Photo: Ronel & Wayne at Dort Kilisa
Nuri and the taxi driver (by coincidence, his father-in-law) sat in the front seat and the three of us were crushed in the back seat. Nuri played a cassette of a popular Turkish woman singer. Eventually we found the first sight, the Dort Kilisa, a 10th century Georgian Church. Next we went to the nearby town of Yusefeli, and had some tea. The local men, were very friendly.
We drove to another old church, the Ishan Kilisa, which was in a small town high on a hill. Children played in the ruins of the old 8th century church. It seemed tragic that these old churches were allowed to deteriorate. We stopped for a snack on the way back to Erzurum. The same cassette was played continuously. Although Ronel & I grew to like it, the music drove Wayne nuts.
That night Nuri had us over to his house to have dinner with his family. We ate a very large meal on the floor and served by his wife, who was clothed in traditional Islam clothing. This was not the "modern" Turkey that Ataturk had envisioned. It was a very enjoyable time.
Photo: Eastern Turkish countryside
Photo: Eastern Turkish countryside
Photo: Eastern Turkish countryside
Photo: Eastern Turkish countryside
Photo: Eastern Turkish countryside
Photo: Georgian church Dort Kilisa
Photo: Georgian church Dort Kilisa
Photo: Georgian church Dort Kilisa
Map of Turkey trip
