Day 10
After a very lazy breakfast and a an even lazier day we eventually got to the car in the afternoon to find that it was still on the ramps being finished off so our plans for a slow drive to BATMAN was immediately dashed.
Instead, we decided to move quickly down through the countryside to BIRICEK on the Euphrates and stay the night there. However we would first at stop at BATMAN and take a couple of pics, before going through DIYARBAKI. Now this decision was not taken lightly as this would be a long night drive, but there were several reasons for this. Firstly, we were warned that the PKK activity in the area was on the increase again and traveling by night was actually the best option as we would not be spotted as tourists and secondly there is not a great deal to see in this area although there is of course all the usual mosques and forts but by now we were beginning to get mosqued out!
So finally after paying the bill (750 YTL) we left at 4.30 in the evening and made our way back to Bitlis. We would have gone that way anyway as during the day we bought a huge cake and bag of sweets to give to our friends in the police station at Bitlis as a thank you for all their efforts the day before.
Eventually we arrived at Batman after a night mare drive on un tarmaced roads full of dust and roadwork's with no road signs or markings only to find the town signs were also difficult to get to so we took the pics (see pics) in car headlights so they were not as good as we had hoped.
On ward then to Diyarbakı. Contrary to what we here about this town, in the forefront of the terrorist attacks, it is a town that is very modern and full of really posh villas and apartment blocks. Admittedly surrounded by high barbed wire fences!
A car horn sounds with avengence as we cruise slowly through the main high street, a police car pulls along side and abruptly sends us to one side as flash of a shining black limousine passes by with presidential plates, this is the second time we have seen this car.
Finally though, at one in the morning we arrive at Biricek and settle into the hotel for the night, knowing that all the troubled areas are now behind us.
(If anyone wants the masks for their trip to Batman let me know).
Akbuk Turkey .com
The Independent website about Akbuk in Turkey
