Backpacking in Turkey: Fire at my hotel in Şanlıurfa
November 26 2020 | Tagged: Turkey
Wasn't expecting this one. 2020 is full of fucking surprises!
This was an event nobody could foresee. I returned to my hotel at around 3 pm after a great day backpacking Şanlıurfa's Top Sights
Police were on the street outside my hotel. I was barred from entering. Some guy in white overalls, carrying two boxes came down the stairs and into a police van. My first thoughts were a Covid outbreak.
Someone asked what my business here was. 'I'm staying here'. 'There was a fire'.
I looked up. Holy fuck! All the windows open, the wall, blackened.
Police were on the street outside my hotel. I was barred from entering. Some guy in white overalls, carrying two boxes came down the stairs and into a police van. My first thoughts were a Covid outbreak.
Someone asked what my business here was. 'I'm staying here'. 'There was a fire'.
I looked up. Holy fuck! All the windows open, the wall, blackened.
My hotel, fucked. My room was the top window, right side.
Turned out there had been an electrical fire on the 2nd floor, the floor below mine. Everything in my room was apparently ok.
I had to wait until whenever.
I saw the manager. I saw the lad who worked the breakfast and his female co-worker. I immediately asked if they were ok. They assured me they were. Me the crazy foreigner who asks for hot water for his 3in1 Nescafe who then goes up to the rooftop before taking his breakfast.
The police finish their business. We all go up. Some guy who spoke the best English comes with me. The air is pretty thick and smells toxic.
I pack up my stuff. My hands are black. Damn, I had my stuff all over the place.
I get a refund, they tell me they've found me a hotel near where I had been earlier in the day.
"2 days you can come back. All will be ok".
I was happy there. Had a comfy room. 70TL with breakfast, very kind staff. But going back in 2 days? I am not so sure. And really, 2 days to clean up. A very optimistic projection.
Gonna miss getting my morning coffee!
The following 3 images are pretty crap. But was very dark inside.
I had to wait until whenever.
I saw the manager. I saw the lad who worked the breakfast and his female co-worker. I immediately asked if they were ok. They assured me they were. Me the crazy foreigner who asks for hot water for his 3in1 Nescafe who then goes up to the rooftop before taking his breakfast.
The police finish their business. We all go up. Some guy who spoke the best English comes with me. The air is pretty thick and smells toxic.
I pack up my stuff. My hands are black. Damn, I had my stuff all over the place.
I get a refund, they tell me they've found me a hotel near where I had been earlier in the day.
"2 days you can come back. All will be ok".
I was happy there. Had a comfy room. 70TL with breakfast, very kind staff. But going back in 2 days? I am not so sure. And really, 2 days to clean up. A very optimistic projection.
Gonna miss getting my morning coffee!
The following 3 images are pretty crap. But was very dark inside.
2020, what a fucking year. 108 days stuck in Kenya, 14 days quarantine in Skopje after contact with a Covid+, massive earthquake two days before I arrive in Turkey, and a fire in my hotel. And so the list goes on. 34 more days left. I wonder what else 2020 has up its sleeve?