TravBuddy.com: Mardin Travel Blogs and Reviews

Our funny Mardin trip

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 12:35:15 PST

Mardin, Turkey>, May 30, 2008

A really funny cartrip to Mardin and dinner at Deniz' house

The trip to Mardin was the most funniest day we had during this week.

Early in the morning we had at first change our hotel cause the first one was booked up from to today.
So we brought our luggage to the Arte hotel where we stayed the rest of the week and after that we started our way to Mardin.

Unfortunatelly my Mum was not feeling good today but nevertheless she wanted to see Mardin as well and so Fatih, me and her started towards Mardin.
The road were really bad and it took much more time as we planned, cause the street were crowded with lots of trucks going to Syria. If I was passing one, 2 others were in front of me... and this all way long...

First we had a stop-over at the Harran University and Fatih showed me around the campus. That was really nice! Now I know where he is during the day while we are chatting ;-)))

The Rent-a-car Call...
After this short stop we continued our way to Mardin. Cause I was really tired of all these trucks I speeded up whereever I had the possibility.
Suddenly Fatih's mobile was ringing. It was the "Rent a car" guy.... He said he is watching us via GPS and mentioned that I am driving too fast almost all the time. Too fast within the cities and also outside. Max was 145lm/h (90 are allowed...) :-[
When Fatih closed his mobile we were looking at each other - and started to laugh and laugh!!!!
That was really something new - being watched by the car rental service and told to drive to fast! Hahaha!!!

Arriving in Mardin
At about 12p.m. we finally were arriving in Mardin and met Abdullah. Abdullah is a friend of Fatig who lives in Mardin and who was our local guide for that day.

Mardin - some facts
Mardin is known as one of the oldest settlements of the Mesopotamia and of the world. The earliest settlers in Mardin were Christians arriving in the 3rd century AD. Mardin is located on a rocky mountain overlooking the plains of nothern Syria.

Sightseeing with Abdullah - the best driver of the town :-)
Together with Abdullah we were walking around Mardin for about 5 hours. We were visiting the old christian church as well as the mosque, the museum and also the monastery near the city.
The day was so sunny and it was great. We had a drink in a restaurant with a great view over the plane towards Syria.
As we went back to the parkingplace to get the car it was totally blocked by other cars and it took almost 30 minutes to rearrange the other cars so that we could drive out.
Abdullah offered to drive cause he said he is used to drive in Mardin and for me it was a welcome reliev after driving that many kilomters.
Already by leaving the parkingplace he touched another car. This was the first moment I asked: Abdullah, are you sure you wanna drive?
Yes yes was the answer. So we were leaving the parkingplace and only a few meters behind he stopped the car. He started the motor again - and stoped it again.
All together he did that 5 times - behind of us were a row of other cars and there were many people standing at the streets looking.
He was trying and trying - no chance - we blocked the street. So I said: Get out of the car, I will drive again.
We changed places, I started the motor and everything was okay - Abdullah was such ashamed! Giving place to a women cause he couldn't start the motor and also his friends were watching him!!!
Fatih, my Mum and I were laughing and laughing!!!! Poor Abdullah!!! Hahaha!!! ;-))

We were driving outside Mardin to see some really old settlements and some impressing caves. On that way there were some bumps on the road I didn't see in time. So I were driving over these bumps with a speed of about 70km/h. 3 times - and - Abdullahs "Urghhhhhhhh"sound while driving over these bumps is really unforgettable and again we were laughing and laughing.

After visiting these places Abdullah was leaving us and we went backwards to Urfa.
Driving was horrible. It was raining hard and there was also a thunderstorm and it was difficult to drive. Especially as a few times a sheepdog was running just infront of my car and I was really shocked. Thanks God I could stop in time always.
And: There was a police control in which I was driving a bit too fast - as result they were asking Fatih for his driver licence even I was driving - haha... But nothing happened and we could go on ;-)

Back in Urfa - Dinner with Deniz
At about 9p.m. we were arriving in Urfa and met Deniz. Together we brought my Mum to hotel cause she was still felling not that fine, after that we returned to the car rental station to give back the car. I was really afraid the owner would say anything more cause I was driving too fast - but nothing ;-)
And at least we drove to Deniz home for having dinner. He already prepared a meal for us that was very tasty.
We spent a nice evening together - even Fatih and I didn t like Deniz soecial nut-coffee - uahhh... no way! ;-))
Fatih had to go home after a while and so Deniz and I spent the rest of the evening alone talking and laughing a lot.
I came back to hotel at about 4:30a.m. - but it was such a great day! :-)

Mardin travel photos

Sun, 25 May 2008 03:42:06 PST

Mardin, Turkey>, May 18, 2008

------- Our funny travel to Mardin -------

Finally i was free on a weekend and we planned a trip to mardin together, i was also excited since i havent seen Mardin for along time. Unfortunately melly's mother was sick but she also wanted to see Mardin. We rented a car to go to Mardin and of course Melly was driving im not so good on driving, it was better her to drive, anyways when we are close to Mardin city, the guy who rented the car to us called and said that she is driving really fast haha we were in shocked we didnt know that they have gps navigation in the car and watching our speed and where we are going, i told it to Melly what the guy told me and they also sterted o laugh ahaha, and we drove abit slower after that :D,

After we came to Mardin, my funny fiend Abdullah was waiting close to the city center, he was our guide in Mardin and thatnk to him that he made our travel so easy and funny, we laughed alot both when traveling and after haha, im still laughing what he had there,

Actually mardin is a really historical city and its in Unesco inheritance, so that was a nice travel with my guests and we enjyed alot. We almost see every important places in mardin but becuse of our limited time we could not go to Midyat, anyways mardin was enough.

proximately after 7-8 hours we decided to turn back to urfa, it was getting dark and driving could be harder since the ways are not so good at the east of Turkey, so after we said goodbye and thanks to bdullah we drove to Urfa, it started to rain alot with lightning, its ok at the first sight just driving no probs, but Melly was really scared of lightnings and she was making some sounds after she saw them hahaha, like an "uuhhhh" sounds haha, i was laughing inside haha, but we has to admit that Abdullah makes better saunds :D :D :D

Finally we were close to urfa and Deniz welcomed us and invited to his home, that was a nice evening, we ate deniz's cooks and they were delicious except salad hahahaha, anyway thx deniz ;) so maybe that was the most funny day for me in the 6 days period and i enjoyed alot :)

See the photos and u can realise the scenery of Mardin abit, historical and important city for Turkey like Sanliurfa, but we love Sanliurfa more right? :D,,,,,,,,,

The sun has risen and it's time to shine.

Mon, 11 Dec 2006 07:06:32 PST

Mardin, Turkey>, Sep 22, 2006

The man kicks at me. Chai, chai, chai!!

The sun has risen and it's time to shine.

Easy hitchhike to Mardin with theater students going to shot a film.

A man winks to me and I get in his car and he drives me up the hill.

A soldier tells me it's bad to make hitchhike here. Thats what they all say.

I have breakfast in beautiful surroundings, good view, morning has broken and there is an old mosqee right next to the cafe. I love mornings. Im travelling again and my stomach is working, not perfect, but it works again.

I love chai. When will this come to Europe, we are lightyears behind. Teabags, bah!

Now where is my toast I want to eat and go to Syria, insh'allah!