Moments from the East

There were so many moments that I would like to take more time to describe.

In Van, Özlem and I had a tradition Van-style breakfast. For this, we met up with Dilek, whom I had met last year when I was in Van. She was the same goodhearted, go-with-the-flow woman I remembered from last August. The breakfast was awesome of course. The owner of the place was visiting each table and cracking jokes. I thought this is an excellent place for someone trying to wake up in the morning.
THE TRIP TO MALATYA

After Van, we headed for Malatya. A bus ride that I thought was going to be eternal was helped greatly by the fact that they had a tv on board and two world cup games were on. Again, there were so many moments. When the bus left, I handed the woman behind me some tissues. He entire family was waving goodbye to her. She was just home for a wedding and relatives from at least 3 generations were crying and waving to her. She was also crying, but it was a happy thing.

THE MEMORABLE NIGHT WALK IN MALATYA
We were in Malatya and it was night, but I did not feel tired. At midnight, I went for a walk. For an hour or so I walked and walked. What a green city, this Malatya. As I walked, I created a map of the area in my head, noting apricot stores and other shops I wanted to visit the next day. At one point, I heard some live music. Life is an adventure, I thought, so I followed the sounds until I came to the entrance of the place. I had a relaxing time listening to the music and drinking a beer.

NEMRUT 2: THE MOUNTAIN
Özlem and I spent the following day arranging a trip to Nemrut Mountain in Adıyaman. We heard of two tour guides, Kemal and Ramazan. As we walked toward the place to meet them, I suddenly slowed my pace and turned to Özlem. "I think I know Ramazan," I said. She looked at me bewildered. I could hardly believe it myself, but I remembered meeting a Malatyan tour guide last year while I was in Urfa at the end of my previous trip to the east. Was it the same guy? When we met up, I realized... it was him! We could hardly believe it. We arranged a tour through him to Nemrut and left on a 3 hour bus ride through the mountains of northern Adıyaman.

Nemrut is famous for ancient statues on the summit that guard a 2000 year-old tomb. It is also known as the best place in Turkey to watch the sunrise. We arrived and watched the sunset with plans to wake up at 4 the following morning and see this much talked-about sunrise.