Zoroastrians

From the very little I know about religion of any sort it appears there were a people in this area Iran, Turkey, that called themselves Zoroastrians. They may have been the original "greens" as they believed that the earth should not be contaminated ie by burying bodies in it.

They did not have a being that they worshipped apparently.

How they came to be "aware" of Jesus is interesting but the story has it that the three wise men were Zoroastrians.

Now what is the reason you may ask for all of this, well, on and in the Monastery were a number of pictures/depictions, and on an outer wall were Mary and Jesus (missing) Joseph, and the three wise men. So I took a picture.

nzl04

More 964 AD Monastery

Pictures

Images

I have some pictures of the Monastery and the ride there. Some good images that I wanted to share.
nzl04

On the road - briefly 27 November

After several days of sitting waiting Chris and Kadri on the DLR650 and I went for a ride. It took us a while to find fuel and the right road but the ride that followed was great. Over the snow capped range and up a long gorge with patches of four lane and patches of road works. The lanscape was dramatic and a little warmer as after the range we reduced altitude.
Old villages on hillside, hay bales stacked on roofs, sheep and cattle in small herds on the hillsides, it was a step back in time other than the roadworking machinery. Thats the same everywhere.
The colours in the hillsides were great. Not much grows here apart from poplars down the river beds.
We turned off eventually about 100km and would our way up the valley until the monastery appeared nestled in a small village.
The usual turnout ensued, where are you from but we were saved from prolonged inquirey by the call from the tower beside the monastery.
It is falling into dispair sadly but this country has so many monuments to the past whats another monastary built in 964 with some stone carving and paintings inside. For me it is a great feeling. 1000 years ago this was a community centre. It was built up a blind valley for protection no doubt ( no army is going over the tops) and apparently there was a large christian community here.
Unfortunately we only had the option of riding back the route we came in order to be back before dark.
So another night of soup and Kebab and early to bed to watch the drama in Mumbai unfold on the BBC. In a month I had planned to be there.
I fear the US created financial crisis will see more downturn and and harship and more of this madness and I am left with the thought that the same silly games of greed envy fear and distrust were present in 964 when the monastery was built.
We have not progressed very far have we !
nzl04

Holiday in Turkey courtesy Iranianvisa.com

The irony is that I now want a holiday in Iran, not Turkey !
There is a lot more to this story but perhaps it should be told at another time.
Pictures are not so easy. It is a cold grey city surrounded by snow.
I understand the earliest I can expect an answer to my latest application thanks to a very courteous and overworked Consul, is Monday 1st December so the Speights and those Bluff oysters are getting further and further away.
Tehran closes Thursday and Friday and Sunday is the local day off. So not much happens in a week.
Oh well there are lots of things that are worse and perhaps I can get a flight to Corsica or somewhere warm for 4 days.

nzl04

Ezrurum 25 November

When I left London I wrote in my book "last day to cross to Iran 25 November"

And here I am.

I applied thru iranianvisa.com

The partner of the owner is a relative of the Iran Ambassador in Istanbul. If you go to the Embassy you are given a slip of paper and told apply to this website, on-line. Of course no one tells you that iranianvisa let you fill in the form, advise you to pay the urgency fee if you are leaving Istanbul, and then DO NOTHING !

So inevitably we all pay the 55Euro and end up stuck in Erzurum. And for most of us the only time we hear from iranianvisa is when we are told "application declined". Then its a battle. Some return to Istanbul and ship, some reapply (after two weeks I am told), I am pleading with the Consul. He wants Hotel bookings which of course is a joke outside Iran. They don't answer phones emails, websites faxes.......nothing ! So its going to be tough.

Met some fellow travellers last night Chris and Kadri. He is a Scot and she an Estonian. What a neat couple. They are on a DL650 as I recall heading to Oz. It was good to spend some time with some real people. They are "waiting" on iranianvisa as well.

I hope my expedition does not stall here, that would be a disaster. If anyone knows someone in Iran that would invite me to visit that would be a great help.

What is totally confusing is that most do eventually get a visa, after spending $US2000 and two weeks longer in Turkey than wanted, time and money Iran should have had !

Turkey must love iranianvisa. They make more money for Turkey than they do for Iran and they live in Tehran.

Life is odd.

So its back to the Consul toady and hope !

I need a picture so will go dredging. The single spire is included for its tile work 700 years old. The city for its "town planning". So much of the housing expansion in Turkey is like this. They build towers in the sand around the cities. The colours are I guess a bit like painting the fronts of bee hives. How else do you find your way home ?

nzl04

Friday 21st Erzurum

I can not recall when I last spent 5 days in one place. How it came to be this place is bewildering. The city is grey and the hills are white. It snows and rains and is cold. Freezes at night and not much better in the day.

