between Jan, 28th and Feb,2nd of 2017.
The decision for the trip to Kars was taken in Nov, 2016. We decided to make this trip together with my son, Omer (17 years old). It is usually cold and snowy during winter time.
...taken from Wikipedia :
"Kars is a city in northeast Turkey and one of the important cities on the east border.
With a population of 73,836 (in 2011), it is the largest city on the Turkish side of the closed border with Armenia . For a brief period of time, it served as the capital of the medieval Bagratid Kingdom of Armenia.[3] Its significance increased in the 19th century, when Kars was contested between the Ottoman and Russian empires, with the latter gaining control of the city as a result of the 1877-78 war. During World War I, the Ottomans took control of the city in 1918, but were forced to relinquish it to the First Republic of Armenia following the Armistice of Mudros. During the Turkish–Armenian War in late 1920, Turkish revolutionaries captured Kars for the last time. The controversial[4][5] Treaty of Kars was signed in 1921 between the Government of the Grand National Assembly and the Soviet republics of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, which established the current north-eastern boundaries of Turkey."
We took High Speed Train from Pendik/Istanbul to Ankara on January, 27th,2017. We were together with Nihal-my wife- and her brother Yurdal. We stayed one night at the cousin 's house as his guest. We chat a lot and were together for dining at his house in Incek.
Next day he took both of us to the main train station of Ankara (Ankara Garı). We met there with some other people who were going to travel to Kars on the East Express (Doğu Ekspresi) altogether. While waiting there in the cafeteria of the Old Station Ömer watched TV and I drank some tea. Around 17:15 all the passengers of the East Express have taken seat on the TCDD (Turkish Republic State Railways) bus. We sat with Ömer and the bus departed for the Irmak Station which is approx. 80 kms on the north east of Ankara. Temporarily trains to the East are departing from Irmak Station because there are some refurbishment work on the railroad between Ankara and Kırıkkale (neighbored city).
We arrived at Irmak Station around 18:40. We found our compartment with the help of the attendant of TCDD. He was a very polite guy and gave us brief explanation about the train and the compartment. We put all our stuff into our compartment and used the refrigerator to save our food and drinks. Since the people had warned us for taking food and drinks with us we had bought a few things in order to dine on the road. Ipek, the wife of the cousin and Nihal had prepared a few sandwiches and fruit for us. We had bought some beer and ice tea to drink on the train. It is highly advisable to take food, water and drinks prior to go on east Express. The restaurant is very poor and the service is very bad.
The train departed punctually at 19:20. We started to move slowly. It was dark outside. We spent some time watching the city lights outside. But later on, around 22:30 we opened beds and we prepared ourselves to sleep. Ömer slept on the lower one and I was on top.
During the night I woke up when the train stopped at some stations.
29 January 2017 :-Sunday
Around 07:30 we arrived at Sivas Divrigi and from now on we packed our beds and started to live a fresh day on the East Express. There is winter outside. Everywhere snow.
Now I have some views from the surrounding heading Kemah-Erzincan.
We arrived at Irmak Station around 18:40. We found our compartment with the help of the attendant of TCDD. He was a very polite guy and gave us brief explanation about the train and the compartment. We put all our stuff into our compartment and used the refrigerator to save our food and drinks. Since the people had warned us for taking food and drinks with us we had bought a few things in order to dine on the road. Ipek, the wife of the cousin and Nihal had prepared a few sandwiches and fruit for us. We had bought some beer and ice tea to drink on the train. It is highly advisable to take food, water and drinks prior to go on east Express. The restaurant is very poor and the service is very bad.
The train departed punctually at 19:20. We started to move slowly. It was dark outside. We spent some time watching the city lights outside. But later on, around 22:30 we opened beds and we prepared ourselves to sleep. Ömer slept on the lower one and I was on top.
During the night I woke up when the train stopped at some stations.
29 January 2017 :-Sunday
Around 07:30 we arrived at Sivas Divrigi and from now on we packed our beds and started to live a fresh day on the East Express. There is winter outside. Everywhere snow.
