My friends from college, Wu and Di, were awesome enough to come and visit me for two whole weeks!!! We had a good time in Istanbul, but Wu and Di also wanted to get outside of the city and take a longer trip. With questionable judgment they left the choice of our destination completely in my hands. I decided that we would visit one of the last regions in Turkey that I have not explored--the South East.
The South East of Turkey is a fascinating place. It has certainly been the site of much controversy; sharing the border with Syria, Iraq, and Iran, this region has been known to be a hotbed of the Kurdish resistance movement, the PKK. Over the past years, however, the situation has been getting better and the region is certainly opening up to tourism, like the rest of the country. Geographically at the crossroads between Mesopotamia and Asia Minor, South East Turkey also has much to offer. Some of Turkey's most breathtaking landscapes are located there, as well as some of the most important historical sites. And since this region is only starting to open up, traveling in the South East still has the charm of the road less traveled. We were perfectly safe, and had a wonderful time. This was definitely one of my favorite trips in Turkey!
Our first day we got on a plane in Istanbul and flew very early to a town called Adana. From there we got a dolmus to our first real stop on our journey, Antakya.
Antakya is situated on the Mediterranean coast, extremely close to the Syrian border. The city is probably better known by its ancient name, Antioch. The city has significance for early Christianity; this was the first place in which the followers of Jesus were first called Christians. It was also a significant center in the Byzantine empire.
Because Antakya is so close to the Syrian border, there are many Arab influences. This can be seen readily in the local cuisine, like the offerings of hummus and falafel. On our first day we had some of the best hummus I have ever had in my life. It was very fresh and had a rich, nutty flavor. The plate was served with a giant resevoir of olive oil in the middle, with plenty of hot flatbread right out of the oven!
Antakya has significantly expanded, especially in the 80s and 90s. But the old city still manages to maintain its character. During our stay in Antakya we explored some of the twisted roads with traditional Ottoman houses.
Antakya has a diverse religious landscape. We caught up with one of the thriving Christian communities, which runs a Catholic guest house and church. When Di told them she was Catholic too, we got serious cool points.
One of Antakya's most significant historical sites is the Church of St. Peter, which is one of the oldest churches in Christianity. The church has been cut out of the rock of Mount Starius, which overlooks the old city. We tromped up there to see what it was all about. Unfortunately, we got there too early, and the church was not open yet. So we decided to explore the surrounding environs of the mountain. We discovered all over the mountain remains of old dwellings, churches, and tombs, all cut into the rock. We had great fun climbing all over them. 
This is me the archaeologist. Notice my Indiana Jones hat, which makes everything I say about antiquity instantly true. Here you can see a view from the mountain to the city of Antakya below. You can also see me in the middle of explaining to Wu and Di the difference between carved stone, and regular stone. My foot is indicating the rectangular block that was probably the lower jamb of an entranceway. When I am trying to make a point I often like to demonstrate what I am talking about by stepping on it. That is just good archaeology.
The Church of St. Peter is still a site of Christian pilgrimage. According to Acts, it is the place where Peter first preached the Gospel in Antioch. In a small corner of the rock church is a small spring of water, which supposedly has healing properties for true believers. Wu was complaining of a headache, so I thought I would give it a shot.
In the Church of St. Peter is also supposedly a tunnel that early Christians used to escape in times of trouble. Our tour guide told us that it "went all the way to Syria." Here Di is at the entrance of this tunnel, already trying to escape from what is proving to be not the vacation she signed up for.
The last place we went to Antakya is its archaeological museum. Apparently it has some of the nicest Roman mosaics in the world, but we wouldn't know because those galleries were closed for renovation. At least they let us look at the stuff in the courtyard. Di is making best of the situation, while I pout in the background.
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