Fixing my infected tooth requires going to Tarsus (pop. 340,000; elev. ~sea level) once a week to see a dentist (she cleans out the infection, and once she doesn’t find any more, she’ll do a “permanent” filling, and I’ll be done; at least that’s the theory). Meanwhile I’ve based myself in Çamlıyayla (pop. 10,000; elev. 1200m) and am able to take care of my weekly appointment as a day trip by dolmuş (public minibus). I was rather ill during my first week in Çamlıyayla, but by the second week I was feeling well enough to get out and do some loops from my comfortable pansiyon (shown here).
The first loop was just a walk to the castle, Namrun Kalesi, that towers above the window of my room. It’s on an escarpment surrounded by lower hills — the perfect place for a castle. When the Armenians were here, they maintained it. Later, the Ottomans used and maintained it. I’m not sure who built it. It’s been over restored.
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