Friday 16th June 2017 Kusadasi

The real reason that Erik always wants to go to Australia is because he has been a fan of the rock band Crowded house for a long time. “Everywhere you go, you always take the weather with you.” At least that is what he tells me while he is tinkering with the motorbike while the songs of this Australian band come out of the speakers.

It is Friday morning 11 o’clock and already 30 degrees in Kusadasi. Fortunately this morning when we did a run it was not so hot yet. Erik has found a place in the shadow for his motorbike. His bike rattles while driving. It was already there in the Netherlands, but now he is really done with it. Currently we have a nice and quiet campsite in the centre of Kusadasi where it’s a pleasure to tinker while listening to the music. This makes it the ideal opportunity to search for the cause of the problem. In addition, it is time for some small things: check the cables and tire them, inflate the tires and clean the helmets. Unfortunately Erik has not found the cause after a day. Also, the shadow was not present throughout the day, so Erik’s back was re-burned. The traveling older couple at the campground also saw that Erik’s back was burned. When we tell them about our trip, it turned out that they were well informed of all countries. Actually, they have been almost anywhere with their camper. Now their need to travel over such a distance is no longer needed for them and they have been on this campsite for a few months now. They are already speaking Turkish very well!

In the afternoon we get a delicacy (Muhallebi, a kind of pudding of milk and coconut) from a staff member of the campsite. We thank him and when we get the present in our hands, our first thought is, “So, that company that makes this has been making it for a long time already!”. Later we find out that the name on this present is the name of the employee’s mother and that she recently passed away. Her date of birth and death is stated on the box. When someone dies in Turkey, the inheritance is divided into three parts. The first part is used to pay the funeral, the second is used to make and distribute sweets to as many people as gift and the third part is distributed, as in the Netherlands, to the family members.

Yesterday at dinner we decided to stay one night longer in this city. Kusadasi is a nice city to stay. It’s quiet on the streets, tourists are almost not there and a lot of Turkish people do the Ramadan. They will go on holiday in their own country after the Ramadan has ended. Ramadan is a fasting month for Muslims. During this month, between sunrise and sunset it is not allowed to eat, drink or smoke. Yesterday the sun went down at 20.48. At that moment there are some hard bangs followed by various calls to pray from the minaret. However, when we want to get a table in a restaurant at that time, it is busy and all sea view tables are reserved for Ramadan. This makes it more difficult, but nevertheless very cozy.

 

A few days ago in Aceabat we were scared when we heard a few hard bangs around 20.45. Automatically we thought about other things first….. But now we know better and we are prepared for it.

 

After dinner we visit the Pigeon Island (Güvercinada). It’s actually no longer an island because the land today is connected to the mainland with a pier. On the island there is a fort that was built to defend the city and in the evening some spots are lighting the fort. The city had to be defended against pirate attacks in the mid-19th century, and that’s why the fort is also called a pirate castle.

Saturday 17th June 2017 Kusadasi – Pamukkale

From Kusadasi we avoid the highway and drive to a small village called Kirazli, where we have breakfast. After a while of hesitation, the waiter/cook asks in quite good English where we come from. When we tell our story, he wants to be right with us on the picture! Nice to meet such enthusiastic people!

From here we drive to Camlik, where we visit a steam locomotive museum. It is not that we are suddenly very interested in those old trains, but with an entrance of less than 1 euro, this museum is definitely worth it! More than 30 trains are stationed here, but the most special is the wagon made for Ataturk about 100 years ago, equipped with a kitchen, bath and various rooms. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1881-1938), was a Turkish army officer, writer, politician and founder of the Republic of Turkey, of which he was the first president. He is magnified here in Turkey and is truly pictured everywhere. A surprisingly nice visit, and above all they have very clean toilets 🙂 .

After Camlik, we made a third stop in Magnesia, where we saw active excavations of the old town with a temple, library and a bathhouse. Everything was built around 400 BC, but first discovered in 1840. The moment we visit the town, they are working to excavate the floor of the bathhouse. An activity taken very seriously and performed with extreme caution. In the afternoon the temperature is huge, but the men do not seem to suffer much from this. There’s even one that wears a bodywarmer!