I have walked the town. There is little to see. There are two significant buildings from about 1300 as I probably mentioned. The curse of modern cities is here as well and I refer to kids. They pester they are rude and demand money and when refused become very agressive. They throw sticks and stones and really make cities unpleasant places. However its not all bad. There are many friendly and helpful people. The Policeman outside the Police station had a cheery word so I stopped and talked with him. I asked if he learnt English at University. Yes he said. So I responded, you need a degree to carry a machine gun in Turkey thats good ! He enjoyed the humour.

I am going to have difficulty finding a picture today. The building with the twin towers is an old one beautifully decorated and made before the days when they put the pointy tops on.

The fellow in the window is not me !

Its an old fashioned city. Men wear hats caps and skull caps, and many of the women fully cloaked, and the younger ones with long coats and scarves. Lots of beards. The city structure is like China. In this street copper pots, the next nuts and spices, then hardware, then elektroniks, and then tyres, and so on. The suprising thing is the markets, both in the street selling all sorts of items including fruit, lots af good fruit and vegetables and fish, and then behind inconspicuous doors several levels of shops.

Its a very male society. Groups of men sitting drinking tea, in tea (cay) shops playing cards or backgammon and smoking. I went into the dining room tonight. The air was blue with smoke. 30 men dining in groups and drinking Raki. Only one couple. They were drinking wine which is the first time I have seem that. I suspect romance was the cause.

The diet has sorted itself out. Hard boiled eggs bread olives and tomato for breakfast. Soup, eggplant and mince with rice for lunch: and soup, salad, and something like stuffed olive leaves, stuffed peppers, or spicy fried liver, and with all meals, bread and Cay ! But I do manage a Raki at night and its very pleasant.

So I hope I can soon report on the road again.

nzl04

Wednesday Urzurum

Well after lots of emails to info@iranianvisa.com and after three days they responded. It was to tell me they don't reply to emails but do so daily. Hogwash.

They claim the visa is lodged, but not processed. After nearly 3 weeks that is preposterous. The Embassy says allow 10 days, Iranianvisa say pay extra and it will take 5 days....yeah !

So I sit and wait. The dangers of "on-line" commerce. No recourse ! They do not take visa or pay pal ( US embaro against Iran ?) so its cash up front. The worst aspect is thet the Embassy insisted I use them. I have heard an expression Bakshish ! I wonder what it means ?

However I again walked the city. The two best shots I got were out the window.

Fingers crossed for wheels rolling soon.

nzl04

Urzurum 18 November

This city I assume is very old. There is not much available in English. The city is in a basin surrounded by snow clad hills. There are some significant buildings of the 1300 era and a city wall, that only remains in parts, but other than that little.

Its a pity as I sit here waiting for a visa. Typical online purchase drama. You pay and hope. If what ou pay for you do not get, you have no recourse.

I suspect Iranianvisa is a company operating from the US contrary to the no trade with Iran policy so it is difficult to know how real they are.....

My problem is that the Iran Embassy insisted I use them. Somebody is getting paid I guess.

The guy in the Embassy couldn't be nicer, but says he can do nothing. Seems nor can I.

If they dont perform tomorrow I may have to ask everyone to send em an email asking what they are doing ?

I will have to look through my photo's to see if anything else will interest.

Yes I was impressed by the carpet washers as well.

nzl04

Monday 17 November Iranianvisa

The Embassy in London, to me go to Istanbul. Quicker for Visa.

I went to Istanbul. I was told we do not issue Visa. Apply "on-line"

I applied on-line. The "on-line" party is a private organisation.

The process was seemingly simple other than the payment instructions. They cannot use "pay-pal" because of US economic sanctions ?

So we remitted the money. Plus a fast processing fee. It can take 10 business days if I do not pay the fast processing fee ! That was 10 business days ago.

The fast handling feee was to get the visa in 5 working days.

So I sit in a Hotel in the coldest city I have ever been in, and wait.

Meanwhile iranianvisa.com do not respond. They have one contact info@iranianvisa.com .......

This may be a major problem for me. It is getting cold. I have already been delayed 2 weeks with Visa's and this is the last straw really.

It would make for a much better feeling if they responded but when the line goes dead it feels like a scam.

There is a "US" telephone number which also makes me uneasy. US business morals are suspect at the best of times. Sorry to my US mates but having dealt with Goat Riders, Goofy maps, Microwhatever, and others too numerous to mention, I hold a view that they believe the customer is a resource to exploit. Sad really, but who dreamed up this financial scam that has stalled the worlds economies.

