Van

Saturday 14/06/2014 to Monday 16/06/2014 - Van.

500k inhabitants.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van,_Turkey 

Ferry journey on the Van lake from Tatvan to Van (4 hours).
The Van lake is Turkey's biggest lake, measuring nearly 4000km2.  It is a natural lake, created by volcanic erruptions.  The lake has no outlet. Its water is extremely salty.  Only one kind of fish can survive in the saline-alkaline water:is found: the Pearl Mullet.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Van 

Tatvan Terminal.

The rusty ferryboat

Leaving Tatvan.

View on the Nemrut volcano (not to confuse with the Nemrut mountain).

Captain's tools.
 

At the horizon the Süphan Dagi volcano, 4434m.

Titanic ?

After four hours, reaching Van, Van castle.

Docking the train rails.

Castle visit.

Van castle.

Inscriptions carved with cuneiform Urartian characters (Viking style), 830 BC.

Climbing the steep path to the castle.

Inside the castle, buildings built from clay bricks.

Lake view from the castle walls.

On the other side, at the foot of the hill, view on Eski Van (Old Van),

the city was destroyed by the Russian troups during WW1,

it was the now rebuild at few kilometers distance.

 Sunset.  Notice the ferryboat returning to Tatvan.

Sunday 15/06/2014 - The old Armenien graveyard of Kalecik & the fortress of Hosap.

 When I asked this people what was going on,
they asked me to publish a picture of them.
I understood they are protesting because massively layed-off.

The fish-monument, the reference point in town.

Searching for the 'Obelisks and Stone Circles' at Kalcik (6km from Van).
Nobody could help me, despite showing them a picture from the tourist office.
This huge brand new village hosts the 2011 magnitude 7.1 earthquake victims.

After one hour of investigation, I found these stones.  An old Armenian graveyard?

Apparantly some of these tombs were desecreted.

Leaving the dolmus, first glimpse at the Hosap fortress,

perched at the top of a steep rock outcrop.

Heritage of the Urartians (9th Century BC), modified untl the 17th Century AC.

Monumontal portal of the fortress, with playing children.

 The famous lions on top of the gate.

 From the inside of the inner castle.

View from the top, village and the defensive mud walls.

 View from the top.  Shops and mosque along the main road.

The road leading to Iran (~100km) and Irak.  Not much trafic.

Monday 16/06/2014 - The Akdamar island and the 10th century Armenian Cathedral of the Holy Cross.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akdamar_Island 

It seems that a princess living on the island had a sweetheart in Van. Her father didn’t approve so they had to meet in secret. The ardent lover swam every night across the lake to be with his Tamar and, to guide him in the pitch black dark, she lit an oil lamp. One night, her father found out, extinguished the lamp and the unfortunate boy drowned, whispering his dying words: “Oh Tamar” which then became Akdamar.

Embarking from a little pier near Grevas (1h dolmus from Van) for the Akdamar island.

 Reaching destination: Akdabar Island.

On the island, the Armenian Cathedral, built in 921.

The Turkish government considered to destroy this marvelous monument in 1951.

 

Bas relief carvings.

Jonas, at the left hand side.

David and Goliath.

A winery story is told in the frieze spanning all around the church.

 With Rihanna and Britney on my side.

Journey from Van to Dogubeyazit (Mt Ararat).

A first glimpse on Mt Ararat (5137m) through the bus window.