MERSIN
As we leave Abraham's area of Turkey we are eager to see Tarsus, birthplace of Paul, and other areas important in early Christianity. However we leave too late to make the stop in Tarsus. Fatih promises us that we will return the following day even though we are concerned about retracing our steps and inconveniencing others. En route we pass the only US military base in the country and we wonder what its role will be in the upcoming military action. We know that there are other military installations that we used to have but that they have been turned over to NATO.
Meanwhile, we make several interesting stops along the way.
We visit a high dam that is part of an immense energy and agricultural project. The Ataturk Dam is part of Turkey's $32 billion Southeastern Anatolian Project (GAP) to use the water of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers to bring electricity to the region and irrigate the fields of the farmers. Ataturk Dam is the largest of the 21 dams being built. At 604 feet in height, it is taller than the Washington Monument (555 feet) and more than a mile long. The dam has allowed the development of 180,000 acres of farmland and resulted in the substantial improvement in the standard of living of people in the Harran plain. Syria and Iraq have expressed great concern about the dam's effect on the flow of the rivers and the project is a cause of strained relations in the region. (For further information regarding the dam you might want to go to http://www.msnbc.com/news/319925.asp or http://www.adiyamanli.org/ataturk_dam.htm.)
Just north of the dam we are stopped for a passport check. After having our passports checked and we are back on our way, Fatih explains that many refuges are coming from Afghanistan and Iran and the route we are on is the shortest distance to Europe for people from the east.
Another stop is at the Euphrates River where the guys, like men and boys all over the world, have a stone-skipping contest. The water was crystal clear and the scenery magnificent. What a thrill to dip our hands into the Euphrates.
Skipping stones in the Euphrates River
We arrive at the Mersin Hilton and are greeted with fruit drinks which we carry with us on the elevator. This is a 5 star hotel. It really is! The best hotel so far. It is located right on the Mediterranean and we have a great view of the water from our room. It has good food, the personnel speak English well, and the service is great. Laundry service is reasonable and we take advantage of that. We have a nice bed and the clerks at the desk are willing to give change, unlike other places we have stayed.
It is the first time we are able to watch CNN since leaving Cappadocia where the sound was very bad, and the first time we are able to watch Judy Woodruff to find out what is going on back home. We have mixed feelings about all this. We are drawn to the TV like moths to a flame because we know that some kind of military action is imminent in the area of world where we are, but we hope that it will ensue after we have returned home.
Shortly after getting settled we go for a walk on the beach and walk back through the town along oleander-lined streets.
By the time we reach Mersin we are glad to also have a taste of western food that we are more familiar with. We think this might be because we are fairly close to the US Air Force base and this is a western hotel.
This is a view of the sunrise from the balcony of our hotel.
Mediterranean SunriseIn the morning we retrace our journey to visit Tarsus. On the way there and the return trip we see Kizkalesi Castle and Korykos Castle. The first is in the water, on an island, and the other on land. Both were built by Armenians and used by the Crusaders.
Us with view of Korykos Castle wall in background.
We know Tarsus best as the birthplace of Paul, who at age 36 went to Jerusalem and 4 years later came back to Tarsus. He wrote letters to various congregations of converted Christians, including the Corinthians and Ephesians. Of course, those letters later became books of the Bible. He died in prison in Rome, executed by the government.
When we see his hometown we must say that we are a little disappointed. The well where he was supposed to have drunk is a bit hokey and there is not much left that recreates the life or times of St. Paul.
The foundation of the structure claimed to be "Paul's house" is adjacent to the well. The ruins do date to the first century AD, but there is no evidence that it has any connection to Paul. Construction that is in progress is across the square from "Paul's well" and involves buildings that are only 100 to 150 years old.
However, Tarsus has been continuously occupied since 500 B.C. and has an interesting history that predates Paul. It was founded in the middle bronze age, in the third millenium BC, we are told, by Seth, son of Abraham. It was an important trade center. In 1924 there were some 30,000 Christians living here. Now there are few remaining.
In this ancient city there are no ancient remains. the most frequently mentioned sight, other than the well, is Cleopatra's gate, which has no connection with Cleopatra.
And retracing our steps once again we get back to our schedule and visit other early Christian sites, including the hiding place near Silifke of St. Thecla who legend considers to be the earliest Christian convert. She was born just after St. Paul and she traveled with him to Jerusalem and Damascus. Because of pressure from her family she became engaged but broke her engagement, and to escape persecution from her family and townspeople, again left with St. Paul, traveling with him to Antioch. After dressing as a boy she again followed St. Paul, this time to Myra. From there they came to this cave where she spent the last 72 years of her life.
St. Thecla's cave
St. Thecla's Church
These ruins are all that remain of a huge (475 feet by 125 feet) basilica that was built around 480 A.D. at the site of St. Thecla's cave.