I would like some feedback on this one. If trade has turned from plus 2% to negative 2% (say)how come 5% is such an issue ? Or has it really slowed far worse than that because the consumer is struggling with a property hangover ? Really, all the world ? Or in reality had the world geared up to produce more than we needed and this is the consequence, oversupply falling demand...too much of everything and when I ride past houses partly completed and look like they never will then perhaps thats an explanation.

Lets hope it all comes right tomorrow as its 3.30 pm and getting dark.

As its a no ride day I will see if I can find a couple of snaps that relate to other things that you will recognise.

nzl04

Sunday 16 to the cold in Erzurum

I got a good start out of Tevan. It was crisp so I had 5 layers on but needed another so the raincoat that will not fit over 5 layers I put on backwards. It worked.

As usual the landscape is dramatic. High ranges, villages, spectacular views, rivers, and a most unusual sight as I crossed a bridge. I was cold but there in the river bed were people washing carpets. It was an astonishing sight. How they could work in water that must be close to freezing was truly impressive.

We do not know we are alive.

I was treated to boiled mutton for lunch, very greasy but very welcome as it was hot. The usual attendees watched me eat accompanied by the usual questions, where are you from, New Zealand, odd look and repeat, where are you from, Australia....Oh yes Australia thats godd do you like Turkey, ..yes, how old are you ?

The road was the same as well, the usual tractors, sheep goats, roadworks, very poor villages with some sadly substandard accommodation but as well today, the cold.

I could not understand how it could be so cold on flat plains but then realised they were 2000m above sea level.

As the city approached I could see snow on the hills, ice from last winter in some shaded gullies so yes it was cold.

The city is like most. Crowded, noisy, polluted, but unlike others was dark at 4pm. The call to the Mosque is made just the same, and I suspect it is done from a computer via a telephone line. Even the mosque is not safe from technology.

I have become used to the food so it must be time to move on although I sense a more arabic feel about the people, darker skin colour, and a sence of a different people, but Turkey is a big country with many races merging into one society.

I hope you see the carpet washing in sufficient detail, I was on a bridge, and the village was very isolated and poor.

nzl04

Saturday 15th Lake Van

It seems this is a crater lake. Had I known that I would also have expected it to be cold and of course made an effort to leave earlier. It was 300k, no trouble I thought, well yes.....
The departure down the hill and onto the plain was dramatic. There is one thing about Turkey, the landscape is huge and dramatic.
I thought a couple of times I was in Arizona. The sun on the mountains the shadows, the colours are fantastic.
The villages on the hills. Not at all like anywhere else. These houses are all brown. A li8ttle way short of Batman ( yes I had to get that in, its real) is a place called Hassankeyf. Again houses built into the cliff faces and a very old town that had a very old bridge, which is a river who's name seems to be the Dicle Nehri that flows into Syria.
Clearly a place with a great deal of history and a fascinating place. Another fascination appeared a few miles down the road. I guess it would have been called a train once, a string of donkeys, perhaps a horse and a mule or two, giving the appearance of the family and their posessions. They were a very interesting group. I was busy looking at them and trying to get a picture and at the same time giving them a great deal of amusement, by my appearance.
So I was back on the road and it was good until I approached the last leg into the town of
Bitlis and Tevan. What I didn't know was that this was a gorge in which the road was being rebuilt and rising to about 1600m. So the road was rough and rougher, climbing into colder and colder, and the sun set at about 3.30 so getting darker and darker. It was an interesting ride.
The town was seemingly a very ordinary very cold very dark place. I was through it and onto the lake plateau and then it got properly cold, bone chilling cold. And it was pitch dark, the full moon was obscured, and did I mention cold ?
I was lucky to ride direct to the Otel where for 50ytl I got B + B with central heating. Great.
By now you can guess, spicy soup, salad, shish, with lots of bread and tea.
nzl04

Friday 14th to Mardin

This was a planned destination at last. I left my two friends after breakfast and headed to Urfa. Interesting but I could not find the copper market and it was too early to eat so I went south to Harran.

