40°N 44°E Sarıçoban - Iğdır

penguen · 8 Nis 2007

2.3 km (1.4 miles) SW of Sarıçoban, IĞDIR

North

East

Souht

Ishak Pasha Palace near Doğubayazıt

Mt. Ararat early in the morning, no clouds

penguen · 8 Nis 2007

Ynt: 40°N 44°E Sarıçoban - Iğdır

Amidst the fertile plain of the Aras Nehri, the bordering river to Armenia, it was not easy at all to find the correct "dead end road" between all the many irrigation canals that lead to the confluence point. Several roads ended in small footpaths between an impassable canal, and bushes or fields, where I could turn around the heavily loaded motorcycle only with best effort. Carlo, having been my travel companion before (see 37N 39E), was already on his way home, and I was travelling on alone. Moreover, the weather during this early summer time was already warm, and thus sudatory.

Having nearly reached the goal at a distance of 40 m, "only" one larger canal separated me from the grain field in which the confluence point lay. Some 150 m away, I could find a small weir with a footbridge. Some farmers came along quite speedily from the surrounding fields seeing this peculiar stranger, flashily-dressed and with a motorbike and a rather seldom equipment (GPS receivers, camera) hereabout, showing a strong interest in just this grain field of all things. For lack of knowledge of their language, I could not contribute to any explanation. :-( Nevertheless, we tried to communicate as much as possible by using some snatches in different languages, we had a lot of fun, and together we ate a couple of handfuls of dried apricots.

The point is situated amid a grain field, which I didn't want to damage, thus I found myself at one time about 8 m NE of the point, and then about 6 m SW of the point, at about 871 m asl. Consequently, I did not kink a single grain stem.

The surroundings of this river plain at about 900 m asl are overtopped in south-eastern direction by the highest and most impressive mountain around, Mt. Ararat (5137 m), and in northern direction by Gora Aragats (4094 m) in Armenia, both being snow-covered. The border to Armenia is possibly only 1 or 2 km away from here, and I was quite surprised that I could proceed to the point without difficulties, in comparison to the safeguarded border facilities in other regions. At other parts of the frontier one can (still) notice that here two rather unbefriended military alliances were confronted for decades – Turkey, being founding member of the NATO, and Armenia, being a former part of the Soviet Union.

South of Mt. Ararat, one can find the Turkish border town Doğubayazıt, renowned especially among travellers to India, with the Ishak Pasha Palace on a hill over the city, and towards the border to Iran, the well-known vista of Mt. Ararat.

Ralf Kiefer
26-May-2004

40°N 44°E Sarıçoban - Iğdır

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