Hasankeyf, Turkey (Before It's Flooded)
One of my favorite stops during my Come See Turkey adventures was Hasankeyf. History hangs in the air (the town is about 12,000 years old), and everywhere you turn you find gorgeous ruins. The town sits beside a breathtaking cliff formation along the Tigris River, topped by a Roman watchtower. The Roman name for the town, by the way, was Cephe, meaning stone. No wonder I liked it there, ha. The current name itself is from the Arabic for stone fortress.
It's hard to imagine a more lovely spot, but unfortunately it will soon be underwater from a massive dam project along the Tigris. The resulting reservoir is expected to reach to the top of the historic, and very tall, minaret in the town center. About 20,000 residents must move to new settlements being constructed at a higher spot across the Tigris, and most archeological sites will be destroyed by the water.
Nice person in Portland, Oregon, and beyond.
