Pictures on the wall

My camera can't take this kind of panoramic photos because I have no way of climbing the hills to take them. So I have to rely on the pictures hanging on the wall. Saffron monastery is beautiful.

Deyrulzafaran monastri

Also called Mor Hananyo or saffron monastery. Saffron because of the yellow color, it takes the color of the earth around it. An important monastery in its early days and more so now. Like the rest, it has students from all over, returning Syriac community, eager to learn Aramaic. Its 5 km from Mardin. We returned from Midyat to Mardin, caught a taxi to drive us to Saffron monastery. He waited for us while we visited. We returned to the bus station aafter the visit, caught a mini bus to Diyabakir. We didn't stay in Mardin, it was too expensive and we've seen everything.

Dinner in Midyat

Grilled lamb liver, something I've been longing for. My sister, Dawn, loves Aryan, the salty yogurt drink. I can't stand it. And of course, lots of cay (tea).

Mor Kuryakus

 Our fourth church was Mor Kuryakus. Our agreement with our taxi driver was 'dort' or four churches.

 There was no one at the church but a villager has the key and he let us in. Unfortunately he didn't have the key to the church, so we could only see the exterior.

The church has been completely restored and the only thing left of the ancient church are these dark colored bricks embedded in the new brick.

Mor Yakup 2

Today the fully restored Mor Yakup is a church and a monastery. Students come from all over the world attend Aramaic classes here. The students belong to the Syriac Orthodox church. One of the students took us to the church. My regret is we don't speak Turkish and had no way of communicating with them. There was a conversation with the student and our taxi driver who is a Muslim.

Mor Yakup

 It is almost the same age as Mor Gabriel.

It is completely restored. It is also a monastery  and students from all over the Syriac disapora has come back to learn the Aramaic language. It belongs to the Syriac Orthodox church.

Mor Dimat 2

 Our taxi driver must be perplexed, here are 2 foreigners who is willing to pay this kind of money to come here to see some old and rundown buildings. Indeed, we had to come all the way from the USA to this Southeastern corner of Turkey. It was money well spent, to impressed upon the Turkish people that the history of our faith is important. Tamerlane was in these parts a few hundred years ago, sacking and destroying churches and monasteries. A lot of cave churches in Cappadocia has also been destroyed recently. I love ancient churches, ancient mosques, ancient temples and anything of historical value.

 The 'Tur Abdin' area is so lonesome, haunting and beautiful.

 We went down to the crypt, found this altar, and I think they kept prisoners here too. It's a pity there aren't anyone local who could elucidate anything about Tur Abdin. I wished I had an interpreter with me, maybe next time. I'd love to return.

 The out buildings of Mor Dimat.

 That's our taxi waiting outside. There's not another motorised vehicle anywhere in the area.