Hardly any photos today. I’m out of practice and didn’t set up the video camera either. Tomorrow may be better !
I left Istanbul after a good rest, lots of walking, discovering, reliving 43 year old memories and just soaking it all in.
I spent plenty of time photographing the mesmerizing Blue Mosque. It’s a powerful, statuesque building that 400 years old that is well lit at night. Somehow, I just couldn’t get the photos right. However, this morning on my way to the ferry, it had the morning sun and no tourists and looked amazing.
Those old memories came from 1983 when I was backpacking. We stayed beside the famous Pudding Shop which was a mandatory stop on the hippy trail in the 60s, 70s and 80s. I still remember walking out of the hotel and about to walk into the Pudding Shop but the police were searching all patrons. Might just keep walking …
Istanbul has changed. A few million tourists will do that to a city. It’s teeming with people on holiday. That means there are lots of restaurants, side by side, opposite, filling entire streets and each one has a tout trying to be your best friend until you give in and sit at a table in the restaurant. Mission accomplished , they’re straight onto the next one.
It’s tiresome.
I walked past a barber shop half a dozen times and each time the same guy said – haircut sir, haircut. I really don’t need a haircut but he needs my money, and quickly too.
I stayed at the very nice Erba Hotel in Sultanahmet. It’s been there for forty years and they are lamenting the tourist numbers. They are down appreciably for some reason. It’s funny how our perceptions are the complete opposite.
It was a really enjoyable stay. It’s an expensive place and it’s full on, but after four days, I was ready to leave.
I was catching the ferry to Bandirma on the southern side of the Sea of Mamara, where I would begin my ride south to Kusadasi
Getting to the ferry was interesting. I had noticed a bike path beside the railway line that goes almost the whole way, but getting on and off the path was problematic. I got on by going over a gutter and some sort of verge but had to use a train station elevator to exit the path. It worked out fine but was just a little strange. Thankfully, I avoided all of the cobbled streets of Sultanahmet and arrived on time.
I had some lunch on the outskirts of Bandirma, got some water and left. But first I had a call with Cathie and just before I got going, Greg called. I appreciated the contact and didn’t want to cut either call short so it was well after 2pm before I began the 42km ride to Gönen.
It was one of those nothing rides on a busy road that had a great shoulder. The last half of the ride was on a less busy road but there were kilometres of roadwork that forced me to the edge of a bumpy temporary road – so the cars could pass me.
While in Bandirma, I saw that there was a nice hotel with a reasonable price in Gönen but I didn’t book it, thinking that I might change my mind and go further. So, I resolved to stop in the shade 10kms out of Gönen, make my decision then book.
At no stage today was there any shade and the roadworks continued until about 5 kms to go.
I stopped after the roadworks and got monstered by flies. They really bite hard here. Finally, I made the booking and got going. Then with a km to go, I really felt tired. The hotel is nice and simple and as is usual, run by great people.
They gave me a chai, then I went to my room and fell asleep until after 6pm. By way of explanation … Last night was the world cup final and the cheers from supporters woke me continually, as did the call to prayers somewhere around 4:30am. It sounded like it was just outside the window. The result was a tired John.
Cleaned up and with my washing drying, I walked into town and what a surprise I found. There is a huge pedestrian area and everyone is out and strolling about. Er … that is except for the old guys smoking and drinking chai in the tea houses. They seem permanently glued to their seats; they’re always the same – there all day and their health can’t be great. There’s lots of restaurants but no touts – I like this place.
(I recognize that I’ve used nearly all the phonetic equivalents of “there” in the previous paragraph. Word nerd out)
I sat in one of the local pide places – Gönen Enfess Pide – and watched how people ate in the restaurant and what people did in the town.
I should have taken some photos, but it was such a nice small town that I felt that would be a little voyeuristic, so I simply watched and left them to themselves.
The hairdresser opposite must have had his three kids helping out. Two we’re cleaning the floor and the eldest put the cape around the customer. Then they all hung around for the haircut, eager to observe. One guy then walked in serving Chai to the customers at the hairdresser.
Next door, the young girl managing the beauty accessories shop (how else to describe it) dealt quickly with her customers before standing outside and having a cigarette – all the while acknowledging people walking down the street. It was Truman-Show-esq as people greeted each other in the restaurant, on the street, in shops and on motorbikes.
I had a meat and cheese pide and was given a salad and five dishes of dips and chillis etc. In Istanbul, the waiters would bring something much smaller and proclaim – Sir, this is my gift to you.
None of that smarmy stuff here. Beautiful food, good service, smiles and the food was about half the price of Istanbul.
Ice cream was next, along with water and some snacks for tomorrow’s ride and back to bed