Farewell to Turkey
Well, I've been here for a while but tomorrow I do the last 35km to the border and then into Iran, somewhere I'm really looking forward to.
Turkey has been fun I have to say. It's odd, when I first visited here some 16 years ago on my way to Syria it still had something of an exotic mystique to it. Over the ınterveninv years it has lost some of that due to mass European tourism and indeed the changes in charcter were visible when I went down to Antalya to meet Helen. However I've got to say that away from the mass tourism Turkey is still a land of surprises and wonderful hospitable people.
As I've got into the North East the journey has been one of continued awe at the landscape and people. Interesting to be in a Kurdish region where the Jandarma (paramilitary police who refer to themselves as Army and who am I to argue with that if they drive AFVs at times?) are in bases that look like American firebases in Vietnam circa 1967 and people make a V for Victory sign as a salute that is Kurdish nationalist in extremis.
I've also developed a taste for mountainous cycling (800 meter of vertical climb? Sure, then a stop for a breakfast!) and a desire to do more at some later stage (the Pamir Highway in a year or two perhaps).
I've not been eaten by dogs although I have been chased by then. I have had kids throw stones at me, yes but only one kid at a time and quite frankly they can sod off, the hospitlity has been great! If anyone reading this gets the chance then do come here for the cycling!
Turkey has been fun I have to say. It's odd, when I first visited here some 16 years ago on my way to Syria it still had something of an exotic mystique to it. Over the ınterveninv years it has lost some of that due to mass European tourism and indeed the changes in charcter were visible when I went down to Antalya to meet Helen. However I've got to say that away from the mass tourism Turkey is still a land of surprises and wonderful hospitable people.
As I've got into the North East the journey has been one of continued awe at the landscape and people. Interesting to be in a Kurdish region where the Jandarma (paramilitary police who refer to themselves as Army and who am I to argue with that if they drive AFVs at times?) are in bases that look like American firebases in Vietnam circa 1967 and people make a V for Victory sign as a salute that is Kurdish nationalist in extremis.
I've also developed a taste for mountainous cycling (800 meter of vertical climb? Sure, then a stop for a breakfast!) and a desire to do more at some later stage (the Pamir Highway in a year or two perhaps).
I've not been eaten by dogs although I have been chased by then. I have had kids throw stones at me, yes but only one kid at a time and quite frankly they can sod off, the hospitlity has been great! If anyone reading this gets the chance then do come here for the cycling!
posted by Bill at 7:27 pm
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