Cilem, our host in Diyarbakir, joined us for the first part of our ride to Hasankeyf, which went through a town named Batman. Later we got our first glimpse of the Tigris River valley – the river has cut an impressive canyon, creating high cliffs on one side. We camped a few kilometers before Hasankeyf at a small campground on the river. The man who runs the campground explained how hard he’d worked to create the site, which will all be flooded in a couple of years by the Ilisu Dam. The dam isn’t bad, though, he said – the government just wasn’t offering enough for his property. Once in Hasankeyf, we heard this sentiment again, though many people are opposed to the dam, period. It will flood about 10 villages, including the ancient town of Hasankeyf, which was first settled over 10,000 years ago and is still inhabited today. We wandered around the ancient ruins and up one of the valleys behind the town, where we got a gorgeous view. The next day, I wasn’t feeling great so David hitchbiked alone to the Ilisu Dam, about 70km downstream. 3,000 people are working around the clock to complete the dam in the next 6 months, after which the reservoir will start to fill. People expect it to take about two years to reach Hasankeyf, after which only the top two meters of the minaret will be above water.
