Good morning, guys from our third day here in Kurdistan. And today we're going
to be exploring all over the region once again. And so, here with me today is- We
have the legend Govind up here. Hi, good morning. We've got Yad Ventures up here.
Morning, guys. And, as you can see guys there was one right here in the last couple videos
Uptin but unfortunately Uptin's leaving us. He is heading out to whatever
country he's going to next, tomorrow. So
unfortunately, he can't join us while we explore more of the Kurdistan region but
that being said, we have so many things on the agenda. So make sure you stick
around until the end of this video because it's going to be very
interesting, our first stop. So, once we get there I’m gonna start telling you
guys a little bit more about it.
So, guys during our, hour and a half drive
from Erbil over to our next stop, we're going down Mosul road which the crazy
part is just four years ago, we were not- If we were driving down this
road right now, we would probably encounter conflicts. Not probably, we were
100 percent would encounter conflicts with ISIS. There was a lot of
killings that happened in this area. So, it's pretty crazy just in four years
from then until now. Now, it's you know from what I understand
is a pretty safe place to be now. So yeah, it's- it's crazy when you think
about it; the amount of history in such a short period of time basically from 2014
to 2017. Oh, almost lost the laptop there.
Oh, oh we got- Hello.
Quack, quack. Get across the road there. You made it safely keep her going, keep
her moving. So yeah, as I was saying though from 2014
to 2017, the only survivors would be people like those ducks right there,
going down these roads. So,
pretty crazy to imagine, yeah. Govind, did you ever drive down this road in 2014 to
2017? No, no. This is dangerous to go
to this road The ISIS is very close to here.
Alright, guys so we're actually heading up there if you can see the
mountain right up there. It's kinda hidden but there's a monastery that
we're going to be going up to-- cruising up to it. So, it's going to be
quite an experience. And, it looks like a pretty steep set of mountains to get up
there so it's gotta be one of those roads where it just like zigzags up. Four
years ago, guys, you heard it from Govind there.
Four years ago, everyone in these villages right here evacuated because
ISIS kept trying to come to this monastery, and blow it up. And they were
never successful but
yeah, just imagine that you just gotta completely evacuate your village because
it's so dangerous, you never know if you're gonna survive another day if you
stay here. So, pretty, pretty scary to think about it.
Four years ago, it's not that long ago, you know. It's
2017, it's 2021 now. Just like, two years before the pandemic
started. So, it's crazy.
We found the zigzags. We're going up, and it is quite the incline here gaining
some serious, serious altitude. It makes sense that they were never able to
blow up this church because it's so high up on the mountain. I mean you can see
for like I don't know 15 kilometers out. So, if you see like a caravan of-
of like you know 15 trucks riding up with RPGs that gives you enough time to
prepare if you have- if you have the weaponry. So,
wild though. You have a lot of coverage in these mountains. It’s not like you can
just walk right up to them. There’s like all these little places where you'd have
to like go up and down to climb through like the gap. So, the only way to really
get up here is it seems like this road, and so, you know with all these curves
and things it's not like you can just drive full speed ahead going up the hill
here, you know. You gotta like keep- You can only go up to a certain speed. So, I
would be curious to know like how- how they stopped ISIS? Like how far, like
how close did they get up to the top of this? Like, you know because obviously
that happened many times. They probably tried various strategies
to- to take over this place. What was the highest point they like ISIS made it
to? Would they like- Did they ever make it up this high? No, they-
behind that mountain they- they were stopping. Okay so, all the way
out there? Behind that mountain, there's the ISIS. Oh, okay.
Yeah so, it's we're- We're pretty close to just that. That mountain's probably like
five kilometers away? Yeah, around five. Yeah, around five
kilometers away. I honestly thought they would have gone
maybe a little bit closer but I guess they didn't even make it to this little
valley where this village is so that's at least good news.
We’re pretty high up in the mountain now. We’re starting to see some pretty
incredible views. And, now that we're up here you can see
it. You can probably see how like I don't know 25, 30 kilometers out.
So, it really is a- a great point of defense.
And here, we are pulling up to the monastery.
Yeah, it's very modern and- and in fantastic condition.
At least at the first looks here. So, we're gonna make it through this
checkpoint here. We’ll tell them- We'll tell them a good
old Salaam Alaikum (Peace be upon you). I bet that'll get us through.
Oh, so we don't say that. Of course, you can say.
Marhaba (Hello there). Hello.
That’s my outfit. That's my nice outfit to wear around my head.
We’re busted. We’re busted.
Ah, sorry. Oh, we're busted
(Speaking in foreign language)
Yeah, we're getting a solid search going on right now. Yeah, they're probably
checking what's in the bag. They've got this place on good-
good, solid lockdown you know. They probably know they're on video right now.
So, didn't seem to mind.
Okay? Yes.
He’s a new, and he don't know me.
