You’ve read about Istanbul and my first person experience of what it’s like to travel there (click here). Now is time for the add on — Southeastern Turkey which was ancient Mesopotamia. Also, stay tuned until the end where you can read tips for travel in Greece, Rome and Madrid. We chose the off the beaten track Southeastern Turkey, intrigued by the colossal ancient stone sculptures of the heads of Greek and Persian gods at the pinnacle of the 7100 foot Mount Nemrut, only reached by foot. And then there was the  recent discovery of a temple that rewrites history as it predates Stonehenge and the pyramids of Egypt, a boat cruise on the Euphrates River and a sunken city,  250 year old beehive houses near the Syrian border, and more. Here’s a photo gallery of the sights.

First, we started our trip in Mardin, then going on to Midyat, Harran, Halfeti, Urfa and Gazientep. Mardin is known for its handmade soaps made from natural ingredients — from pistachios and honey to the priciest of them all, donkey milk soap (donkey milk is the big thing, in cosmetics and cheese!). The late Prince Charles King of England came  here and bought his favorite, the hammam soap.

Next up was a site that’s remaking prehistoric history. Thanks to a farmer who discovered ruins in his field, a joint effort by the Turkish government and European Union is uncovering the 12,000 year old Gobekli Tepe , humanity’s oldest known civilization, before the 4,500-year-old pyramids in Egypt, and the 5,000-year-old Stonehenge.

Harran is home to the 250 year old beehive houses, equipped just as they were back then, which are only one of three places in the world where these are found (Alberobello and Aleppo).

Less than 8 miles away is the border with Syria. We drove close and managed to see the wall and military checkpoint as well as the location of the refugee camp, but didn’t risk taking any photos.

Memorable was a cruise on the Euphrates River to see the Ottoman era city that was submerged to make way for the Ataturk dam. Here the minaret is visible, the mosque totally submerged, along with many of the homes. We were one of only a few boats, enjoying a unique serenity and lovely lunch on the River.

And how could I forget the reason that sparked the trip — The 7100 foot high Mount Nemrut National Park with the statues of the colossal heads of Greek and Persian gods at its pinnacle. Originally, thirty-three foot tall, they formed part of the tomb and temple complex built by Antiochus I ( 69–34 B.C BC), who reigned over the Commagene kingdom.  Between the sculptures and the dramatic scenery of the Taurus mountain range and valleys, it was a bucket list site and experience (we walked 25 minutes and dozens and dozens of steps, all uphill, to get to the top).

We ended the visit to SouthEastern Turkey with a trip to the Zeugma Mosaic Museum of Roman mosaics found from houses and palaces that were submerged in the building of the dam. It’s a not to be missed site, the world’s leading mosaic museum. Gazientep is also known as the capital of the kebab and baklava, a dessert of phyllo, honey and pistachios or walnut (I noticed the other day on Lincoln Road Mall a baklava eatery from Turkey is opening).

There were other notable sights in SouthEastern Turkey, but this gives you an idea. Truly a memorable trip. And if you want the person to set it up for you, hard to top is Gamze Artaman. To contact her write to g.artaman@gmail.com  or call her on what’s app: 90-532-2367910.

If you missed my first post about Istanbul, click here.

More on European travel, tips from my trip:

Life is getting back to normal in all of the places we visited — Turkey, Crete, Rome (now welcoming American visitors) and Madrid and “overtourism” seemed like a thing of the past. We were often among few at museums and attractions; in some cases, it was as if we had a private viewing.

There were no curfews, restaurant dining was offered indoors and outdoors, and live music concerts and theater were offered (in most cases outdoors). Everyone was especially welcoming and happy to have us there.  Museum reservations with just a few exceptions weren’t required, but we always checked before going. Safety protocols were engaged in in all public places.

The one challenge we had which we managed thanks to google alerts and frequent checking about country requirements, were government forms. Each of the countries we visited required a health form which varied by country, which had to be filled out several days in advance by email. In return, we got a QR code that was checked in most airports. In addition, in Greece there were random PCR tests given based on the QR code and it turned out Mr. W ended up having one test done in Athens airport and another done two hours later in Crete.Filling out the forms was sometimes a little frustrating. Also, it’s very important to arrive early to the airport because of documentation checks.

And finally, to reenter the US, everyone, including those vaccinated have to have a Covid 19 test before arriving.

Bottom line: it was all very manageable and now is a good time to go to Europe. If you do go to Crete, Rome or Madrid, check out my instagram page where I have my picks for attractions, exhibits, restaurants and hotels.