Frozen Lake Çıldır in eastern Turkey attracts visitors

Visitors are flocking to Lake Çıldır in eastern Turkey because it is partially frozen due to the extreme cold. Located on the border between Ardahan and Kars provinces in the country's northeast, the second-largest lake in eastern Anatolia freezes over as temperatures drop below zero. Some tourists enjoyed the sunset while some of them danced over the frozen lake. When its thickness reaches a certain level, tourists can ride on sleighs over the frozen lake, and fishing enthusiasts get a chance to indulge in ice fishing. Speaking to Anadolu Agency, tour guide Çiğdem Düğer said they had a good time with tourists visiting the lake. Düğer said they are preparing to host more people after the Eastern Express, one of Turkey's oldest rail lines between the capital Ankara and the northeastern province of Kars, starts on Dec. 15. The Eastern Express offers passengers an unforgettable 25-hour journey with picturesque views all along the route. Filiz Narin, an amateur photographer, said she has been coming to the lake for the past 2-3 years, adding that she and her daughter came from Konya by train this year. Adem Bayramoğlu from Trabzon said he had the experience of walking over the frozen lake for the first time. 'It is a feeling of pleasure and adrenaline,' he said.