, Kitty again started to "sing to my ear" ... the same "song" as before.

I'm taking a right turn and what to see? Exactly the houses we are looking for, plus a bus at the entrance, thus confirming the tourist location:

We enter the location, Kitty is not impressed at all. Free admittance, though.
Beehive houses in Harran have spiral roofs to collect heat and maintain a bearable temperature in the home. At the top is a small opening to allow light in. The windows are small to limit the entry of heat / cold in winter.
The house itself was inhabited until recently by a family with 14 children.
It has 18 rooms and is over 260 years old.
Each room is made of 1500 clay bricks.

Very close to those houses are the ruins of the first Islamic university in the world:

Kitty waits at the motorcycle in the parkingg lot. A bus driver give here water while I was away.

We leave Harran happy that we made it. Kitty was happy now when she began to see road signs for Sanliurfa. Civilisation at last!
The city of Harran is quite safe, the locals help you with information as they can. I did not feel in danger in the city as we stayed for several hours. Kitty, not so much. But that was only in her mind as there were no reason not to be safe.
Sure, you get lot of attention as a tourist, especially when you're with a motorcycle, but people behave and really try to help you.
I do not know how indicated it would be to spend the night there, but you won't have to considering that Sanliurfa is close and, in maximum 3 hours, you visit all of Harran.
Keep in mind that this was in october 2018. Don't know how the situation is there now, especially with Turkey's new international policies. Harran is very close to Syrian border as I mentioned before.
On the other hand, when we visited the war was still going on in Syria. But the border with Iraq was peacefull.

Anyway, let's get back to our story.
They were still things to visit in the city, but Kitty was rushing me to leave.
Very hot day for October 27th and we can hardly wait to get to the hotel for a bath.
We also had many small flies inside the helmet. At the hotel we must carefully clean our helmets.

Obviously, I could not help but "wreck a camel":

 

[hayabusaTravels]

We arrive early in Sanliurfa but the city welcomes us with lots of traffic. However, it is not as crowded as rush hour in Bucharest.
I slip through the cars as every time and see myself in front of the hotel.

Of course we do not stay in the room.

First location:
Balıklıgöl

Located in the southwest of Şanlıurfa, Balıklıgöl is a sacred place for both Muslims and Christians. The lake is closely linked to the Prophet Abraham (Ibrahim), the "parent" of the three monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Abraham lived in Shallıurfa when Nimrod was king. According to the legend in this place, the prophet Abraham was cast into the fire by King Nimrod. But Allah turned the flames into water, and the burning logs in fish.

The location is in a park near the "sacred pool".
I must admit that I have never seen so many fish together so far. You can buy food to feed the fish: 1TL and receive food as it fits in a normal jar of pickles.
If I knew, I'd visited a petshop first.

The idea is that these fish are not to be consumed, it is forbidden to eat them and, according to legend, if you kill any fish you become blind.
And look so they multiply like rabbits totally depending on food provided by tourists ... at least, this is the official version.

There would also be yellow golden carp, whoever sees such a fish will have luck in his life. Only early in the morning, such yellow fish would emerge.

Near the lake is the cave where Abraham was born, but it was too crowded.
Balıklıgöl is at least interesting and worth a visit.


We are heading to the Archeology Museum.

The building is huge from the outside and the exhibits are interesting.

One of these, perhaps even the most important, is the Man of Urfa, considered the oldest statue discovered in Asia.
It dates back to 11500 years ago and was discovered near Balıklıgöl in 1995.
It belongs to Gobekli Tepe civilisation which is very interesting. Why at Gobekli Tepe the human figure is represented as T shaped stones and not directly as the form of the statue in the museum?
PS: the statue has amethyst eyes, an extremely precious stone during that period.

But let's leave the mysteries of history to historians and continue with the museum:

We leave the museum and rest in the park with views to a series of interesting caves.
They are visitable but we were already tired and we decided to leave it for next time.

In the evening, we are caught on the winding streets looking for the hotel.

There were definitely many places to visit in Sanliurfa.
Urfa is the old name, Sanliurfa having been translated "the great Urfa", it is one of the prehistoric cities of mankind having been inhabited since ancient times.
Remember that Gobekli Tepe is 20km away and Harran is 40km away.

In ancient times, the city was called Edessa.
There is information on the internet exactly as you want to know about Urfa.

Next destination: Halfeti, the sunken city and boat ride on the Euphrates.

 

[georgiabusa_05]

Wonderful journey. Thanks for posting your awesome trip.

 

[Red05]

Wonderful journey. Thanks for posting your awesome trip.

Yes indeed. Good eye for pictures and video. It's the next best thing to being there.

