At the Immigration office & farewell

Arrival in Tatvan. We sit down in a small café whose architecture and range of products make us wonder. There are hot drinks, but also small snacks, like in a small mini-market. A door leads into a large waiting hall. The concept is not right at all. 😵‍💫
Bruno finally solves the puzzle and finds out that we are sitting in the cafeteria of a hospital. 😁

We are invited on a tour, which I would have loved to do, but I have to go to the police. My stay in Turkey is coming to an end and I'm hoping to get a few extra days out of it.

We make a few phone calls at the gatehouse there to identify the relevant authority. While we're standing there, a few colleagues say goodbye and after a few minutes, an estimated 30 people know about my intentions today.
They give me a small piece of paper with the most important information. 85 days stay, request extension.
I'm supposed to go to the immigration office tomorrow.

Overnight stay at a family-run campsite. Many Kurdish families have a picnic there. One of the street dogs is so happy that his whole body wiggles back and forth. 😄
I take a dip in Lake Van. With my head under water, I hear almost nothing and feel a deep sense of calm that I haven't felt for a long time. So many interactions, so many conversations every day.

The water tastes salty and when I dry off I feel like I've been bathing in soapy water 😁 - an interesting combination!

The next morning I want to take the dolmus (local minibus in and between the towns). A Kurdish family starts their picnic next to me and invites me to join them. How I would have loved to take this opportunity!
The atmosphere is even more different from what I have experienced in Turkey so far. Men and women are mixed at the picnic and the perceived "hierarchy" (the differences in behaviour?) is less pronounced. Women look at you and you can make eye contact - that wasn't so easy in large parts of Turkey.
There are so many questions in my head about the cultural differences.
I realise that Kurdish women are fighting for equal rights and therefore have a different role in society. I would have loved to enrich this knowledge with conversations, but I have to move on.

Unfortunately, they can't help me at the immigration office because visa matters are managed by a different authority. Instead, we have a great time having lunch and guessing ages. I'm pretty close to the truth with all my colleagues, but I fail completely with one 😆
In retrospect, I would like to apologise to the colleague in question for making him look almost 20 years older. 🤗

Unfortunately, this is where Bruno and I part ways. We've known each other for a month and have been cycling together through the sweltering heat for two weeks. A small, special chapter is closed. He will set off for Istanbul by public transport to slowly make his way home.Read more