Now I have some views from the surrounding heading Kemah-Erzincan.
We arrived around 12:00 o'clock Erzincan. Then we continued to Erzurum. It was approx. 14:30-15:00 when we reached to Erzurum Station. Someone has bought us Cağ Kebap which is a famous specialty food of Erzurum. Then we headed Sarıkamış . It was around 18:30 when we departed for Kars. When we reached to Kars it was approx. 19:30. Our tour guides took us from the snowy station to the Hotel Sim-Er. It was cold outside. But first impression of the city even in the darkness is very positive.
After having a dinner in the restaurant of the Hotel we sat in the lobby and spent some time before going to sleep.
30 January 2017 :- Monday
We woke up and went down to the breakfast hall of the Hotel Sim-Er. The breakfast is in the basement floor. The breakfast was rich with many sorts of cheese jam and honey. After the breakfast we prepared for the first day in Kars. It was cold outside even the sky was clear. My recommendation for the cold days of Kars is to put on thin but warm long leg tights inside the pants.
We sat in the small buses which have seat for 19 passengers. Our driver took us to the ancient city Ani.
Ani. It took around 1,5 hours. Ani is located right at the Armenian Border.
...thanks to the Wikipedia :-
Between 961 and 1045, it was the capital of the Bagratid Armenian kingdom that covered much of present-day Armenia and eastern Turkey. Called the "City of 1001 Churches",[7][10] Ani stood on various trade routes and its many religious buildings, palaces, and fortifications were amongst the most technically and artistically advanced structures in the world.[11][12] At its height, the population of Ani probably was on the order of 100,000.[13][14]
Long ago renowned for its splendor and magnificence, Ani was sacked by the Mongols in 1236 and devastated in a 1319 earthquake, after which it was reduced to a village and gradually abandoned and largely forgotten by the seventeenth century.[15][14] Ani is a widely recognized cultural, religious, and national heritage symbol for Armenians.[16] According to Razmik Panossian, Ani is one of the most visible and ‘tangible’ symbols of past Armenian greatness and hence a source of pride."
Our guide took us through different ancient churches, buildings. Whole area was covered with white
blanket. The snowy site was looking very nice under the blue sky. I took a lot of pictures. We visited some important cathedrals, churches and the first mosque on Anatolia constructed by Turks.
The ancient Armenian city goes back to 1000 years.
blanket. The snowy site was looking very nice under the blue sky. I took a lot of pictures. We visited some important cathedrals, churches and the first mosque on Anatolia constructed by Turks.
The ancient Armenian city goes back to 1000 years.
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| Just in front of the entrance to the Ani Ruins |
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| The gate with lion |
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| One of the gates of Ani Ruins |
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| La mura del Ani |
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| River Arpacay:- Natural border line between Turkey and Armenia |
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| Church with paintings, Ani Ruins |
Vezin or Olculu Koy is a village 10-12 kms away from Kars. Most of the population is of Kurdish Origin. There live 4 different Kurdish tribes in peace. Our guide Senturk took us to his father 's house. The narrow road to the house was in snow. They took us to two different big dining rooms and we sat for lunch. I took a few pictures of the women who were backing flat bread. The young girl of the house was very kind and helping her mother with great care. She was forwarding food to the guests.
The goose of this region is very famous and tasty. They served us goose and a special "pilav", coarsly ground wheat with some additional grains and spice. They feed the goose with snow. After a few days they slaughter it and after cleaning it they hang te goose outside in the freezing weather. After 10-15 days the goose is ready for cooking. After the lunch we have been taken to the city Kars. We stopped in front of the Fethiye Mosque. We took some pictures and then we continued to the downtown.
As per the road book of the tour company, Nar Gezi we started to search some old buildings in the down town. We tried to complete "photo-maraton" which was introduced by Nar Gezi to those who are interested. Together with Omer we found all the building listed on the road book and we took picture in order to prove. It was very cold in the city. We walked up and down and sat meanwhile in a Café.
