Kemaliye is obviously named after some very famous Mustafa Kemal and was formerly known as Eğin. The reason I chose to come here is the Kemaliyeliler Tasyolu, the “Rock Road”. The road was cut by the locals with no government support over a 130 period. By the time it was finally opened in 2002 it wasn’t technically needed anymore because there are now other roads to the town. The story goes that the locals decided to finish the road anyway out of respect for their forefathers, which leaves us with one hell of a road to ride a motorcycle on. For the most part it’s a long tunnel cut close to the Euphrates. There are openings in the side of the tunnels, which where used to push the debris down into the river. The narrow tunnels have a great acoustic and if you hit the revs just right you will hear, or shall I say feel, a very deep roar. Before I even got a room I rode the Tasyol twice. I got some last minute information at the local store. Some old geezers where hanging out and when they found out I was German they pushed one forward. His German was a little rusty and he didn’t say much. I went outside to eat my ice cream and the old fella came out to chat. Now that the others weren’t looking on his German was actually quite good. He told me his story, how he worked in Germany for a long time and came back here to his local village for retirement. He seemed a very happy man.
Anyway, here are the pitures of the “Rock Road”
I eventually got a very nice room. This is the view from my hotel balcony
Kemaliye is a fun town to walk around in. The locals are friendly and for the most part the houses are very nice to look at. Just walking up the narrow winding streets there something new to be discovered around every corner.
The Kiwi in me gives three cheers for using corrugated iron as an architectural feature. They even have a corrugated iron minaret!
One of the many water fountains
Before I can see it I hear the distinct sound of a watermill. The guy invites me in and gives the grand tour.
He even gets me a walnut paste sample from next door, telling me that it is an aphrodisiac. Well, that’s a bit of a lost cause.
I always thought rear view mirrors are purely ornamental in Turkey. This guy has a lot.
Still not convinced.