I mentioned sheep well they are everywhere. This is in a town. And the mud huts are in Harran.
This is a pretty well had it tourist attraction based on a community of people that lived in mud houses. They claim to have had the first University in the world although I have no details on that. It was sort of interesting. The town was a thriving market place that served the surrounding villages. Mostly it seems they grew cotton here. As usual the car of choice is a tractor. They sem to get a lot of people on a tractor, although later in the day I did see three men on a motorcycle with two more on the sidecart. Poor little bike.
On the way to Mardin much later than expected, having tried a "shortcut" through an area that seemed to have those roads that get narrower and rougher and then hard to find... I spotted Ismail by the road. He had collected another friend Janel so I followed them to the Otel where we stayed the night. This was a Boutique otel so the cost went up to 70 ytl but a very nice place in a very ordinary town. The site was as usual incredible however. Perched on the side of a hill with the usual steep cobblestoned roads, and the usual fort on top.
This place is close to Syria ( lots of army presence) and at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and the middle East. There would have been more posessors of this little mountain than owners of a Model A.
But it was worth the visit and we had a fun night. I was very fortunate that not only were these guys good company but all had pretty good english.
Anul had been unfortunate in that as a mountaineer he had been struck by lightening while up the mountain. To know two people that have survived a lightening strike is unusual I think.
I discovered the Turkish drink of preference. Raki (well thats how its pronounced). An annis type of spirit with a kick like a mule.
So late to bed.
nzl04

Thursday 13th Nemrut

Well I was fortunate not to have ridden on in the dark. The road was under repair for a long part of the trip which would have been a nightmare, and then the road up the mountain was narrow and windy so I would not have fared well at all.
The morning ride up te mountain was great. The mountain was unbelievable. The old King of Macedonia had a range of statues 10 metres high seated in huge stone chairs, Zeus, Apollo, Hercules, Commagene, plus an Eagle and a Lion and these statues were at rge East side and the west side, and between them a Tumulus of 30,000 cu metres of small rocks. He was determined to beat the grave robbers it seems.
Interesting place. Sort of erie to visit. I met Patrick + Christina from Australia who shared their beer nuts with me. They were hitching round the world. If you are interested they have a blog "travelpod.com/members/bird_dream"
So that was a good experience.
Then it was a scamper down the road. Interesting again but when I made the ferry to cross Turkeys huge hydro lake the ferry was disappearing round the corner. So off to the cafe. There were four men so I sat down and asked if they would like a Cay. (Tea). Yes they said and the tea came and back came my money. They wanted to buy. They were Kurds they said and that was about the conversation apart from where from and how old !
Then another bike arrived. Two young Turks on a Trans Alp. Ismail and Anul were good blokes and we caught the ferry together along with four goats and a couple of cars and trucks and an assortment of locals on foot.
It was again dark as we alighted and made for Siverek. (Not Sanlurfa known as Urfa). Anul had made some enquiries and got the name of an Otel and then a restaurant so we dined pretty well and were accommodated pretty poorly, but for 10 ytl ( about $6 US) ...of course I can complain. It wasn't just the very noisy neighbours or the room 1 foot wider than the very uncomfortable bed nor the smelly pillow but the footpad and hole toilet which is a challenge for someone with bikers knees ( they don't bend) but finally the "shower" that ran hot or cold but nothing between. Aaah the romance of travel.
The dinner was fine. Lamb stew, they like mutton in Turkey, salad and bread, and of course Cay.
Not a bad day for an old biker.
nzl04

Wednesday 12th to Adiyaman

This was not where I intended to be. I was supposed to be up the Mountain, Nemrut, where Antiochus I built himself a mauseleum on top of a mountail in about 650BC I am told. More of that later.
So away I went, it was cold and long. The hills were mountains and cold.
It was however a hell of a ride. Good challenging roads and dramatic scenery, colourful trees, rocky mountains, some with pine trees, plains, sheep goats, the whole vista. It was a good day but sadly too long so I had to stop in Adiyaman. The Otel was OK and I was very grateful to be in bed.
nzl04

Tuesday sightseeing in Cappadoccia

The Otel has a restaurant on top of the building so the view in the morning is fantastic.

The left pic is my Otel and the right where other people lived !

So I visited Avanos, famous for its ceramics; Goreme, the outdoor musues of old buildings and religous sites in the hillsides; and then to Kaymakli famous for an underground city (or two).

There were in fact I was told 26 of them. And connected by tunnels. Earthquakes have wrought havoc on them but two remain.

Originally Hittite settlement. They lived there to avoid detection, as did the Romans, some time later, then the christians (hiding from the Ottoman).

It was a very erie feeling. Thinking that people actually lived down there many levels down. And the pasage ways were not big ( apparently the hittites were small).

I have to say I was pleased to out of there.

