Ishak Pasa Sarayi, 6km east of Dogubayazit, just above our cabins, is a beautiful 366 room palace/fortress built by a Kurdish chieftain named Ishak in 1784. The gold plated main entrance doors to the palace was nicked by the Russian in the 1st W. War and in a Museum in St. Petersburg now.

Dogubayazit in the distance is the final Turkish town before crossing over to Iran, real bandit country. Very tatty from outset. 100% kurdish according to the Kurds living in the town (except the army and the police). lots of children on the street as very few attends school. Five wife(s) families with 40 odd children is the common. And town's major source of income is the smuggling (humans, fuel and everything else) across the border.