At 18:00 we arrive in Pamukkale, sweaty and soaked. At Tepe Camping we have a phenomenal view of the city Pamukkale and the big city Nazilli.

It’s a hell to go to the toilet at night. We have a beautiful view but need to go down along the pool to the not too clean toilet through an ‘elephant path’. In the Netherlands I’m afraid of spiders and small animals in all sizes. During the trip, I notice that fear is getting less, but I keep alert for everything that moves. So before leaving the tent at night, I will have a thorough check with the flashlight for a minimum of 10 minutes, just outside the tent and straight in the face of Erik who is ready to wake up! I would not like to stand on the snake that I saw here last night or see the wolves that Erik had heard last night. I hope, however, that my fears will decrease during the trip. Aaargh … we will see ….

 

Sunday 18th June 2017 Pamukkale

We wake up early to visit the Pamukkale calc-sinter terraces and this worked out, because we are the first visitors when we enter the park at 8 o’clock!

After we have put the famous calc-sinter terraces on the picture, there is a real storm of tourist buses. In the thermal baths in the town there is no space for more people. Suddenly Erik remembered of a previous visit twenty years ago that there were two spas in the city. We see a sign with ‘Hammam’ on it and we decide to follow it. We walk through the excavated city of Hierapolis and eventually reach the Hammam. This does not appear to be a Hammam from nowadays, but one of antiquity 190 years before Christ and as dry as possible.

At 11.00 we have seen everything and decide to go back to the campsite, hophop in the swimming pool, unfortunately the water is quite cold, so we’ll jump out almost as fast as we got in! In the afternoon, more and more visitors come to barbecue on the campsite. Of all those nice smells we got hungry and ultimately we cannot resist tempting ourselves to take a barbecue package. We really enjoyed it!

 

After the barbecue it starts to rain and the wind is very strong. But after all our tent has succeeded the second test!

Monday 19th June 2017 Pamukkale – Kas

We get up with a delicious Turkish breakfast: baked eggs, sandwiches, different kinds of cheese, tomatoes, cucumber, coffee, homemade strawberry and cherry jam, own honey. Jummy!

We decide to drive down the coast to Fethiye. This route is really beautiful, well-asphalted, breath-taking views of forest surrounds with sand dunes. In addition, we almost do not encounter any cars.

At lunch we eat Menemen (It’s funny because ‘Meenemen’ is the Dutch word for ‘Take away); a tomato soup with egg, green pepper and onions.

From Fethiye we drive the first 50 km offroad. The first hairpin bends we drive a bit silly, but fear of falling soon makes space to dare more and more. In addition, it’s also a necessity to keep gas because you do not want to fall or to stop on a gravel road this steep. We have a lot of fun, but 50 km and 2 hours later we are completely exhausted.

Everything is under the dust! Fortunately, the last 100 km to Kas has been paved. After a full riding day we arrive around 7 in the evening at Kas Camping. Unfortunately, the engines are not allowed to campsite, but this does not make the location any less attractive. It is a stone’s throw from the sea and 500 meters from the town Kas. In the evening, we shared a big sea fish to gain new energy.

Tuesday 20^th June 2017 Kas

We wanted to sleep for a long time, but at half past seven in the morning the sun was already burning on our tent. We have breakfast, used the free washing machine for laundry and get cool in the sea. It also starts to be a lot more crowded at the campsite, which affects the idyllic picture. At the end of the day, it seems a bit on a somewhat strange festival site. Tents-to-tent. Subsequently Erik is awake all night by snoring freaky people!

Wednesday 21^st June 2017 Kas

Another hot day at the campsite. When we entered the town during the evening, we suddenly got a box of hot sweet mini deep-fried doughnuts from a completely strange woman. These were baked at the mosque and distributed to everyone. What we understand is that it has to do with the Ramadan, but why? What we suspect is that it’s a kind of women’s day in the mosque today. At least they were a delicious dessert for us.

