Bergama, Turkey to Mytiline Greece. 72kms.

After a nice easy day yesterday and a 10 hour sleep last night it was back to riding and onto Greece.  We left the Efsane Hotel around 9am for the 70km ride to the port city of Ayvalik.  This is where we'll catch the ferry over to the Greek island of Lesvos.  If you had asked me a couple of weeks ago whether we'd end up in Lesvos I'd probably would have asked 'where's Lesvos ?"

As we left the town of Bergama we were glad to have a strong tailwind to push us along.  The road conditions were perfect, silky smooth with a huge shoulder to ride on.

In the first hour of riding we covered 26kms which is pretty good for an old man on a heavy bike.  Len was setting a good pace and Peter and I just followed up the rear.  We stopped for a cup of tea at a little cafe to burn some time.  The ship didn't leave until 6pm and we didn't want to arrive at 12noon and have to sit around and be bored waiting. I'm not a person who likes to sit around and do nothing.

Instead of heading straight to Ayvalik, Len took us on another road that took us up this mountain for a spectacular view over the Mediterranean and the town of Ayvalik in the distance.  We had our lunch up the mountain whilst enjoying some incredible views.  Since the summer season is now well and truly over, the amount of tourists in this region has noticeably decreased.  As we rode along the shore we could see camping grounds and aqua parks closed.  The cold weather is on the way and the tourists have gone back home.

 The photo above was taken whilst having our lunch on top of the mountain.

 The photo above was taken whilst having lunch on top of the mountain.

The photo above was taken whilst on the ship heading to Lesvos, Greece.

The photo above was taken whilst waiting for the ship.  This man wanted to try on my glasses and see how the mirror works. He was very impressed.

Once we dropped down from the mountain we followed the coastal route into Ayvalik.  Peter found the booking office and picked up our tickets.  We went and found a coffee shop and chilled for the rest of the day.  It was a long wait for the ship, but considering we had already ridden 72kms, climbed a big mountain, had lunch with some of the best views in the world, I don't think waiting for a ship to take us to a Greek Island is anything to complain about.

The ship sailed at 6pm for the 90 minutes trip across the Mediterranean. We reached Mytilini in darkness and then had to navigate our way to the Olympias Boutique Hotel.  We all had our lights on and had no trouble at all. The hotel is very nice and I'm sure we'll enjoy our 3 days of relaxing before returning back to Turkey for the run into Istanbul.

I have no idea what we're doing tomorrow, other than sleeping in.

Until tomorrow, safe riding.

Sightseeing in Bergama.

Today was a rest day and I always like them because I get a chance to sleep in.  We had our breakfast at 8.30am and were reading to start our sightseeing an hour later. You can't rush things on a rest day.

We caught a taxi to visit the Sanctuary of Asclepius which is about 3 kilometres south of the Acropolis down in the valley. Asclepius was known as the god of healing. The Ascelpium was approached along a 820 meter colonnaded sacred way. In this place people with health problems could bathe in the water of the sacred spring, and in the patients' dreams Asclepius would appear in a vision to tell them how to cure their illness.

Archeology has found lots of gifts and dedications that people would make afterwards, such as small terracotta body parts, no doubt representing what had been healed. Galen, the most famous doctor in the ancient Roman Empire and personal physician of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, worked in the Ascelpium for many years.  We spent over an hour looking around the site, and although more restoration works need to be completed, the history never ceases to amaze me around this part of the country.

 The photo above is the major walkway once inside the grounds of Ascelpium. 

The photo above is of the amphitheatre and other ruins on the site.  

The 2nd site for the day was the Acropolis on the rock overlooking the city of Bergama. 

Now this is nothing compared to the Parthenon in Athens, but it still worth the visit. One of the major attractions on the mountain was the Great Altar of Pergamon which unfortunately is now in the Pergamon Museum, Berlin. The base of this altar remains on the upper part of the Acropolis. It was perhaps this altar, believed to be dedicated to Zeus, that John of Patmos referred to as  "Satan's Throne" in his Book of Revelation. A smaller frieze on a wall inside the Altar of Pergamon depicted the life of Telphus, son of Heracles and legendary founder of Pergamon.



Other notable structures still in existence on the upper part of the Acropolis include the Hellenistic Theater with a seating capacity of 10,000. This had the steepest seating of any known theater in the ancient world and may others that I won't bore you with at this time.