 

[hayabusaTravels]

Thank you all!
There's another trip to be posted, after I finish with this one.
The following trip is from september 2019 when we did a full 4300km tour of mainland Greece and a few islands (Zakinthos, Crete and Santorini).
That was also an epic trip as we stood 31 days in Greece, longer then Turkey.

 

[Bumblebee]

Lots of history there.....just think a thousand years ago or so and you would have been a prisoner if found in those areas.

 

[hayabusaTravels]

October 28, 2018:
Unfortunately, we have to leave Sanliurfa.
Next destination: Gaziantep, at least for 2 nights.
But we'll stop at Halfeti first.

The road to Halfeti is simple and beautiful:

Very small and crowded location. Few parking spaces.
We find a place where we can leave the motorcycle and put on the tail of the tickets for the boat ride.
At 14 o'clock we were standing at the line for boat tickets.
Ticket: 12TL/pers

The boat ride was very long and quiet. If you ignore Turkish music on the ship.
It lasted more than two hours but we didn't worry because Gaziantep only 100km away, on the highway.

You should check this video out:

Here are more settlements submerged by the waters of the dam from Birecik.
It was a big controversy then because the waters sank many important archaeological sites (Nevalı Çori, for example).

Normally it would have been advisable to stay at least one night and explore the location further.
There are many caves in the area and points with great views.

Legend has it that in one of these caves, the daughter of a Persian king fell in love with a sheep pastor and moved to live with him at a near by cave.
Angry, the king would have set fire to the cave, killing them both.

Checkout the underwater ceiling of the mosque:

Upon return, the boat leaves us (conveniently I could say) in a restaurant on the lake, 300m away the initial place of the initial departure.
We go to Gaziantep where, as usual, we have no reserved accommodation.

We arrive in the city and went directly to the center where we find accommodation immediately. 150TL per night, 3 stars with breakfast included.
In Turkey, all 3-star (and above) accommodations include breakfast. But it differs from city to city. From a quality standpoint, the 3-star Sanliurfa hotel is far below this one from Gaziantep.

Being tired, we just go out to eat and get back to the room to sleep.
Because we stay 2 nights here, we leave the sightseeing for the next day.

 

[hayabusaTravels]

With just one day in Gaziantep, we rush to the bazaar. Kitty's express request.

After 5 hours of bazaar, (probably revenge for Harran) finally comes my turn:
Gaziantep Archeology Museum:
6TL/pers

The day ends quickly, we eat in the city and then, a natural fruit juice.
Early morning we leave for Adana where we will stay one night.

October 30:
Immediately after breakfast I pull the motorcycle in front of the hotel and we go.
Gaziantep, from the hotel window:

We only have to do 240 km today, up to Adana, highway only, so relax.
Gaziantep road to Adana:

From a distance you can see the smog hovering over towns. Pollution over pollution.
Gaziantep, very polluted, so is Adana.

We arrived early in Adana, at 12 o'clock in the afternoon, looking for a hotel. We stop at a mansion built in the 1800s: 200TL a night.
It was expensive, but with 29 celsius outside and I didn't feel like search other hotel in that heat.
They had safe motorcycle parking also in a garage type building with lot's of cars.

With so much time to spend, let's just go out. Where?
At the Dana Museum, of course:

How do we find our way back to the hotel?
We left signs:

The evening ends on the terrace of the "mansion", over a glass of juice.
Obviously, we walked about 10km again.

The next day after breakfast, we go to Goreme (Cappadocia) for a minimum of 2 nights.

 

[WuzzaCBXRider]

Helluva ride but that food, not sure I could stomach that. Don’t like eating anything I can’t identify by sight.

 

[hayabusaTravels]

May it also depends of how hungry you are.

October 30, 2018:

poop breakfast in the "mansion".
Completely unjustified accommodation price.
We pack our bags after drinking coffee and start on the road. I think it was 9 in the morning when I left.
We have to go about 260 km to Nevsehir. A bit of the highway and then, expressway.
Pass the bridge built during the Roman Empire and then we leave Adana quite easily:

ENG subs video:

Our worries related to the distance and the lack of highways to our destination, are immediately extinguished by this express road with three lanes.
I let the pictures speak:

Seeing the road quality, we take a longer meal break. We lay down for coffee without worry.
Although we had nothing booked for Goreme, I had no stress.

I didn't even get to enter as their constabulary pulled me over.
He tells me to stop in front of him, but I play stupid and keep repeating: "English, English!"

We arrive at 15.30 in Goreme we stop for a coffee at an internet cafe to search the hotel.

We find at 170TL per night, with breakfast included.

Goreme, clearly another difference. Being a tourist location, everyone speaks English very well. I must admit that I like it when I can get along with people.
We talk at the reception for a hot air balloon ride, and we will decide until we return to the hotel.
Price: 800TL/person.