So, I want to- (Speaking in foreign language)
That sounded good.
Round two check.
He want to check that bag. Yeah, no problem. That’s fine. Search round two. He's gonna look
for your bag? Yes, alright.
Getting a solid search going on here.
What are they talking about? Just like- just wanna search the car.
Alright, so that was a bit of a heated discussion. First time they do like this.
I don't know they are changing their old security-- No problem, no problem.
Alright, guys so we just made it up here to the monastery;
beautiful views up here. And. this is the village you can see a much
better view of it. We're probably gonna drive through on our way down, and that
village from 2014 to 2017 was a complete ghost town. In 2018, the people that lived
there actually came back they were living in like Duhok and Erbil.
They are basically places that were far away from ISIS which were coming across that
mountain trying to get up here to the monastery. It was just too dangerous for them.
Beautiful views from up here, though. Now, we're gonna go ahead, and learn a
little bit about this place. So, Govind tell us- tell us a bit about it yeah.
Hello guys, this monastery Mar Mattai Monastery
Building in in fourth century, Building by the Mar Mattai priests. He is
originally from the Diyarbakır. Diyarbakır, it is a
city from Turkey. So, in fourth century, he's come
from Diyarbakır to here to this mountain. This mountain; call it Maqlub
Mountain. And he with the four or five friends, like
you can see in the picture here. They coming to this mountain, and they're
building this monastery and fourth century they--
--here to live- to live and
they working such as
priests, and they teaching the people in this area, and they make a baptism for
people; those people who make a- who become a
sick, okay. And they have some problem with his body or he- they are become
crazy. They make a baptism like this so they living here. And that heals them?
Yes. So, that's what like those depictions of
the sculptures are up there, are basically- Pictures you can see that how
building the monastery, it is very difficult to building the monastery
of the middle of the mountain, and a long time the people using this path
to climb the mountain to coming to the monastery. But now, we following the road.
This road is new but a long time the people using this
path to climb the mountain. Wow, so that's quite
the hike to get up then? Yes, yeah. Geez, that'll- that'll be a bit of a workout
how many meters up are we? I’d say a solid maybe three four hundred meters.
500. 500 oh. Oh yeah, yeah. So, you get a solid workout coming up here. Honestly, I-
I can imagine if you're feeling sick, and then you have to climb up here; it's gotta
be a bit of a hike. And you can see that's the- that's the
pathway the little zigzags all the way up. So, now we go to the
inside monastery. Alright, let's do it. And so, I see there's a massive generator
right there. Is this place basically only powered by generators? With the government electric gone
Yeah. Okay so they- it's a backup then? Yeah, yeah. No, not backup.
They turn on this, and giving electric to the
monastery. Actually in Iraq and Kurdistan, there is two type of
electric. Yeah. Okay, there is no car you charge the car yeah like the Europe
and USA. There is two electric the government give us electric, okay. Yeah.
And maybe, in 24 hours sometime 10 hours they give us, sometime eight, sometimes
13. So, when the government electric gone shutdown
the- there is the generate okay; public generate, and the monastery, the mosque,
the ministry they have their own generate but for the normal people for
the
family; there is one neighbor one generate. Oh, they share it. Yeah, they're
sharing, and the people paying for one ampere, two ampere and three ampere how
much they- Okay they use, yeah.
Alright, so we're climbing up these stairs right now.
Got a nice like a marble style staircase mixed in with some-
some stones here. How long did this thing take to build?
No one is know. There is no official- Okay. Just they say in the fourth
century. Fourth century, yeah. So, been around for a few years then. Yeah, yeah.
Well, you can imagine that it makes even more sense why they- they did everything
they could to guard this place because imagine- imagine ISIS comes and destroys
this thing that has so much history; fourth century that's however many years ago.
Massive. Massive though. A lot of people
coming here to the picnic; the Christian people. Can you see that
town? Yeah. This is Bashiqa town. So, the people coming here to the picnic; there
is the room, 75 room to-- for the people, they do picnic here,
for weekend. Wow. So, is this place like in general open
for tourism or only if you have like a tour guide that knows? Because it seems
like the security gave us a pretty hard time.
It is very difficult to come here to know the location and
security let you come inside. Yeah. You see in the checkpoint; checking
everything. Exactly. They know me also, they make some difficulty for us. Yeah, yeah.
Even with a tour guide, it's hard. Yeah or
without tour guide or without someone who knows, it's impossible. It’s
impossible; very difficult. Yeah, yeah. You can but this is difficult. Right, right.
Yeah wow, this place is amazing; like there's rooms all along here. And, what
are all these rooms? Are these like some sort of--
There is 75 room-- Oh, no.
Oh, people live there. Oh wow, I didn't know that they kind of not living here,
they coming here to this monastery for one day. Okay. Okay,
they stay here, they do picnic here, they bring the food
or they prepare food here. So, they
stay here one day, two days. Yeah one day, two days, to spend some time. And, do
they have to rent one of these rooms? Or they how do they reserve a room?