 The photo above is part of a reconstruction of the altar. 

 The photo above shows the town of Bergama (known as Pergamon) in the distance.

The photo above is part of the Acropolis site.

After visiting the site we caught the cable car back down the mountain.  Because we got a taxi to the top, we didn't have a ticket to catch the cable car down the mountain.  Since no one was on duty checking tickets, we just walked on and took a seat in the car and went down the mountain.  Saved me 5 Aussie dollars that trip.

We walked from the cable car station back into town for a final walk around before returning to the Efsane Hotel.  It was time to do some work on the bikes.  My work involved cleaning the chain and putting some oil on it.  I didn't worry about washing it down as I still have 2 weeks left before we arrive in Istanbul, and I'm on holidays and don't need to rush.

On the way back to the hotel I noticed many people carrying a small packet of donuts.  Since I've been doing a little bit of exercise lately I though I should have a splurge and spoil myself. When we got to pay they wouldn't take any money.  It was suppose to be related to 'Allah' and that today people give food on this special occasion.  I felt bad taking the food as I'm a catholic, but the ladies insisted.

 The photo above are the ladies making the donuts in a street side stall.

After devouring our free donuts we walked about 50 metres and this elderly man stopped Peter and gave him a loaf of bread.  Again he wouldn't take any money.  He then asked us if we wanted a cup a tea and that's what we were tying to find.  We went into the all male tea house and took a seat whilst waiting for our tea.  The tea arrived, I asked how much? and this man indicated that the bill had already been paid.  Now that's hospitality for you.

The photo above was taken at the all male tea house in Bergama.

This 5 minute walk back to the hotel was now taking over an hour. As we got closer to the hotel Peter noticed a lady begging so he gave her the loaf of bread.  It mightn't be much, but at least it's something.

Finally we got back to the hotel, went for swim, cleaned the bike chain, and now going to relax and do nothing for the rest of the day.

Tomorrow we start the ride to Ayvalik where we will catch the ferry to Lesvos, Greece. 

Until tomorrow, safe riding.

Aliaga to Bergama. A windy 40kms.

Today was always going to be a nice ride to lead us into our rest day at Bergama some 40kms away. 

As soon as we left Aliaga we had a great road and a nice tailwind.  The wind was changing all day hitting us from the side and eventually a strong headwind for the final 10kms into Bergama. Nice roads, gentle hills and a sunny sky overhead, made it another great day on the bike.

As I've mentioned so many times, we must have our morning tea break everyday, and today was no exception.  Len found a good stop at the service station.  The shop was closed but there was a urn on a table outside with hot water and hot tea.  I poured myself a cup and waited for the attendant to come over.  He was just like the man yesterday, wouldn't take a cent for the tea and all he wanted was for us to love his country and be safe.

Back on the bike for the final 25kms to our final destination.  Now the wind was hitting us from the east and this meant it would be a strong headwind as we got off the main highway and headed to Bergama.  I didn't care as I see any hard work good work, but that only applies to cycling of course.

We rode into town around 11.30am and Len directed us straight to the Efsane Hotel which is very nice.  Peter and I have a nice room with all the mod cons, and there's a swimming pool on the top floor.  After changing into my costumes I went upstairs and dived in.  Oh my God, talk about taking your breath away.  It was so cold I lasted for about 2 minutes and I had to get out.  At least I can say I went for a swim in Turkey.

We all went for a walk up town and Peter went to a Haman for a massage.  I opted out and went with Len for a walk.  I took my famous knife with us, the one that was responsible for causing the ship to be delayed out of Italy a couple of weeks ago.  I went into a butcher's shop and got the guy to sharpen the knife.  A great job and that should cut the tomatoes up nicely now. 

Tomorrow we have a rest day and will do some sightseeing.

 The photo above is the elderly butcher's father sharpening my knife.

 The photo above is the route we have covered thus far.  Pretty impressive.

The photo above is of a dual electric scooter.  I know someone who would love one of these.

 The photo above is of the butcher with my knife.  The blade is still inside the knife.

The photo above is of the service station attendant at morning tea time.  We are amazed at how beautiful the Turkish people are to us.  Even after dinner tonight we were walking next door to our hotel and as we said hello to the group of women they offered us a sweet called 'Turkish delight'.

Well, we had another fantastic day and met more beautiful people. To say I've been enriched on this journey is an understatement.  I learnt a lot from the people I've met, and the people I've travelled with.

