After our crisscross adventure through Europe, the landscape begins to change slowly. In Greece, most street signs are no longer read without English subtitles and in Turkey it will not be easier. We have now decided that we have to learn a few words in local language in countries where we stay longer than a few days. Examples are ‘hello’, ‘thank you’ and ‘one and two’. We notice that when we ask for how the language should be spoken people are responding very enthusiastically and like to learn us the language. They are happy to help you.

 

Wednesday 7^th June 2017 Kaluderac (Montenegro) – Pestani (Macedonia)

After visiting Montenegro, we drive through Albania to Pestani (Macedonia) to visit Ohrid Lake. Especially in Albania we see a big difference with the Europe we know, it’s dirty on the street and the hygiene requirements are much lower. From Albania we decide not to drink anymore from the tap.

Close to our final destination, we see the weather completely reversed. In the mountains it is terribly distressed and the thunder strikes a few times well. When we hide from the rain in the bush, we decide that we need to go to the campsite in full speed before the thunder is reaching us. And you only have to say that once to Bertha, with her mild fears of thunderstorm. She almost pulls out the paving stones of the streets, Erik is struggling to keep her. We do not get on time to the campsite, on Ohrid’s lake we see the emergency weather coming closer and we shelter at a restaurant. Unexpectedly, but the restaurant is full of Dutch people. Nice cheap here, half a litre of beer costs a euro and a hotel room not much more. As it keeps raining and a campsite is not such a good idea at the moment we decide to take a room next to the restaurant. Great choice, eaten well and after dinner we refresh ourselves and do some more glasses. Especially the Raki is quite strong, eventually we fall asleep immediately.

 

Thursday 8th June 2017 Pestani (Macedonia) – Kastraki (Greece)

In the morning we eat on the balcony with a sandwich of cheese and quite spicy salami and we leave for Bitola Macedonia. The ride is still pretty fresh in the morning, all the zippers of our Macna motorsuits are closed for the first time. After an hour of driving we arrive in Bitola, which should have a romantic historical centre. But after a while searching for the right direction, we decide to give up and drink a cup of coffee at a cute coffee shop. We leave the historical centre and drive on towards the Greek border. Just before the border we spend our last Macedonian Denar on fresh fruit and almonds. At the border we see that our predecessor supplies all his fruit to the customs officer, but without problems we could pass by. Welcome to Greece!

Again, at the end of the day, we have bad weather and decide to take another hotel. After some negotiations, we drag our luggage to the room and enjoy on the balcony the view of the Meteora mountains, monasteries built on high rock spikes. From the balcony, the monasteries look unbearable, but the next day we are facing the challenge!

 

Friday 9th June 2017 Kastraki en Meteora (Greece)

At 08:00 we are fresh and fruity and ready for breakfast. But unfortunately, the nude looking and sighing waitress is still in dreamland and has a look around the corner half an hour later to see if there are any customers. Without complaining we eat our breakfast and leave for the first monastery of Meteora. Even in the early morning it is already hot for walking, but we are on our way to good spirits. Unfortunately, the first monastery is closed on Friday, but through a beautiful mountain road halfway through a cave we reach the second monastery. This is open today and that is also noticeable. Even though it is not a high season there are soooo many tourists. We both wonder how this would be during the high season. We must not think about it either! At the entrance we pay a small fee and Bertha covers her bare legs with a skirt. The monastery itself is beautiful and in very good condition. In the church there are many pictures of martyrs, you almost fall over the chopped heads and living burns. But in the second part of the church there are more peaceful murals like the last supper. Really every single piece of wall or ceiling is painted, a beautiful piece of art. Let’s forget the crowds around us and we take place in one of the monastery chairs.

 

After our holy intermezzo we climb on to the following monasteries. The walk is beautiful, it’s understandable that this decor is used for a James Bond Film, For Your Eyes Only. Probably the film contributed to the great flow of tourists who completely changed the “holy and peaceful” life. After the long walk we arrive around 14:00 in the neighbouring town where we order two Greek traditional recipes, Moussaka and Gemista. Together with a beer we rest our feet and enjoy this moment.

Saturday 10th June 2017 Kastraki – Makrygialos (Greece)

After breakfast, this time at 08.00, we leave for the Greek coast. On the way we help to cross a turtle, who has ever done that! The animal obviously crawls in his shield when he gets picked up, but when we put him safely on the other side of the road he continues his journey at his ease. Erik must think appropriately about the story of the hare and the turtle, a fable of the Greek slave Aesopus. With the speed of our engines we are in the hare in this story …

On the way we order a cold espresso for the second time (that we don’t like), but they were made by the happy ladies behind the counter with so much love (and cookies!) that we drank them with a light-coloured grimace. Eventually we arrive at Makrygialos on a campsite on the coast. Great beach, Bertha started for a run in the burning sun for half an hour and in the evening we cook a nice meal. A relaxed day that unfortunately ends in our sleep with a lot of rain.

 

Sunday 11th June 2017 Makrygialos – Avdira Xanthi (Greece)

Unfortunately, when we wake up, it still rains. We decide to attract our Macna rain suits and pack our bags and leave quickly. The tent will definitely dry tonight, and our state of mind will need a bit more setback to be ruined. During the ride today it’s raining, happily the rain suits keep us dry and warm on this cold day.

