Battlefield Tourist

Roanoke Times Headline: PIVOTAL REPORT FROM THE U.N. DUE TODAY

Valentine's Day without Heidi. I suppose it's ok, but I'd rather be with her. Actually I wish she were here with me. Maybe not this trip, but I do want her to go with me somewhere interesting. Maybe we'll come here after the war when it isn't so dangerous.
We're supposed to leave for Silopi today, checking out hotels as we go. ABC is sending out its crews soon and Elif has a ton of work to do.
Leaving Diyarbakir, I finally get to start seeing the "real" country. It's been a long trip so far, but probably much shorter than had I not met Elif.
This part of Turkey is mostly rural and very poor. It's dotted with the burned out shells of villages along the highway. The civil war that raged through this area was akin to ethnic cleansing. Turkey uprooted thousands of people, destroying more than 3,000 Kurdish villages in its effort to get the PKK. The IDP's (internally displaced people) were forced to the big cities, helping to create a huge stress on Turkey's economy as well as a huge stress between the Turks and the Kurds.
The snow is still coming down as we make our way through the southeast. It's definitely much deeper outside the city. We have a nice 4x4, so things aren't bad for us. For the dozens that we pass stuck along the road, however, it looks like it's going to be a very long day.
It doesn't take long before we start seeing military convoys heading in the same direction we are: Toward the border with Iraq. Dozens of trucks, a few tanks, and maybe a hundred soldiers. We take some notes and some video as we pass by, trying to be secretive about it. I'm hoping it will be needed by ABC while we wait for their man crews to get here. We'll see.
Since no one really knows when the war will start, journalists are starting to send their advance teams. There's going to be a rush for hotels soon. Elif is here early to grease the wheels. I'm here early because I don't have any support whatsoever and I need to make sure I'm in place when the 4th Infantry deploys here. Hopefully then, I'll be able to hook up with a local company commander who'll let me ride along into Iraq. That's probably the only way into Iraq considering the border crossing at Habur Gate has been closed to journalists and tourists (by the Turks) for seven years or so.
Our first stop is just over an hour later in the beautiful and ancient city of Mardin. The city is perched high on a plateau. Its buildings are the square and tan type that are fairly common around the middle east. I'm told many of the homes are centuries old. It isn't hard to believe. Mardin is most noted for its artisans: Hand woven rugs, fur blankets, and gold jewelry are the local specialties. I'm also told the oldest (and perhaps first) Christian church is here as well. This city has seen more wars in its history than most countries and has been occupied by a plethora of invaders.
We stop here for gas and hope to scout a suitable hotel for ABC. If she likes the hotel, she'll put a deposit down and we'll move on. Elif asks me to pay for the gas, and I gladly do. The bill was nearly $70. I almost choked. These Land Rovers are gas guzzlers too, so I need to get to Silopi quick (before we need to fill up again).
We stop by a hotel which is nothing short of amazing. From the outside it looks like the rest of the buildings: Standard and square. On the inside: Big thick stone walls. Feels like you're in a castle. Large rooms beautifully decorated with rugs, blankets, and pillows. Very, very cozy. Outside are around a half dozen well stocked bungalows. Didn't go in one, but they looked nice as well. Business has been very slow for some time, so I would imagine they were happy to see us, especially with the prospect of more to come. This is defiantly a place I would bring Heidi back to. Prices are very cheap and she would have dream shopping vacation. In fact, Elif bought a nice Turkish rug and goat fur blanket (both VERY nice), for just under 100,000 TL (about $70).
We decided to get lunch here which was also amazing. Apparently a century before, the dining room was used as the stable. Located in the area of the building I would call "the basement". I usually try to eat as much native food as I can and Turkish food doesn't disappoint. Lots of sheep! The four of us ate a great meal, all for around $7. Incredible.
From here we continue south and are soon down in the valley below Mardin on what used to be known as "The Silk Road". No snow at all down here. Very drastic change for such a short distance traveled.
The Silk Road is the historic overland trading route from China to Europe, hence "The Silk Road". Before long we're traveling along the Syrian border which is punctuated by barbed wire, machine gun towers, and minefields. This definitely makes me think about the dangers of trying to cross the border illegally. I'm not interested in going through Syria and I have no idea how well the border along Iraq is guarded. Considering much of the remaining PKK/KADEK fighters are in northern Iraq, I'm assuming the border is porous. I just worry about mines in unmarked fields. I guess I won't be going that way!
We make our way to Cizr'e where I get my first "taste" of shooting in this type of environment. A military convoy is rolling through town, heading toward Iraq. Elif gives me the go ahead to get out to shoot. My hope is that my video of the buildup will be bought by ABC, considering they have no cameramen in the area whatsoever. Things are looking up!! So I jump from the back of the Land Rover into an ankle deep mud puddle. Almost at the same time, my gloves fall in as well, all while trying to ready the camera. The whole while, I'm holding up the Turkish Army. The truck starts honking at me and I clear the way. Looking at those Turks, I could tell they were think ing, "looking that fucking idiot...". I'm assuming the Kurds watching it all from the sidewalks were thinking the same.