Until tomorrow, safe riding.

Turgutlu to Aliaga. 96kms.

Today started off with a nice breakfast and favorable conditions for the 96km ride to Aliaga on the Turkish coast.  Slowly but surely we are making our way to Istanbul.  There's a lot to see and we need to make sure that nothing is missed as one never knows if they will ever be back in this part of the world.

The above photo was taken early today as we left Turgutlu. That's Len on the right and I'm standing on the medium strip.  This has been the first Istanbul sign we've seen since we left the city on the 28th June 2013. 

During the morning ride the road was flat and once again we had a nice tailwind.  At one stage we lost the safety of a shoulder to ride on and had to ride the secondary road that ran parallel with the highway.  This lasted for about 5kms and it was time to get back on the highway and contend with a thousand trucks and buses.  At least they did give us plenty of room.

We were moving along really good and decided to push onto the town of Manisa for morning tea.  This was at the 35km mark. We stopped at a service station and took up the table that the staff were sitting at.  I pulled out yesterdays cake and cut up a couple of slices.  I asked the young attendant about a cup of tea, and then went inside and brought out a cup for all of us.  He wouldn't take any money so we gave him a slice of our cake.

 The photo above is of our kind hearted service station attendant.  He loved the idea of having his photo taken and stood in front of the company logo.

It was back to the road and still the wind was kind to us.  We rolled along on good smooth roads with wide shoulders and then I had to stop and do one good thing for the day.  I saw this turtle in the middle of the road and thought he had about 1 minute to live if I didn't help him across the road.  I picked him up and put him in a nice secluded place in some bushes.  I hope it was the side of the road he was heading too.

Lunch was in the town of Menemen which is basically a dust bowl.  It's a major intersection between north bound and south bound cities and full of trucks and mini vans. Peter went into the local market and came out with some sliced bread, cheese and tomatoes. I do enjoy these lunches on the road, or sitting on the kerb. 

The photo above is ME, gorging myself on a nice sandwich.

After lunch it was back to nice roads but now we were heading north and that meant a headwind.  Still we were pushing along at a good pace, even up the only climb for the day.  Peter was in fine form today and has been improving everyday after his long time off the bike due to a virus.

We were aiming for the town of Aliaga but rode past it and stopped at a hotel down the road. The hotel is nice and the dinner was very tasty. 

Tomorrow we ride to Bergama and a rest day.  There's a lot to see in Bergama and the hotel we're staying at has a swimming pool, so I'm happy.

Until tomorrow, safe riding.

Selcuk to Turgutlu. 95kms

After an ordinary sleep we were up nice and early for 7.30am breakfast.  The breakfast at the Meral Hotel is not good for someone who will ride 95kms. Olives, tomato, cheese, apricots, cereal, bread and coffee.  I suppose it's better than eggs cooked in greasy oil, which turns my stomach inside out.

Our ride today took us from Selcuk and onto the town of Torbili for morning tea.  We stopped at this nice little tea house which once again was full of men. With a nice cup of tea and some cake Len had bought yesterday, we were ready to ride on to our lunch stop.

Once we left Torbili we started to climb for the next 2 hours until we came to a huge mountain in front of us. With the temperature rising we were in for some hard work. I sat at the back of the group and tapped away keeping Peter and Len insight the whole time.  We crested the hill and took a break before plummeting down into the town of Kemalpasa.  

We stopped in town and had some nice grilled chicken and salad for lunch, whilst sitting on the footpath. The traffic this morning has been excellent, and we've had a good safe shoulder to ride on all the time.

After lunch Len navigated our way back to the main highway that would take us directly to the town of Turgutlu our final destination for the day.  Turgutlu is a town of over 120,000 people and might be considered an overnight stopover on the way to Ankara the capital of Turkey.

As soon as we hit the highway the wind had picked up, and it was now in our backs pushing us along at speeds of 40kph.  For the next hour we averaged over 30kph to the outskirts of town.  We headed straight for the Palm City Hotel for Peter to go and fight the hotel manager for a better price.  In the end we have a really nice room with Wifi, fridge, air con and breakfast for 35 Aussie dollars each.  That's about 3 times more expensive than last night but sometimes you have to take what you can.

The above photo was taken by my buddy Len outside the cheapest market in the world. Or at least Kusadasi.