It was around 19:30 when we arrived back at the hotel. After having a short rest in our room we went out in order to find a place to watch football on TV: In the same street where there was a horse statue we found a café with a big TV screen. We sat there and paid 5.-TL each to watch the match on the TV.
After the football game on TV we walked back to the hotel. On the way back some of the members of our tour group invited us into Hanimeli Restaurant where there were two local poets with their local instruments, baglama. They were singing and making local music. There was a nice atmosphere and we sat there and drank wine with my son Omer. Around 1130 we walked to the hotel to sleep.
There come two fishermen. We followed them on the frozen lake to somewhere 400-500 meter from the shore. They have got a sign there and one of them started to dig on the icy snow. In a few minutes we saw the water underneath the icy crust. The other guy went to another point on the lake. Somewhere 70-80 meter away from the first point. He fixed a strong rope to the other end of the net
which had been layed by them 1-2 days ago. The guy at the first hole started to pull the net and we saw fishes coming out from the hole.
We watched the fishes coming out from the hole in the ice and took pictures. I counted around 8-10 big fishes which they call Sari Balik (=Blonde Fish)which is "carp" in English.
Then we moved to the restaurant at the shore and we ate same fishes there served with some other side dishes.
Around 4 o'clock afternoon we departed with our midi bus to Kars. It took around to hours to reach to the city. Our bus stopped in the city where there were the shops for cheese. Kars is also very popular with gravyer cheese. We bought a few cheese to bring to home. Then we returned to our hotel by walking. It was cold and windy when we tried to walk. Then we decided to take a taxi and we reached to the hotel.
In a few minutes w e went downstairs to the restaurant hall. Meal was local and traditional. We enjoyed our food and then went upstairs to the lobby to drink coffee and tea. We watched a video related to the
Molokan people and their living style.Around 22:00 we went to our room to sleep.
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| The sister of Senturk baking flat bread in the oven. |
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| Fethiye Mosque |
It was around 19:30 when we arrived back at the hotel. After having a short rest in our room we went out in order to find a place to watch football on TV: In the same street where there was a horse statue we found a café with a big TV screen. We sat there and paid 5.-TL each to watch the match on the TV.
After the football game on TV we walked back to the hotel. On the way back some of the members of our tour group invited us into Hanimeli Restaurant where there were two local poets with their local instruments, baglama. They were singing and making local music. There was a nice atmosphere and we sat there and drank wine with my son Omer. Around 1130 we walked to the hotel to sleep.
31 January 2017 :- Tuesday
We woke up and went down to the breakfast hall. Same breakfast like we had last morning. At 09:30 we sat in the midi bus and our day started with the journey of 2 hours to the Cildir Lake. The weather was cold and the sky was cloudy. There was also a freezing cold on the lake. We walked on the frozen lake. The lake was covered with approx. 40-50 cm (roughly 20 inch) ice. Some people did small tours with the horse sled.
There come two fishermen. We followed them on the frozen lake to somewhere 400-500 meter from the shore. They have got a sign there and one of them started to dig on the icy snow. In a few minutes we saw the water underneath the icy crust. The other guy went to another point on the lake. Somewhere 70-80 meter away from the first point. He fixed a strong rope to the other end of the net
which had been layed by them 1-2 days ago. The guy at the first hole started to pull the net and we saw fishes coming out from the hole.
We watched the fishes coming out from the hole in the ice and took pictures. I counted around 8-10 big fishes which they call Sari Balik (=Blonde Fish)which is "carp" in English.
Then we moved to the restaurant at the shore and we ate same fishes there served with some other side dishes.
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| Going back to the shore of the lake Cildir |
In a few minutes w e went downstairs to the restaurant hall. Meal was local and traditional. We enjoyed our food and then went upstairs to the lobby to drink coffee and tea. We watched a video related to the
Molokan people and their living style.Around 22:00 we went to our room to sleep.
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