Thursday 22^nd June 2017 Kas – Antalya

Time to leave again, this time through the coast to seaside town Antalya. A beautiful route with constant sea views. While driving, we can feel that the temperature on the right side of our motorbike boots rises quickly through the burning sun.

In the afternoon we arrive at our apartment Camel Apart, in the middle of the old town. This old city centre is officially closed for motorbikes, but the navigation continues to send us this way. We are looking for an acceptable entrance for a long time, but after several rounds we decide to drive somewhere between the wickets through The Old Town. Now we soon find our way through the narrow streets and finally park in front of the door. As there are no campsites in the city, such a small apartment is a nice solution. Apart from another Dutch couple, the complex is not rented, which creates a certain rest in the middle of the city.

In the evening we have a nice cold beer at Role Street, tipped by former colleague Jeroen who lives in Turkey. There is a nice relaxed atmosphere and there are mostly Turkish peers. After the first beers (the first one was accidentally a malt beer!) and a cheese platter we suddenly see an Australian guy arriving on his motorcycle. He parked his bike in front of our nose and appears in the hostel that belongs to the cafe. Not long after, we invite Rowan to our table and while enjoying many beers we discuss life on the road. In addition, we get tips about our planned route.

 

Friday 23^rd June 2017 Antalya

It takes a long time before we finally wake up, probably because of all the beer last night. At the end of the morning we drive on our motorbikes to the Honda dealer in Antalya. Erik had posted a message on Facebook a few days ago, asking if someone knew a good garage for our Honda bikes. In a short while he had more than 20 comments, including someone who is a member of the Transalp Club of Turkey and working at a Honda dealer in Antalya. On arrival we are warmly welcomed by Evren Coskun. We are helped in the garage right away and Erik tells his story about his rattling motorbike. In Kusadasi, he himself could not find the cause, but after a short ride with the main mechanic, they had happily recovered the cause quite quickly. The spring pad (clamp) in its front brake caliper appears to be incorrectly mounted, causing a little space in the brake. For braking, this should not be very bad because Erik has already met his first emergency stop, but the noise is annoying. In the garage they could order the item for us, but due to the Ramadan and the Sugar Party this week, the garage would be close for a week, and it would take at least two weeks to receive the order. We thank the mechanic and he decides to resolve it on a provisional basis. Because there is a link missing in Eriks chain, we decide to also replace the chain. We also have an oil and oil filter change for both motorbikes. All in all, we have been at the garage for the full afternoon. We even got a delicious lunch from our fellow Transalper in the company’s office! Top service!

Back in the city centre, we visit the 13th century Yivli Minare Mosque in style. Nice, but not very special from the inside. Once outside, Bertha could happily turn off her headscarf and long-sleeved sweater. Currently in Antalya it is around 35 degrees.

In the evening we made a chicken dish with beans in our apartment. It’s really a pleasure, because in the restaurants there is no variety of vegetables. In addition to cucumber, tomato, onion, lettuce and pepper we have not discovered any other vegetables in the restaurants.

 

In the evening we fall asleep with a Netflix movie.

 

Saturday 24^th June 2017 Antalya

This morning Erik takes care of the breakfast and serves lovely brown sandwiches. After breakfast, we leave on our motorbikes to the Düden waterfall. This waterfall is 28 meters high and mouths out in the sea. We see many boats at the bottom of the waterfall, but from the land above, the view was not really worth the trip. In addition, we did not want to give up our lives for a hiking trail along the steep rocks to the sea below to take a dip. We decide to drive back to the city and take a dip from the sandy beach.

In the evening we enjoyed a fish dish in the harbour. The street cats smell this and would like to take part. At the time the fish is served, all the cats in the neighbourhood are sitting under our table.

Sunday 25^th June 2017 Antalya

This morning Bertha provided the breakfast; freshly squeezed oranges, various sandwiches and fresh fruit. We stroll through the old town and enjoy watching the people at the harbour while enjoying an ice cream.

After this holiday season on the Turkish Riviera we decide it’s time for an update, time for a new blog, and it’s nice to type in the airco!