I will start with correcting myself a bit. The guy who was saying he speaks both Kurdish and Zazakish is not from a mixed family, but 100% Zazakish and does indeed speak Zazakish (witnessed today) and has taught me correct basic Kurdish (kids understand me on streets). His name is Aziz by the way. And he is a terrible driver (good by Turkish standards). He almost killed us on the way from the airport when we arrived. And today in the evening because the bus did not come at all (not more or less), he came with his minivan again to take us to the dorms... in his minivan of capacity = 5, we fit 11 people: me and Vahab on the front seat, 4 girls on the back seat and 4 guys in the trunk.
Driving at the red light is tolerated here. If the road is free (possibility to squeeze in, cross fast...).
Yes, another correction. We were not asked to take a headscarf for visiting the mosque because they give them there, but of course we needed to wear one. That is not so liberal as in Prishtina. I put mine on already when we were climbing the wall because my head was burning. And all the Turkish guys really liked it. They said it looks good on me and Vahab write on his mobile phone that I will make a good muslim wife.
Before the mosque we walked in the old King's Palace, which was a prison till last year when they finally recognized the touristic value of the palace and started the renovation works.
It is very hard to obtain any information here about the places we visit because the Turkish guys cannot explain well in English and moreover, they don't seem to know much about their city. Which is a pity because it is visible that it could tell a lot.
The interesting thing Serdar told us today was that the Kurdish kingdom in the beginning of the time was ruled by a woman. Amida or Ameda was the first ruler and that is also the name of Diyarbakir in Kurdish. The Mesopotamian nations at that time were all matriarchates, it seems.
Here is the 2nd dose of pictures from today.
Google is switching to Turkish time after time :)
Iyi geceler / şew baş
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