Fifth Journey Day 124: Basalt Remembered Sky

"Basalt Remembered Sky" — Austere walls hold the day's heat as the Tigris returns the sky in quiet fragments.

Date: September 9, 2025
Location: Diyarbakır, Turkey

Walking the ancient black-stone fortifications of Diyarbakır, in southeastern Turkey, I moved between basalt and river light. The UNESCO-listed city walls, the Tigris, and the dry Mesopotamian heat shaped a day ruled more by texture and endurance than by discovery.

Along the Basalt Walls

Today I walked along the great walls of Diyarbakır. The basalt stretched on and on, dark and cool to the touch, even in the weight of the sun. Each step felt steady, as if the ground had been there for centuries. But the city below continued with its normal activities. Children played, scooters moved through the narrow streets, and the occasional call to prayer drifted upward. From the top, the view was wide and open. The skyline was filled with rooftops, broken up by mosques, minarets, and green spaces.

Light and Stone

The light hit the stones in different ways as I moved. In some places, the basalt seemed to absorb it, becoming dull and calm. In other places, the surfaces gained a shine, as if they remembered the river that once shaped them. I thought of Mardin yesterday. I can still see the bright sandstone of the city. I remember how different this city feels. It feels heavier and more closed off. It's a place that doesn't reveal itself immediately.

The River That Outlasts the Walls

I often stopped to take in the views of the walls and how they changed the appearance of the world. I looked down at the Tigris, and the air felt cooler. It made me think about how the river has always been there, even before the walls were built. It's been there for a long time, moving slowly but surely, lasting longer than any stone.

A Day of Quiet Endurance

The heat was constant, yet I felt clear-headed. As I walked along these paths, I realized how much I rely on the textures of nature to ground me. I don't rely on the stories I hear, but on how the stone looks against the light, and the way the air smells. This was not a day of discovery, but a day of quiet endurance. I let the city settle into me through its weight, texture, and stillness.

Travel Notes

• Weather: Clear sky, 30°C; dry heat softened by a faint breeze; the air thick with stone dust and sun-warmed basalt.
• Scents: Mineral notes of basalt and dust, with a cooler trace near the river.
• Sounds: Children laughing, scooters threading through narrow streets, and the call to prayer rising over rooftops and minarets.
• Reflection: A city that reveals itself slowly—weight before story, texture before narrative; the Tigris as a patient measure of time.

Continue the Journey

You may also enjoy another quiet moment from Turkey in Fourth Journey Day 157: Market Fragments from Istanbul—a different rhythm, yet the same attentive pause.