Turkey
Van • Diyarbakir
November 2007 • Kurds here seemed happy to talk with an American, maybe because the war in Iraq strengthened their hand. Heard lots of praise for "Boosh" and "Kandolisa Reese" from an Internet cafe owner in Van who had an American bald eagle embroidered on his jacket. Also had a very strange conversation with an American traveler who said he was "keeping an eye on things" for associates in Virginia. The vibe was way less weird and discount Bond in the Kurdish capital of Diyarbakir, where I fell in step with Umit and Celo. We lived like vampires for 96 hours, sleeping through the day and emerging at night to haunt the city's cafes, kebap houses, and the outstanding Guney Film & Muzik Market. On the final night, they played a 20-minute farewell concert on guitar and ute before I headed to the bus station. Set list included Dylan, Pink Floyd, Styx, Beatles, Kizilok.
