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| Photo by Ed Carter |
27 August – Bulgarian Border – Kirklareli, Turkey – 50 kilometres
I
have spent nights in some unusual places, but never in a hospital. So, before
leaving, I felt it was necessary to ensure that all my organs were still
intact.
Eddie
and I arrived in Turkey, a country with a long and fascinating history, at the
end of August and in sweltering heat. Once across the border, we headed towards
the nearest town and bike shop as Eddie’s bicycle rim was cracked, making it
impossible to continue.
Turkish
people are exceptionally kind, and offered us tea, watermelon, and coffee while
we waited. Unfortunately, the rim took longer than we had envisaged to repair.
It was raining as the repairs were completed, and we decided to stay overnight
in Kirklareli.
Turkey
is a transcontinental country straddling eastern Europe and Asia and was bound
to throw us a few surprises. Still, I was amazed to learn that our first town,
Kirklareli, was one of the first settlements in Europe.
28
August - Kirklareli – Safalan – 96 kilometres
By
morning, I couldn’t wait to start exploring. Turkey is not flat, and the best
part of the day was spent cycling up and down hills, heading toward Istanbul. We
ended the day's ride at a picnic area equipped with a restaurant and restrooms.
29-31
August - Safalan – Istanbul – 137 kilometres
We
packed up early because a long distance remained to historic Istanbul. Cycling
into bustling Istanbul—Turkey’s economic, cultural, and historic centre —was
a nightmare, with horrendous peak-hour traffic. Unfortunately, none of the
campsites indicated on the map still existed, and by 21h00, we opted for
alternative accommodation. But at least I had my first glimpse of the
Mediterranean. As stressful as the ride was, I was happy to be in this
beautiful, historic city.
Locating
a backpacker hostel in daylight the following morning was far easier. It was
well situated in the tourist part of town, close to the Blue Mosque.
Istanbul
is an immensely popular destination, and most budget accommodation was filled
to the brim. The only beds available were on the hostel’s roof, where beds were
piled in, leaving no spaces between beds—resembling a huge communal bed. It was,
therefore, no surprise to run into the Baltic Cycle
Group.
The
day was spent exploring Europe’s most populous city. We pushed and shoved our
way through the city’s markets, jam-packed with a warren of stalls where the
smells, colours and sights were intoxicating. We visited Istanbul’s famous
mosques and watched hopefuls fishing in the Bosporus strait, marking Europe and
Asia’s dividing line.
Eddie
headed home from Istanbul, and I decided to tag along with the Baltic Cycle
Group as we headed in the same direction.
1
September - Istanbul - Bodrum - By Ferry
There
was no sleeping in on the roof, and I made my way to the harbour to purchase a
ferry ticket to Bodrum. As the boat left at 14h00, I returned to the hostel to
collect my gear and say goodbye to the Baltic cyclists, with only 15 riders continuing
towards Cyprus.
The
ferry exceeded expectations, boasting amenities like a pool, gym, and
restaurants. The calm ocean mirrored a lake, and I spent my day lounging on the
deck by the pool. The restaurant onboard was unaffordable. Still, I had a beer
while watching the sunset and hung around until past midnight, watching the
night sky, as there wasn’t a breath of wind, the sky was cloudless, and the
weather pleasantly warm.
2
September - Bodrum – Datca (by boat)
The
next day was mainly spent swimming and lounging around until we reached Bodrum at
15h00, where we boarded a ferry toward Datca, arriving at about 19h00. As it
was already late, we set up camp on an open lot near the harbour, conveniently
near a small shop selling beer and snacks.
3
September - Datca – Marmaris – 70 kilometres
From
Datca, a scenic coastal road ran along the Mediterranean to the touristy port
town of Marmaris. Despite the challenging hills and heat, the scenery and
beaches were spectacular. En route, we stopped for breakfast and a refreshing
swim. The Turkish breakfast consisted of a basket of bread, cheese, tomatoes,
cucumber, and olives washed down with a glass of ayran.
We
didn’t explore much of Marmaris, as the 1957 earthquake left little of its
historical charm, with only the castle surviving.
Marmaris’s
campground was directly on the beach, with excellent vistas across the bay.
Watching the sunset, cold beer in hand, I thought life couldn’t get much
better.
4
September - Marmaris – Mugla – 54 kilometres
Again,
the day was a scorcher, and the mercury hovered around 46°C. We churned our way
up and over the mountains to Mugla. The intense heat and steep hills made the
ride gruelling, but the route offered picturesque views.
We
reached the small community of Ula around midday, where I decided to get a
haircut—an interesting affair. With no one speaking English, we relied entirely
on gestures to communicate.