No, not reserve, just for free, yeah. Okay yeah, they just come here. At night,
they don't allow to stay here. Okay. Yeah, just for at morning, they coming until
night they stay. They bring with them their food or
something, yes. And, there's the- that one after if you
want; this is the shopping. Okay.
They have the wine without alcohol. Okay, red wine so this wine they
making here the priest on the mountain. Okay. And there's always- always the olives oil.
Okay. Created here in this monastery. So the olives oil and the wine especially
for this monastery. The priest here, they made it. The olives oil; they
bring the olives from this mountain; Maqlub Mountain. Okay.
So, do you know how your friend's experience
was when he stayed here? Was he afraid or he was just you know ready to defend
the place how did he feel?
[Speaking in foreign language]
He say his friend he stay here, and the situation for him is very normal. So,
he take care about the church. After three days they come back. Oh okay. When
the situation be very bad, they go to the Erbil. And, after three
days, yeah they back also here to service the
church. How often did that happen like every month for three years?
From 2014 until 2016 this two years it is very bad the situation. So but- So like
each month? How many like every week they would
leave to Erbil? No, no, no, no. Just once. One time. Just once. Yeah, okay.
They left- [Speaking in foreign language]
2014, they left here because the 2014 ISIS; they have very big power. They were very strong.
Yeah, yeah. Because Iraqi military; they left all guns, all things. Yeah. They
tried many times in 2014 to attacking this monastery to destroy but
they once left here three days. After three days they back. Okay, so only one
time then. Yeah, yeah wow. Thank you father Thomas thank you.
We are now up top here, and look at these views
over here. And, now you can see the fourth century. I
was gonna say the rest of this didn't look like it's from the fourth
century that's for sure, quite modern but it's up there that has been around
since way back when-- It definitely feels like this Egyptian city that I was in
with just the similar type of build with the stones, and whatever mix of earth
that they used to kind of build it but it's still standing. You can't go up
there, though because you know it's- it's been around for 1600
years; you could easily destroy it. So, you can look at it but you can't actually
go and walk up there which honestly is probably a good idea
because I’m seeing some cracking up there. Yad, so what are your thoughts of
this place? Yeah, super historic, and it's amazing to
see the old monastery what that used to look like, and the modern monastery, and
yeah, I would have loved to be able to go up, and experience the- the old one but
it looks like if anybody goes up there it could- it could collapse. So, I can
see why we're not allowed to go up there. Yeah, yeah. Overall it's stunning, really.
Wasn’t aware of any of this history again,
you know being part of Kurdistan. So yeah, surreal. Alright, guys Ba broin
that means so “Let's go, bro”. We got Govind gone- gone like the wind. He
just took off down the stairs. Jesus, like zero to 60 in like 10 seconds.
Alright, let's see if we can get some speed like that too.
Oh, he's already got the car going. We got Yad up there.
Later bro, Govind's leaving us. It looks like Govind's ready to Ba broin
brams.
Let’s do it. Alright guys, we're cruising down to the village now because
we are going to get an idea of what this place looks like. Now, it's been three
years now since they've came back the people that lived there that evacuated
for about three years have been back for three years. So, it's probably gonna
look like a pretty normal village now but you know I still want to show you
guys like you know what, and I want to see too like what- what is this village
that was evacuated, you know. It's kind of suspenseful. So, let's go. Alright, we're
cruising into the village now. This is it out here, and oh we're hitting
a speed bump. We’re coming into this place, and
yeah, it definitely looks like people are living here now. Marhaba (Hello there)
Nice people. Hello, hello.
Oh, another speed bump.
Yeah, just imagine this place it was-- It was completely deserted for so long,
for so many years, and you wonder like did people--
Marhaba (Hello there). You wonder like did people-- Were people able to
reclaim their houses directly or did they switch houses?
It should be pretty interesting to interview someone.
Oh, we got a couple chickens. Hello, hello. Oh, we're going into the neighborhood now.
It looks like, oh this place is covered with barbed wire right here.
I wonder what they're guarding in there but right here actually it's looking a
bit more modern. You got a playground right here.
And
yes, it's pretty quiet though, midday you know.
Cemetery right here. Okay, looks like they've got another--
looks like a monastery right here; a smaller one,
quite modern though. Very nice oh, and we're going back.
Going back out. It looks like I’m the driver now.
I think this is Govind's first time over here too. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, we're taking
Govind on the tour today guys.
So, that's the village guys. Just imagine this place honestly it looks a little
deserted even right now except there's a couple cars in the driveway.
Yeah, cool to see that. So, that's where I’m gonna go ahead and end this video
today guys. As always, thank you so much for watching. If you can smash that like
button, it helps so much. And, if you want to see more videos here in Kurdistan, and
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guys in the next video.
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