Back to the town of Urgup for dinner in the square. Usual thing. I stop the bike. Anything from 1 to 5 people immediately appear. Where you from ? How old you ? Both answers causing a similar reaction of wonder/curiosity/amusement. However the first man up was the carpet merchant wanting to talk bikes. (First time a carpet man didn't try to sell me a carpet. He did reccommend the meatballs at the restaurant we were outside and I have to agree they were great. And I was lucky enough to have a local red wine which was pretty good, a turkish coffee and a Tiramisu. All for about 22ytl which was good. The accommodation cost 50ytl.

It was again a very cool day as winter approaches.

nzl04

Tuesday 10th to Urgup in Cappadoccia

The usual breakfast was even more spartan today. Olives cheese and bread but it was redeemed by the presence of the gardener. He is well connected with the hotel and the restaurant they sent me to last evening. However he sat with me and eat his bread and cheese and talked non stop. Not a word of which I undertsood, so he gets a picture today.

The ride to Cappadoccia was pretty good initially as I skirted Ankara. to avoid that smog bound city, and rode through farm land and they grow a plant like a swede literally by the truckload, or should I say trailer load, as the tractors and trailers were up and down the road again, yesterday olives, today swedes or big black turnips.

However as I am prone to I found a shortcut. For a moment I thought I had slipped back in time, Russian roads again, but my idea worked and I found the road I wanted and was sorry I did. It seems Turkey has had a massive ibjection of roading money and they are upgrading repairing just about every road I ride on. So it was a slow journey and I had to take another shortcut which I was afraid may be my undoing as the garmin map seemed to loose itself about that time and I ended up on dusk in a deserted village. It was very wierd. Almost like they inhabitants all walked out on the same day 40 years ago. (Pic). So I had to navigate by nose and fortunately it worked. I found familiar ground and a familiar city ( last years visit) and soon the Otel at the top of a steep cobbled street (arent they all). It was a hotel in the hillside. Very quaint living in a cave.

So I dined in town, the usual safe bet soup salad and shish ( or kebab) and lots of glasses of Cay pronounced chai or similar and is of course the national drink, tea.

nzl04

Sunday the 9th Iznik to Beypazari

After a stooge around the city on a Sunday, all the Muze (Museums) were closed or being refurbished which was a pity. But like most historic places the "good stuff" has been "relocated". Stolen ? Like the Elgin marbles.

Anyway the ride was wonderful. marvelous autumn colours, lots of trees and vines and lots of olives being picked. Irrigation has changed the face of this land. It is a productive vegetable growing area now. It was a good ride. Dry but cool. As it does here, the sun goes down early so it was in that nice golden light that I found the village of my destination.

It was old. It has narrow cobbled stret full of market stalls and is charming. However first I had to find the Otel, which I did and it was old and perhaps charming as well. Uneven floors, toilet and shower in the wardrobe (converted) and quaint is probably a better description.

So was the "old guy" that greeted me, he was 64 and his mate 67. He insisted that I sit on his stool and eat some bread, which I did. It seems he is the self appointed gardener on that peice of street.

After unloading I went looking at the town and found some dinner. All good. The people really are very kind, a little fascinated perhaps by my appearance, but they handle it well. The food is great really. I managed a yoghurt soup, some olive leaf rolls and because I was in Turkey a baklavar. And I enjoyed it.

These old hillside town are as quaint as can be really. Narrow and steep cobbles, houses almost touching and lots of people. And os course in the evening and the morning the call from the mosque. It is great in a slightly larger place where there are often up to 5 mosques in shouting distance and they seem to compete with their calls from the Minarets ( I hope thats what they are).

nzl04

Saturday in Iznik

Iznik was previously known as Nicaea. It was a very old centre occupied by Thracians, and called Helikare then Romans who called it Antigoneia, then Christians and somewhere it got the name of Nicaea, whether as by legend where Dionisyus the God of wine who had his wicked way with Nicaea daughter of Cybele and Sangarios ( the River God) or the wife of one of Alexander the Greats, Generals.....

Whatever the truth is regardless of my ideas, it is a place with a huge history for such a strange little settlement on a rather ordinary lake. And history is everywhere. The churches, later mosques, now museums, and the walls, old walls about 5km of them, the place is amazing.

One of the revalations so far is the history of this whole area. Whether it was in Albania, Greece, Turkey, the area has been occupied by invaders from every quarter, and more than once.

I stand in awe to think that as in so many of these places, men were doing all these things in this place 3000 plus years ago.

And as with my visit last year to Troy where the story of Adysseus started, there were civilisations built on top of one another many times over. It seems that recycling was alive and well, and why find a new place when the present one is fine and having wrecked it there are already building materials available.

So much history has been "lost" by recycling. That I guess is the benefit of building in stone. So you should see some gateways and walls, and who knows who built them.

nzl04

Saturday 8 Nov. Istanbul to Iznik

What a week I have had in that great city. I was fortunate to have the hospitality of two very kind and generous people.