En
route, we were fortunate to meet Burent, a friendly cyclist from Mugla who
kindly guided us through the old town. Upon reaching Mugla, we were warmly
welcomed with a cup of tea and offered bike repair services. The old quarter of
Mugla is a charming area with cobblestone streets and houses dating back to the
18th and 19th centuries. Many of these houses have been restored, and are characterised
by courtyards, double-shuttered doors, and chimneys.
Camping
was at the public swimming pool, a first for me, with plenty of shower
facilities and a lovely green lawn.
5
September - Mugla – Koycegiz – Dalyan - 75 kilometres
At
8h00, Burent led us out of the village and along rural roads through forests
towards Köyceğiz. Koycegiz Lake connects to the Mediterranean Sea through the
Dalyan Delta, a natural waterway.
Our
early arrival left enough time to catch a boat across the lake to popular
Dalyan and Turtle Beach. The entire area was declared a wildlife sanctuary, and
a boat made exploring easy. We swam at Turtle Beach but didn’t see any turtles.
The ancient Caunos harbour, with tombs carved into the rock high on the cliff
face, was even more fascinating.
That
night, we camped at Dalyan, where we spent the evening drinking wine on a
timber deck.
6
September - Dalyan – Fethiye (Oludeniz) – 75 kilometres
Baltic
Cycles was a fun group to be a part of. During the day, everyone did their own
thing and arrived at the campsite at different times. Most cyclists were from
Poland and spoke limited English, so talking to Bob from Scotland and Saline
from New Zealand was easy. Ella, a lovely person from Poland, communicated
using gestures and a dictionary.
While
cycling, we often stopped to devour Turkish pancakes or Gozleme, a savoury
flatbread filled with various ingredients. Our route took us along the
Turquoise Coast, with breath-taking views of the historic Fethiye and its
Amyntas Rock Tombs.
7
September – Fethiye – Patara
The
Turkish were exceptionally hospitable and generous, frequently stopping to
offer lifts, tea or even watermelon. The previous night, following a few vodkas,
it was decided to see how easy it would be to hitch a ride. In the morning, we
split into pairs and set off. Bob and I teamed up and, in no time at all, got a
lift. The day passed quickly as we got into all sorts of vehicles. These vehicles
were mostly driven one-handed, with the other hand holding a cell phone or casually
resting outside the window.
8
September - Kas – Olympus – 90 kilometres
The steep
and challenging route between Kas and Olympus was immensely mountainous, but
the scenery made the effort worthwhile. The ride was littered with swimming
spots, and the day flew by. Turkey is easily one of the most interesting
countries one can visit. Not only because of the food, the people’s
friendliness, or even the magical Mediterranean coast but primarily because of its
history. From the ancient runes of Göbekli Tepe, dating to 9130–8800 BC, to the
massive heads of Gods at Nemrut Dağ, dating to 69–34 BC.
A
day in Olympus revealed the ruins
of an ancient city, scattered picturesquely along the path to the beach. Many
moons ago, around 43 AD, Olympus was a massive and important city and harbour. In 78 BC, the
Romans captured Olympus after a victory at sea, and by the 15th century Olympus
had been abandoned. Today, it has
a hippy vibe, a lovely beach blessed with crystal clear blue water, and a
mountain backdrop.
9
September – Olympus
We
spent an additional day in Olympus, relaxing on the beach or on comfortable cushions
on a timber deck. As the sun set, we embarked on a short hike up the mountain, discovering
dozens of small fires burning steadily from vents in the rocky hillside. These flames, fuelled
by gas emissions, have been burning for at least 2,500 years.
10
September - Olympus – Antalya – 90 kilometres
Antalya,
a historic city established in 200 BC, lay 90 kilometres away and boasted even
more impressive ruins. During the Roman rule, the city thrived and left behind
many monuments such as the grand Hadrian's Gate, built in 130 AD to honour the
Roman emperor Hadrian's visit to Antalya. The Hıdırlık Tower, another iconic
landmark, is thought to have been built during the Roman Empire around the
second century CE.
11-12
September - Antalya – Side – 74 kilometres
The
following day, our path followed the coast toward the ancient port town of
Side, famous for its beaches and Roman ruins dating back to the time of Antony
and Cleopatra. Strolling through the ruins of the 2nd-century Antique Theatre,
with its impressive seating capacity of 15,000, was simply
irresistible. By then, we were all “ruined out” and didn’t explore much, opting
instead to lounge around and do as little as possible.
13
September – Side – Alanya, Turkey – Girne, Cyprus - By ferry
After enjoying an excellent Turkish breakfast of fresh bread, tomatoes, cucumber, and olives, accompanied by a glass of ice-cold ayran, we cycled to the Alanya harbour. From there, ferries departed to Cyprus, a four-hour boat ride away. I parted ways with the Baltic Cycle Group as they headed towards the Greek side of the island. Though Greece and Turkey share Cyprus, obtaining a visa to visit Greece was nearly impossible, so I chose to remain on the Turkish side.