 

When we arrive at Camping Natura on the coast it is already quite hot and the tent will dry quickly. On the beach we chill with chips and red wine, the life of a motorcyclist is not so bad. But during the evening it is starting to rain again. We shelter under a roof of a small house that is not rented and view our neighbours, the cozy togetherness of Bulgarians. They drink a lot and they have a lot of fun with music that sounds out of the loudspeakers from the next parked car. Before we notice, we are invited to a table, where we soon have to hit self-cooked red wine and spirits. After dancing, Erik soon lost the way, Bertha enjoyed the Bulgarian red wine a little longer.

 

Monday 12th June 2017 Avdira Xanthi (Greece) – Aceabat (Turkey)

After waking up, Bertha is almost faint of Erik’s breath, the smell of alcohol is even better! And Erik is almost faint of his hangover, that Bulgarian strong drink was even stronger than he tasted last night! Today everything will be a challegne! Bertha is not entirely fit because of the Bulgarian red wine, but Erik is still a bit worse. Immediately after leaving the campsite, where the Bulgarians are still in a coma, we rescue our next turtle and leave for Eceabat Turkey. At the Turkish border we have to show our papers at 6 different offices, and at the last we have the feeling that we can continue our journey. Unfortunately, the motorbike of Bertha must be scanned by the X-Ray (as your luggage is scanned at an airport). This means all the way back to the start of the border and park the bike on a kind of platform. A big machine scans Bertha’s bike while we are wondering if we have to hand in something. At the same time we think that a scan might be better than having to take out all our luggage for inspection. After about 10 minutes, the scan formality has been completed and we can return to office 1. Therefore, at each checkout we have to explain why we are there again and any subsequent box should be called for verification. But at last we receive a friendly smile and a stamp in our passport at the last desk. Welcome to Turkey!

Finally, we make our first kilometres in Turkey. Even though this country still does not feel like the end of the world, but as the largest part of Turkey lies in South-West Asia, it feels like a little farewell to Europe. The first acquaintance with the Turkish people is positive, on the way we have to wave to many people, and we receive friend requests from foreigners on Facebook. You can also see the Turkish flag everywhere, proudly, it looks nice.

 

Just before we reach the campsite we do groceries in a cute village where the local male seniors have gathered on the square. Bertha feels like she is trembling on her legs while packing the groceries. Because of the Bulgarian beverage, Erik is unaware of anything, but everywhere people come out of the houses. The old men on the square show us with hand gestures that it is an earthquake! Though a lot further away, but we feel that the people are shocked and scared. Hopefully this is our only earthquake during our trip.

While Bertha is still shaking on her legs we arrive at the campsite Kum in Eceabat. We are ‘welcomed’ by a man with his two young “assistants” who tries to act like Vito Corleone from the Godfather. We do not know whether to laugh at the man or to go to the “counterattack” and invite him for something more kindness. We choose the smile and leave Vito behind in his Godfather role. The camping has lost its glory a while ago, especially the men’s toilets are as filthy as a festival toilet after 6 days of intensive usage. While urinating in the urinal, Erik soon finds out that the dirty thing is not connected, he is about to piss on his own boots! In the showers we are attacked by swallows who have nestled there, in short, welcome to Eceabat!

 

Tuesday 13th June 2017 Aceabat – Borhaniye (Turkey)

In the morning we eat a farmers omelette without bread and we hurry to Burhaniye. Our first stop is Troje (or Truva) horse, about 30 kilometres south of Canakkele. We have laughed several times about this place name, it reminds us of the joke about a turkey and peacocks that Karel from Bant and Arnout from Utrecht could tell with so much passion. Canakkele = kanmakkelijk (Dutch for: does fit).

The Horse of Troy is a relic, imitated in the 70’s by a Turkish artist. Climbing in to make some nice pictures is actually the best thing you can do with it, it also seems like a lure for tourists. The archaeological sites of Troy are worth a visit, but you cannot walk around the horse at the entrance 🙂

After the stop we drive a lot further until we stop for lunch. We understand each other almost when ordering and ask the waiter for the best thing he has to serve. This turns out to be çorba, soup with bread. No bad choice, it tastes delicious! We will order this more often, and also eat along the road side. Very cozy and friendly, and we taste the real Turkish cuisine! After the soup we continue to Burhaniye. Partly we drive off road, a raod that has not yet been asphalted. The barrier that is applied through sand and stones allows us to pass with a little struggle.

In Burhaniye we can put our tent almost on the beach. With a setting sun and our feet in the sand we enjoy a beautiful day again. The young German couple in the tent behind us has been stoned in the tent since 18.00, when we leave the next morning they are still there.

 

Wednesday 15th June 2017 Borhaniye – Kusadasi (Turkey)

With the sound of the sea we wake up to leave to Kuşadası, a city known to many Dutchmen. Breakfast and lunch this time both along the side of the road, Sucuklu kaşarlı tost (Turkish toast with sucuk and cheese), Köfte and Kebab. Ordering in Turkish is getting better and we are always helped extremely friendly. We enjoy the live in Turkey.

In the afternoon we arrive in Kuşadası where you can find that almost everything is aimed at the tourists. There are only a few real Turkish restaurants, but the campsite is wonderfully quiet and with a washing machine we can finally empty our laundry bag.