TURKEY (06/06/2008 - 20/06/2008)

On 6th June in a few minutes, after getting the stamps
on our passports, we crossed the border to Turkey.
Before leaving the border two officials
stopped us asking for our bicycles' documents! "We
have no document... they don't exist!". They laughed,
we shook hands and they said: "welcome in Turkey!

The first days we cycled along the Black Sea
on the new highway from Istanbul to the
Georgian border built some years ago.

Dispite the warm weather and the clean sea we didn't
swim because the first day we wanted to ride as more
kilometres as we could: "We can go swimming tomorrow!".

The second day we didn't swim as well but we got wet the same, it
was raining and we got Trabzon where we stopped
a couple of days. We found a not well supplied bicycle shop (the people said
that it was the best in the city) where we
could find the spare parts that we needed. The day after
I (Claudio) could fix our bicycles. While I was fixing the
bikes in front of our hotel, the owner came out and spoke
about football players, he started saying names but I didn't
know anyone! I don't like football!! Probably an answer too
strange said from an italian!

We left the Black Sea, the flat road started to go up through the
mountains until the first pass, 2030 metres. During the
uphill it started to rain so we stopped under a tree. While we
were wearing our waterproof jacket a driver saw us,
stopped his truck and came to us with a thermos full of coffee!
Thanks a lot friend!!

Just 300 metres before the pass Claudio got a punctured back tyre
but fortunately on the top there was a small restaurant
where we sheltered from the rain.
The owner gave us two chay for free and wanted to help
Claudio in inflating the tyre! We really love Turkish people!!

The days after the weather didn't change, everyday was raining
and we couldn't pitch our tent up so we slept in the
cheap hotels along the way where the owners usually have
been very friendly, offering chay and speaking about, of
course, football!

Every night TVs broadcasted football matches, no chance to avoid them for
people who hate football!!

Everyday we went through the valley, crossing high passes
over 2000 metres where we met shepherds, beehives near the
rivers and farmers living in small houses made out of stones
and wood. It was funny to speak to them, often the first
question was: "Why don't you go by car?", and the second
question, of course, was: "Would you like some Chay?".

We spent one night in Tunceli, a small town on the way.
While we were looking for a hotel the police stopped us
asking our passports and future destinations because the
area that we were going through was not safe. They had to
report our transit. The same thing happened again some days later
at one checkpoint, the soldiers asked the same and advised
us to take extra care on our way because "Not all Turkish are good
persons!". Probably we were too close at the Curdistan.

Between Tunceli and Elazig we rode 83 kms, went up to two
high passes, crossed a lake by boat and finally we got the
city where we took a rest for a couple of days. We love
Turkey but by bicycle sometimes it's very hard!

In the south east Turkey, toward Syria, the landscape
changed again and turned into desert. It's a nightmare!! From
Elazig we spent four days to get the border, we met
friendly people, we crossed passes, and hot, we faced really hot
weather!!

Now we're in Kilis, the last city before Syria. Tomorrow
we're going to cross the border hoping to get there the visas.
Officially they are not issued at the border but we know
from some travellers that they got them on the spot.

Inshallah...

Have a good trip!

Claudio & Patrizia