Thus morning we woke up early in Biercheck, and made the beautiful drive through the canyonlands on our way to Halfeti.

During the drive, we passed through fields full of dormant olive trees, and made a couple of stops to take in the surroundings. Much like the American southwest, there were huge canyons, with lakes and rivers at the bottom. Spectacular cliffs, and rich, dark soil. There were no clouds in the sky, and the sense of open space was refreshing.

We arrived in Halfeti around noon. The small town sits on a hillside, on the banks of the Euphrates River. From Halfeti, we hired a boat to take us down the Euphrates a bit, to a small town on the banks, which had the minaret of its mosque submerged underwater. When the Euphrates was dammed, many towns and buildings that were close ti the water were submerged – including this town’s mosque.

After tea there, we headed across the river and explored the ruins of an ancient castle. The castle was in ruins, but we could still find arches and entire rooms that were intact. Our friend with the boat showed us a spot at the very top of the hill to watch the sun set on the Euphrates.

After Halfeti, we had a good fish dinner in Bierchek, and drove to Sanlirufa to spend the night.