I had the bike serviced, and caught up on some planning. I also had the pleasure of some wonderful home cooked meals, and to stay in an apartment that overlooked the Golden Horn and the old city of Istanbul.

It was pure joy. You must go to Istanbul at some time in your life. The age, the history, the people, the sense of this place is just wonderful. Managed some "sightseeing" and hope I have the right shots of the Red Mosque built for christians and changed to a Mosque by adding the minarets but later turned into a museum by Attaturk I believe, and the Sophia, the Blue Mosque built around 1616 ( I think).

But sadly today I took my leave. I was on the bridge that spans the Bosporous and joins Europe with Asia and a motorcyclist indicated I should follow. We took off up the inside the inside lane, the traffic was heavy, and at the toll gates he stopped and asked if I had a toll card ( all electronic) which I didn't so he motioned me to ride beside him as we then went through the toll booth on his card. Nice people. I am getting toots and ,waves, and conversation whenever I stop.
So, soon after leaving Istanbul and a way down the motorway, I was off toward a ferry to take me across the bay and then over the hills to the Lake and town of Iznik. This is of course an old city (they all are here) of 22,000 and home to a wide assortment of Roman ruins, of course walls that go back thousands of years, even Hadrian came here, and he likes walls, and then the inevitable mosques. Pretty ones, famous ones, the lot. I understand there is an organisation re-established to make the tiles that the area was famous for. They were used in the palaces and the mosques including the famous Blue Mosque in Istanbul. I may get to see them here. The countryside is hilly but the lakeside is home for huge agricutural production, and it is olive harvest time so there are tractors and trailers aplenty.
A short day to get me started again, windy cool and overcast, but it is well into autumn here so I must soon expect snow before I can get to Iran and head south and warmer climes.
nzl04

Monday 3rd to Istanbul

The ride to this incredible city along the route of the old ancient roman way. It is not an attractive ride. There is plenty of pollution in the air, lots of industry, and lots of road.
The apprehension I face when approaching something as daunting as riding into Istanbul is tangible.
It is scary.

This minor obstruction was encountered along the way. I took it to be an aquaduct.
I followed the road/motorway as far as I dared into the city, then asked a taxi driver for the way to the Taksim Square. He mostly with signs indicated, ahead, up hill, turn left, so we moved on only to have a lady draw up beside me and ask what directions I asked for in very good english, so I said Taksim, ahead, up hill, turn left,....thats good she said and drove off.....
So I found with the aid of a phone call to Kazim my way to his house.
One of the joys of travel is the people you meet. This man is one of those joys.
So I have the pleasure of his and his companions hospitality and it is hard to express how much that kindness is appreciated.
Being a nomad sounds like fun, riding round the world sounds like fun, and they certainly are fun, but like everything you do a lot, it can get trying at times. The wash and wear lifestyle, the eat sleep and ride mentality, the uncertainty of the external factors, not only finding the way but negotiating it with sometimes no language in common whatsoever. But who would have it any other way as I prepare for Iran.
The visa applicationm process is a curious one. London said it will take a long time apply in Istanbul, much quicker. Istanbul said apply on line and collect wherever you nominate. Sadly an inconsistency in the information process has cost me many days waiting. Incidentally it seems the Visa process is run from the US....so much for trade sanctions !
Its a funny world.
nzl04

Sunday 2nd to Asprovalta

Yes I know where Asprovalta is but why go there. There is only one reason. It was dark and there was a Hotel. Otherwise it was not a pleasant place.
The day had started better in Parthenona however. Breakfast delivered by my host. Sitting on a balcony in the hills with the sun filtering through on the Aegean was pretty good. My hosts were delightful people
Soon the fun of the day started. The locals from the district walk run ride drive across the mountain and then have lunch in the square with music and traditional dancing.
It was great fun and the locals all had a great time. The food was a stampede and the wine came in a plastic barrel which I think might have been home made Cypro ( if I got the name right) but a pretty interesting brew.
However the large greek men in black and while costumes and frilly skirts were truly "real". Not for tourists this was a local gathering and great fun and I was fortunate to be there.
Sadly I had to keep moving so a ride through the olives and beach towns of Sithonia was great.
Greece is a very pretty country.
nzl04