We go out to the city to eat something.

Tomorrow at 5.30 in the morning, we must be straight for the balloon ride.
This reminds me of the recent phase:
It would be an hour since I heared knocking on the door, a Chinese guy tells me to give him the money for a "baloon ride" and tomorrow morning to be in front of the hotel at 5.15.
I explain to him that I do not give him any money, I do not know him. He called the boss and asked me to talk to him. He understood and agreed to give the money in the morning.
Never give money to people you don't know.

Tomorrow we'll wander around Goreme all day.

 

[Red05]

The guy balancing the pan on his head looks bored, even has his hand in his pocket lol
Thank you for continuing to share

 

[hayabusaTravels]

November 1, 2018

Did the alarm clock ring?
Feel like I slept for 5 minutes. Kitty doesn't hear nothing!
"I'm asleep" she responds briefly at my attempts to wake up with ease.
The time is 4.55. At 5.15 we must be in front of the hotel.
I had prepared everything the evening before: charged batteries, set the camcorder, checked the phone ... like a real Chinese.
Kitty turns to the other side as I lit all the bulbs in the room.
"Come on Kitty, we're late"!
But Kitty's not home ...
Seeing that there is no place of understanding, I actually pull her out of bed.
It makes Kitty a muzzle bigger than the air balloons seen here in pictures.
More asleep then awake she goes to the little girls rooms, she dresses up and then I see her propped up with her head in the door post.
With one eye he was already sleeping.

We go outside. Clock 5 and 10 minutes.
Perfect!
Well, we stay, we stay ... outside the darkness and about 2 degrees.
In the evening I did well to remove the battery from the motorcycle. It's the first night I've been doing this since I've been to Turkey.

I walk past the alley in front of the hotel and, from nowhere, the van appears. That is, transportation to take-off areas.
After touring the town while gathering tourists, it takes us to a small enclosed terrace, upstairs.
"Breakfast first"!

After we drink some coffee, we board the minibuses again and go to the balloons.
Being the first time I take a balloon ride, I am impressed by their size.

Our balloon also rises, so let's get on board.
We are given a little training especially for landing and take off.

Weeiii !!
Kitty was like the police lights. When it was seen in the air, the "face change" took place!
She was holding the bar with both hands and not even approaching the edge.

Me? Went straight in chinese mode ON!
It raised us to 850 meters altitude.
The floating is soft, without "air voids".
After no more than 15 minutes, Kitty calms down and begins to enjoy the ride.

Landing!
Oh, the landing ... I was expecting, according to the training, to be forced to crouch holding the special handles.
Nope!
The "captain" landed directly on the transport truck.
I got it all on video.

For them landing theese baloons is something like changing socks.
Other balloons, too. Landing directly on the transport truck.

You realize how happy were the passengers. Cheering up and all that.

Total flight duration: one hour and 15 minutes.
Well worth it!

Pictures from the balloon:
I recommend you to watch the video above!

 

[hayabusaTravels]

We return to the hotel with the transport that took us in the morning.
We get breakfast and then get a sleep ... from 9.30 to 12.30.
Then walking through the city:

I didn't want to go to the Open Air Museum because we were already tired and with 90TL ticket price, I get fuel for the motorcycle and don't pay to see what you see in every corner around here.

We end the day with a Turkish coffee at a restaurant located above and then retire to the room.

The next destination: Ankara at 280 km.

 

[Red05]

You convey the experience very well. Can't wait to see Ankara.

 

[hayabusaTravels]

Thank you!

We left Goreme at 10 am hoping the road to Ankara will be as easy as roads were untill here.

Although lower in quality than the roads we are already used to in Turkey, the road to Ankara does not disappoint.

We took a short break with the thought of arriving faster in Ankara.
PS: you find the best food in such small places, family business: 25TL, double portion for two persons. Salads and juices included...

At the entrance, police radar. I am in the speed limit.
300 meters further in front: "the welcoming committee".

Heat, and great agitation. On lane 4 it is slightly over 140km/h
We're spinning around town to find the hotel we inteded to stay in Ankara.
We also have "adventures" in traffic, but nothing to stress much around. One thing is clear: in Ankara driving is not as easy as we are accustomed.
Accidents encountered on the road: 5. Crazy traffic.

We arrive at the hotel, really nice room on the 8th floor, with a beautiful view from the balcony.
Too bad we only stood for one night.

Here is a short video with footage from the road to Ankara:

 

[Red05]

The capitol looks to be a very interesting. I've always been a city person and love the congested look of it.
The condition of the roads is really impressive, makes me realize how ignorant my imagination of Turkey was.