UPDATE FROM KIRKLARELI
Welcome to Turkey. We have reached the country of our final destination.
Although I have never been here before it seems so familiar. I think I’m having flashbacks from Egypt. From camping at the local football stadium, the broadcast prayers to Allah, to interactions with the regional cycling association, things here are very similar. I am always amazed at how a political boundary often marks a dramatic change in geography. It's not just a random line on a map. Ten km before the Turkish border we were traveling through rolling hills of dense hardwood forest and ten km past, the terrain became extremely arid. Dry hillsides of scrubby bushes, blowing dust clouds and geckos running past your front wheel. We are now enjoying the final rest day of the tour in the small town of Kirklareli. This is not a major tourist destination but right now the cyclists need rest more than anything else. The heat wave they have endured during the past 3 stages has left them exhausted. Two days ago the temperature hit 48 degrees. But as tonight is refreshingly cool I believe the heat wave has finally broken.
When we left Varna we continued to follow the coast of the Black Sea for the first day. We passed through several touristy beach towns; Ozbos, Bryag and Nesebar. Nesebar was a strange place, an ancient city that has changed hands many times. It has been occupied by the Thracians, Romans, Byzantines and the Bulgarian Empire. But in each takeover the city was never destroyed. As a strategic naval port and thriving fishing village it has a history dating back over 4000 years. About 2000 years ago geologic events caused a dramatic rise in the water level of the sea and although the ruins I saw were impressive there are many more beneath the waves, making it a popular scuba destination. Today the city has incorporated a bizarre mix of old and new. Modern homes built on ancient foundations and historic cathedrals neighboured by tacky souvenir shops and gelato stands.
Our second riding day took us inland to the town of Malko Tarnovo, a small border town with very limited facilities. But luckily we stayed just down the street from a bar with a fantastic swimming pool to help us beat the heat. Our ride into Turkey was short and the border crossing was expensive, but relatively hassle free. Now its only three riding stages and 250 km to our finish line on the Bosphorus. We have been joined by Henry and Miles who are here preparing for the inaugural Silk Route Expedition. There are a couple of Orient Express riders who are going to continue on with them from Istanbul right across Asia to Beijing, China…. CRAZY!
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Posted July 26, 2007 by Randy Pielsticker
Turkey |
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