Saturday 1st Nov to Parthenona

Short ride after a morning in Starbucks on the net catching up on emails.
I was hailed on leaving by a fellow, George, who has a BMW 650, loves to ride and wanted to ride with me and show the way out of town. Thanks George.
Then a ride down the coast to Sithonia one of the three legs (penninsula) as they call them that are at the head of the Aegean. This is olive country. They cover the hills. Narrow roads and olive trees. Then the vilage in the hills overlooking the Aegean.
The locals are friendly, although most live in Thessaloniki and come for the weekened.
It was a haven in the hills.
nzl04

Friday to Thessaloniki

The road took me past My Olympus, which I sadly had some other huge mountains to compare with so its not much of a mountain and the sacred home of Zeuss lots all its glamour when I saw the sign to Mt Olympus skifield.
I carried on. I made Katerini and a Kantina (roadside fast food) for lunch. But I had a mission, I was looking for Vergina, and as usual very few signs, so I rod efor seemingly a long time and suddenly there was a small sign to the Royal Tombs. This was the Kumulus of Phillip II the father of Alexander the great and the man that I understand joined the Greeks as one nation. That was a long time ago. He was murdered and his son Alexander built the Kumulus, a tomb, or in this case several (four I think) with magnificent front doors and a tomb in which the ashes were placed with some belongings and sealed up, then the whole thing covered with a huge mound of earth. It was unbelievable to be at the door of this Tomb thousands of years old. It of course had been pillaged by grave robbers some many certuries ago, no matter how well meaning I have an abhorrance of these people that did up graves and claim some destinction as an "explorer"...yeah robber.
Anyway it was memorable, the only problem was that I then had a ride in the dark to Thessaloniki.
That worked out OK and I found a Hotel, and they sent me to a street with a fantastic restaurant. It was a very good day.
nzl04

Thursday 30th Iaonina to Larissa

Dinner at the Taverna as interesting last night. An all male place that served a diet of food wine and football. There are many men taverna in Greece where they sit and talk, play, and watch football mostly quite loudly.
However I had a calling today to visit the site of the Dodona Oracle. The old oak tree where Odyssius visited the oracle and later became a place of temples and worship and an amphitheatre that seated 17,000 that the Romans converted for blood sports, killing people and wild animals. They were not sitting round playing backgammon and watching football. They also had a sports track for competitions. What a place. So old.
Back through the city toward Metsovo, a very old village on the side of a hill. It has been resurected by some industrial beneficiaries so it feels alive. Cobbled streets and a square where the souvlaki is the food for lunch, which I enjoyed also. Then it was away to Kalambaka to ride round the Meteora, the monastaries built on the top of cliffs and totally inacessable (unless invited) and quite a stunning picture in the fading light and lowering sun as the night fog rolled in obsuring almost everything. Then away over Greeces highest pass the Katara to Larissa. That was a suprise. What a city, what a society, I doubt if I have seen such a place of coffee bars and cafes in the square. I eat Greek. Lamb stew. Good too.
nzl04

Wednesday 29th Albania to Greece

Got away after a visit to Duress to find some Roman ruins withoiut success, but did my new trick, go to the Bank get them to direct me to an Insurance Company and get the Green card that I didn't get at the border.
Durress however was crowded and dirty. I was away down the road feeling pretty confident of a good ride. Then as I turned into the hills to go over the range to Greece it got very black so as the rain sport started I stopped to tog up. I was there dressing and up to the gate behind me came what might be described as a crone. She was short, dressed in black totally just a little wrinkly face waving me away from her gate. I stayed. So she watched, and after a short time a flicker of a smile then a serious pointing at the black clouds and shaking her head. Finally she left with a cheery wave and some words that I took as complimentary at least wishing me well.
Shortly however her warnings became real. High winds, belting rain and some of the most challenging roads that I have ever ridden. It was fatastic. Stretches of new blacktop two full lanes wide, then roadwors where ther road was hard to find in the mud, then broken seal metal flat stones that I suspect may have had more to do with Romans than Albanians. All the time the snatches of mountain views and coastline were just awesome, and the old guy with the donkey just visible under a huge load, and he walking ahead with a big hat and a coat that only Joseph Stalin would have thought looked good just added reality to this erie scene.
If any place is crying out for adventure riding (on a road) its here.
So finally in the fast disappearing light I found a border crossing, that was easy, and I was down the road in the darkness toward I hoped, Ioaniana. It was and I found a hotel.
What a day. 320k of sheer excitement.
nzl04