Cizr'e is nothing short of a horrible place to live. The main street is dirt and is crammed from side to side with mega potholes and moguls. The road covered with a slick film of orange mud. The holes filled with brown water that often splashes the locals on the side. The buildings and home are very rudiment. Not in the sense of sod by anymeans. The homes were all square and packed in conjoined by narrow alleys, which are in worse shape than the main road. From what I'm gathering, this area of the country gets next to no money for infrastructure. The wounds of war run deep and it's becoming clear to me why the Kurds do not like the Turks. From what I can tell Kurds a definitely second class citizens.
After my near-death experience with the Turkish Army, we (Elif, Guray, and Tariq) go to the hotel. There's actually three: Two are roach motel types. The third is actually pretty nice, about 8 stories and overlooking the Tigress River. Not really much to see. The land here is sparse of vegetation and is complemented by rocks and goats. To the right of the bridge is a good sized Turkish garrison stationed in what looks to be an ancient fortification. I wonder if they're here for the Kurds or the Syrians?
Elif begins to lineup here rooms, which we find the hotel has double rented them to some Australians. She's a bit pissed. Turns out the group responsible is CNN. Jane Eraf to be exact. I guess Elif used to work for here and she says she's a total bitch. Guray and I head to the roof to tape off a nice spot from where ABC may do some live shots. From a TV guy's point of view, it would have been a cool shot.
From what we're hearing, there isn't much in Silopi. People kind of chuckle when we mention "hotel". I personally don't care as long as it has a door with a lock and a roof. That's my definite advantage, I'm not soft like most of these folks.
About 15 miles down the road, we make it to Silopi. Definitely nicer than Cizr'e, but still poor and desolate. After checking it out for a minute, I find a hotel called "The Touristik". They had a room, I took it. Three floors, but small. No elevator, and it figures they'd put me on the top floor. My room is about 10x10 with a small bathroom (and toilet paper!), a bed (with sheets and blanket), and a wardrobe. Not bad for $10 a night. The only problem is that I have to fill the trash can with water in order to flush the toilet. The TV is also completely Turkish. I guess I'll have to watch soccer. No matter, this place is my new home base. It's from this room that I will plan and hopefully achieve my goals: Get into Iraq, hook up with Peshmerga, wait for the 4th Infantry. For the next few days I'll take day hikes around the area getting an idea of what's going on. I have two bags, one for about 5 days supply (plus combat gear), the other for more than 2 months. The bigger bag will stay, and could eventually be lost to the winds of war in the event I get into Iraq and don't come back this way. At the other hotel (Hotel Habur), the place is buzzing with some video shot by some Turkish shooters: 20 brand new jeeps filled with what were clearly Americans. Baseball hats and all. Some shielded their faces, others ignored the attention. Some had guns, and all were heading to Iraq. As it turns out, I also got shots of the same jeeps, but my video isn't very clear.
This video put everyone into action, including Elif. This was big news after all: The first Americans to be captured on video heading into Iraq. Before long, Elif was working here many contacts for satellite time, and her charisma to get a good price for the pictures. Some networks paid more than $1,000 on the spot. I know I can make money here!
I decide to get on my satellite phone and see if anyone back home would be interested in an interview from a resident standing on the Iraqi border. I mean my former station, WSLS, would take a phoner from a car wreck, certainly they'd take one from the tip of the Northern Front.... I was wrong. No interest. Between them, the Roanoke Times, and WROV (where my wife works), I've had it with the local press. I can't understand for my life why the Times isn't interested in an article, or that WROV isn't interested in unique phone calls (FROM IRAQ). Or even channel Ten not interested in anything. I only worked there for five years and am STILL recognized as someone from Channel 10 two years after my contract wasn't renewed. Very depressing. That is why I am literally "The Battlefield Tourist". That's the name of my new franchise idea for an adventure travel TV show. Always thinking big...
Once Elif fed her video to ABC (for $1,500), her, Guray, and Tariq went back to Dyarbakir, leaving me to fend for myself. Truly a stanger in a strange land.
As it turns out, all was fine because the Kurds at the hotel are very nice and we got along fine, even though no one had a clue as to what who was saying. I guess that's part of the adventure of this. These situations are the memorable ones.
One of the Kurds, a guy named Soli, spoke pigeon English, which was just enough to communicate. We talked a bit about the impending war and my role in it while watching soccer and sipping tea. Also turns out Soli is a soldier who has orders to Dyabakir in two days.
After two more glasses, I decided to go to bed. Unfortunately, I didn't sleep for the second straight night. Is it the tea or the jetlag?