Today’s short 41kms to Bergama will tip me over 6000kms for the trip so that’s a nice number to hit, heading into a break.
My route was through an agricultural area today. There were lots of ripe tomatoes that had me wondering why they hadn’t been harvested.
As well, there were camps that I assume are refugee camps. The people in the camps certainly weren’t Turkish, so I hope that they’re being given work in the industrial sector. At least that’s what it looked like to me.
There would have been about four of them along the way.
The blissful riding finished as I approached Bergama though. It was narrow, busy and fast and I was early for my pensione as the ride was only a shade over forty kilometres.
Luckily, my room was ready, so I could cool down before heading into town for some lunch.
The bazaar area was strangely quiet but I realised that being Friday a lot of businesses don’t get going until the afternoon. The chai places were doing a roaring trade though, full of old guys drinking chai, smoking and chatting.
My rest day in Bergama was a very lazy morning after an amazing breakfast at the pensione. It was really windy and after intending to take the cable car to the top of the hill to the Akropolis – where all of the the ruins are – I decided to walk. Call me risk averse.
The Acropolis was interesting. It was huge and there was the usual assortment of partial temples, amphitheatres, armaments, and walls that all go together to make a great tourist site.
In fact, the town was quite laid back and friendly – well worth the rest day.
