Monday, October 7, 2013

Diyarbakır Day 2

The French gentleman felt sick and bailed out and I told the guide that I do not want to do the tour just with him. I was glad that I was free to walk around on my own yet concerned about my safety. 
I first checked with the reception desk of a fancy hotel for tour info to see if I can find a city tour. I run into an US overseas female officer who speaks fluent Turkish and translate to the front desk my needs. While the desk staff looking online and flipping via business card, we were chatting about the US federal government furload. She thinks she will receive the impact soon. She told me they were busy this monday; otherwise she might be able to find me someone to walk around. I told her my robbery experience and the help from the TW enbassy. i have a US green card and i plan to visit Iran later with my Taiwanese passport.  I could not help but to compare her with the CIA female officer on the TV series Homeland Security. 
I then walked to the tourist info office in a hope to fond other tourists to walk together. An English speaking Turkish tourist police officer told me the tourist office is close on Mondsy, but he showed places on my map that were safe to visit, and he also entered his cell phone number in my phone in case of emergency. My experience in Kusadasi taught me to be prepared for English emergency support.
I then made friends with tourists along the way and ended up toured around with three different groups of people at different locations and times, such as Ulu Camii (The Great Mosque), Gazi Cd(In the centre of the Old Town, near the main crossroad). The oldest mosque in Anatolia, built in the 11th century by Malikh Shah,the Emir of the Seljuk Turks. 
The last couple i met actually stayed at my hotel and they escaped the harassment of the guide as well. We had great time climbing up the city walls a few times and had a big brunch together at KervanserayGazi Cd (Opposite the Great Mosque). Old caravanserai, now used as a place for cafes, bookstores, and souvenir shops. They are heading Mardin so I have them my fancy map and tips, and they have me their trabzon Map and tips.
The old city containing many mosques and churches, is a little run down but enclosed in magnificent walls. The city walls are very old and certainly worth a walk around. Some of towers are restored by the municipality and are easy to reach from the center of the old city. One such is Kechi Burcu, which offers a nice view of Tigris river below the city, and a great look over the city walls—a teahouse offering traditional tea is nearby as well. 
I could not walk on the city wall by myself because the walls serve as home to drug addicts, criminals and poor children. I was very happy to walk on the old city wall with my new friends. We got onto it at one spoky gate and then walked anticlockwise. Great views of the surrounding area and the city.
The old city is like a village in the middle of the city with village mentality; goose running around, women having cay in front of their houses and kids shouting to foreigners the few English words they know.







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