Ankara & Cappadocia visit
Current Location : Dogubayazit, Turkey (Google map)
Last entry date : 03 May 2008
.JPG "P1010301Uchisar ancient cave houses(1).JPG")
The bike’s odometer has clocked up 3500km since the start of the journey. We can’t lie, it does look like a holiday trip so far. Lydia and I have managed to make our way to some touristic places (and having plenty of good meals too). It has been fun. Now that I start to ride alone, do I begin my 350/500 km or 6/7 hrs straight ride each day to try to get to the Chinese border ?? No, not yet. Because every travel guide you read says the Cappadocia region in central Turkey is not to be missed if you’re visiting Turkey. So off I go, planning for a brief one night stop at Ankara to
meet Ozhan (Dr) & Ozge Unverdi, then to the Cappadocia.
It must be the Turkish hospitality. Some weeks earlier Ozhan had generously offered to put me up at his place if needed. We had exchanged a few messages earlier about bike travels on the net. As usual, once arriving inside a big city at night I got lost and Ozhan had to come fetch me at the Carrefour supermarket. Ozhan is a keen biker and is preparing to do a world tour one day (it makes my trip looks rather tame). The stay stretched to 2 days. We had a great time discussing bike and travel issues. They fed me and brought me out to visit Ankara. My friends Ozhan and Ozge.
I found that tea is free flowing in Turkey. Its all you can drink at the hotel. The petrol station boys will propose to offer a cup of tea when they see your tired eyes. Restaurants will offer you a cup of tea at the end of your dinner, etc. At one truckstop on the way to Urgup, Cappadocia, I had the dilemma of not knowing how to order and was looking at the neighbour’s food. Mr Phityar and Mr Habib, the truckers, asked me over to sit with them and offered to share their food. We talked in signs and at the end of that half hour, the restaurant manager refused my food bill as he says Mr Phityar has already taken care of it. Just imagine, I’m the stranger.
The travel brochures are accurate. Cappadocia is a beautiful region with very interesting history. The cave dwellings date to the 9th till 13th centuries. There are also underground cities of a few stories deep ((too bad I did not get to see one - had to stop to eat and by then it was too late to go to the next town). Its definitely worth to make a visit to this region. The Japanese and Korean tourists were there by busloads. Have a look at the photos of Cappadocia - its just amazing.
.JPG "P1010224downtown signs(1).JPG")
.JPG "P1010226Ozhan and Ozge (1).JPG")
.JPG "P1010228soldier doing pavement maintenance works at Ataturk (1).JPG")
.JPG "P1010231Ataturk Mausoleum(1).JPG")
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.JPG "P1010245smoking nargile in a downtown cafe(1).JPG")
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.JPG "P1010249On way to Cappadocia region(1).JPG")
.jpg "P1010251Phtiyar and Habib (1).jpg")
.JPG "P1010260Tourists from Hong Kong are also at Cappadocia(1).JPG")
.JPG "P1010324 Mr Ahmet of Elvan hotel in Urgup(1).JPG")
.JPG "P1010264Night parking at Urgup(1).JPG")
.JPG "P1010274Children playing (1).JPG")
.JPG "P1010277Drove up to some ruins(1).JPG")
.JPG "P1010300City of Uchisar(1).JPG")
.JPG "P1010302Workers buiding new house(1).JPG")
.JPG "P1010303Image of Cappadocia(1).JPG")
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.JPG "P1010310 Goreme(1).JPG")
.JPG "P1010311 Image of Cappadocia(1).JPG")
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.JPG "P1010316 Inside Zelve Valley(1).JPG")
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Istanbul - So glad to be here
Current location : Urgup, Cappadocia region (Google map)
Last entry date : 30 April 2008
Istanbul man fishing by the pier
We had planned to be in Istanbul before sunset. What we had not expected was the 1-1/2 hour wait of getting through the border into Turkey and the strong westerly wind blowing that day. There were 4 […]
Passing through Bulgaria
Current Location : Istanbul, Turkey (Google map)
Last entry date : 26 April 2008
On the hills between Veliko Turnovo and Nova Zagora
Glasses off, helmets off and the Roumanians customs waved us into Bulgaria. They even joked that we’re disguised as Sarkozy and Carla Bruni on a private visit to Bulgaria. No problem at checkpoint. No currency […]
Bine Ati Venit to Roumania
Current Location : Istanbul, Turkey (Google map)
Last entry date : 23 April 2008
Wet day near Carpathian mountain range
One of the good thing about not having a travel plan is that you can make up a “plan” just by looking at the map the night before or right before the day’s ride. We had not done […]
Hungary says UDVOZOLLEK
Current Location : Budapest, Hungary (Google map)
Last entry date : 18 April 2008
Mustard plant in flower as far as the eye can see
When we left Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenia late that morning, the plan of the day was to make an easy cruise of 100 km via the national road to Lenti on the Hungarian side […]
Current location : Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenia (Google map)
Last entry date : 14 April 2008
Here we come, Slovenia
Once more we headed off towards Slovenia late in the morning. We had for company trucks upon trucks heading to the port of Trieste, Italy. Everyone was in hurry, of course.
This is the 1st time we’re setting our feet […]
Venice, Italy : Saluto di benvenuto
Current location : Venice, Italy (Google map)
Last entry date : 14 April 2008
Bridge link into Venice Island
Today, the plan was to make a morning visit of Cremona. Its starting to sound like a vacation. A brief visit is still a visit and an occasion to get a glimpse of the city’s culture and history. Venice […]
Off we go : Cremona, Italy
Current location : Cremona, Italy (Google map)
Last entry date : 14 April 2008
1st pit stop of the journey
And the weatherman was right. Saturday was looking like a great day to start a long journey. The morning’s weather was cool and no dark clouds in sight. What we did not want was to depart in the […]
Just about to go…
Current location : Gattières (Google Map)
Last entry date : 11 April 2008
Thanks to your visits to this site and thumbs up to your many comments and loud cheers
Just when its almost time to go …… the non surprise is we’re not quite ready to go. The rain clouds came in and stayed for last 2 […]
The Visa run
Current location: Gattières (Google Map)
Last entry date: 04 April 2008
Happy fruit seller at Castellane street market, Marseille