Tuesday 28th to Montenegro

Nothing like familiar food and todays omlette was a beaut.
Then there I was at yet anothe border. This one totally civilised. Big welcome smile. Give me your passport, go to the next office and get a green card, which I did, quickly and simply and there I was back to pick up the passport, welcome and enjoy your visit.........and at the bike was another guard with a country sticker for my pannier. Some places just make you feel good.
And so did their country. Unfortunately it was small and I was able to ride through it with little reason to linger longer. It was very appealing. Steep sided high hills, almost a fjord, towns on the water, evidence of Roman influence everywhere.
This pice of land on the Adriatic had been fought for for hundereds perhaps thousands of years and only recently obtained, so perhaps persistant fighting does yield its rewards.
Unfortunately once away from there and on to the capital it became dirty untidy and providied no desire to stop, so on I went to the border with Albania. If first impressions count I would not have proceeded. The border was confusing and untidy and I was told so many stories about how to get a green card I just carried on, over some very very bad roads, very dirty roads, in fact might be called an open rubbish dump for about 20k. What an eyesore. The other interesting thing was no roadsigns. I was flying blind pretty much. But slowly the roads improved and signposts emerged.
I had miscalculated again so ended up riding in the dark on roads that were not marked but the GPS indicated I was going the right way, and I was and fortunately I found a sign to Duress where I found a Hotel, owned by the Gas station of which there were an abundance. Never seen so many petrol stations.
The waiter at the Hotel was happy to talk and he assured me that after the country opened up there was a lot of crime but then the government got tough and locked them all up. Now he claims people are working and honest and Albania very safe. I took him at his word and so it seemed.
I have to add that after a good breakfast I had a great dinner, roast vegetables in olive oil, then a plate of mixed spring rolls, kidney liver beef with garlic toast, and lots of olive oil, what a feast.
This was a recently built hotel with so much bedroom furniture it wouldn't all fit but it was clean, and had the usual hall mark of hotels in this area, a hole in the sheet !
Footnote. I have not made sufficient reference to beauty of the coastline and the autumn colours, the abundance of grapes all turning red, gold lining the plains and the hills and the forests covering the hillsides, right the way from Slovenia down to Albania.
nzl04

Monday 27th Dubrovnik

A good start on a sunny day and I was this time on my way to Dubrovnik. Incidentally I am writing this sitting in the home of Kazim in Istanbul and the sound of the calls to the mosque echoing round the city are haunting.
But Dubrovnik as I said was dramatic. What a place. I walked the wall and tried to understand the absurdity of war, yet what has driven these countries that until just 20 years ago were still fighting for strategic land after 4000 5000 how many years ?
I try to avoid staying in cities where tourism is a big factor, firtly they have a sameness and they are generally expensive so I was off down the coast first hiving bought some green card insurance. I did find at the border that Croatia was excluded from my policy....so a tip for travellers.....like going to a Shell shop for directions, go to a Bank for matters commercial. So I went to the Bank, they had an insurance company next door and a security guard that took delight in looking after the bike.
So I ran down the road and found such a magical little town right on the water. Cavtat is georgous. The sort of place where one could tie up a small boat and stop, for a long time.
I was not so fortunate, and for me it was a walk round in the evening light and another walk in the morning to refresh the wallet at the local "hole in the wall".
I did manage some fresh small fish cooked whole called as best I could interpret as Cackarels, a bit like small herrings but tasty.
The town was even prettier the next day in the fresh sunlight with the little boats tied up at the seawall selling fish.
(Meanwhile over the balcony today in Istanbul, another huge cruise boat is tying up in this stunning port).
Croatia will be left behind tomorrow with some very good memories.
nzl04

Sunday 26th Croatia

Daylight saving ended today in Croatia. So the morning start was cold cloudy and windy. Still I ride without rain and I am happy about that.
So my plan to go to the National Park at Plitvic thwarted I headed south through Knin and Sinj, where there is an historic picture og the Virgin Mary, greatly revered. My plan was to get through to Bosnia at Motski but with no facility to buy insurance at the border I was turned back. No wonder these countries are poor. I was turned away because they could not organise a piece of paper that cost about 5 euro. I had hoped to go to Mostar where some of the war had focussed with the destruction of an historic bridge, since rebuilt. Well that will have to wait.
The matter of "green cards" in europe is just plain stupidity. Fortunately the EEC have it sorted, one policy for all, well mostly.
So I changed plans and headed over the range that runs down the coast and was on my way to Dubrovnik. Wow ! What a city. The old city I mean, within the walls. This was the turning point in the war when Dubrovnik was seiged. The evience is still visible, some empty sites that were destroyed, and lots on new tile roofs. However I am getting ahead of myself. The road down the coast, steep and bush clad. I found a place to stay as darkness closed in and was pleased to have a bed. The Taverna round the corned provided beer and a pretty ordinary goulash but I was fed after 330k of a rather disappointing ride.
nzl04