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
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