The above photo was taken after the boys insisted I put the hat on as they reckon it would enhance my appearance.  Impossible.

Tomorrow we head to the coastal town of Aliaga and another 95km day.  The good news is, we're getting closer to Istanbul.

Until tomorrow, safe riding.

Selcuk to Kusadasi to Selcuk.

Today was not going to be sightseeing but a nice ride out to the coast and the seaside city of Kusadasi.  I'm not sure whether the town is famous for anything other than for the number of huge cruise ships stop here for the tourists to come and visit Ephesus.

We hit the road around 9.30am and took the highway to Kusadasi about 21kms away.  The road was flat until we hit the main highway and immediately we started climbing.  When we hit the top, we got to see the Turkish coast and very expensive 5 star resorts hanging to cliffs.  Once again the views were spectacular and we had a great day to enjoy the ride.

Our main aim for today was to go to 'Starbucks' coffee shop.  Len wanted to go and buy some coffee for the rest of the trip and 21kms was what it took for one way.

We found the coffee shop which was straight across from the harbour and beach.  We just sat down and enjoyed the coffee and carrot cake whilst watching the bathers.  It was a very tough morning.  We rode back to Selcuk, put the bikes away, cleaned up and went up town for a haircut.  Both Len and Peter have made very unkind comments about my appearance lately and suggested I should have a make over, but at this stage a hair cut will have to do.

Tomorrow we start the ride to Turgutlu.

Until tomorrow, safe riding.

5000kms to Ephesus.

Finally we've clocked up 5000kms of riding and it took 14 countries to achieve. 

Today was a rest day and like usual it usually involved running around and checking out historical sites.  Today was no different to many others.  After breakfast we caught a taxi out to see the House of The Virgin Mary, high up in the mountains above Ephesus. Now there is an enormous amount of history surrounding the house and how St John and Mary lived in the house and eventaully died in the region of Selcuk/Ephesus.

The brief history is that St John the Apostle brought Mother Mary with him to Ephesus where she remained in her house on Nightingale Mountain until her death.  On the 26th July 1967 Pope Paul VI visited the house of the Virgin Mary.  He led the Liturgy and gave a bronze candle holder as a gift. On the 30th November 1979 Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass and declared the House of the Virgin Mary as a place of worship. On the 29th November 2006 Pope Benedict XVI visited the House of the Virgin Mary and celebrated Mass.

Today there was so many people waiting to get into the Virgin Mary's house we decided to go the back way and jump the queue.  I saw a priest who I introduced myself to and found out his name was father Ezio who came from Italy.  He had lived in South Africa for 10 years and Ethiopia for about 5.  We had a good chat about Italy and of our cycling journey through eastern Europe. There was a security guy checking on people coming in the wrong way, but with a wink and a nod from father Ezio, we were in line and about 5 metres to the entrance to the house.  Unfortunately we couldn't take any photos, but it didn't matter, I was walking through history and loved every minute of it.

The photo above is myself and father Ezio out the front of the Virgin Mary's home.

It was time to roll back down the hill and check out the site that was bigger than the Parthenon in Athens. We were travelling back down the mountain to visited the Ephesus Archaeological Site. It would be impossible to go through the history of this site, and cover all the amazing features this place has to offer.  From the walkways, to the harbour to a huge amphitheater that could seat over 25,000 people. This place even had a house of ill repute.  How cool is that? 

The above photo is of the library of Celsus.  To stand in front of this monument is just breathtaking. Now for a brief history of this site that should be placed on your list of places to see before leaving planet earth.
Ephesus was an ancient Greek city, and later a major Roman city, on the coast of Ionia, near present-day Selcuk, Izmir Province, Turkey. It was one of the twelve cities of the Ionian League during the Classical Greek era. In the Roman period Ephesus had a population of 33,600 to 56,000 people, making it the third largest city of Roman Asia Minor after Sardis and Alexandria Troas.


The city was famed for the Temple of Artemis (completed around 550 BC), one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. In 268 AD, the Temple was destroyed or damaged in a raid by the Goths It may have been rebuilt or repaired but this is uncertain, as its later history is not clear Emperor Constantine I rebuilt much of the city and erected new public baths. Following the Edict of Thessalonica from emperor  Theodosius I, what remained of the temple was destroyed in 401 AD by a mob led by St. John Chrysostom.

The town was partially destroyed by an earthquake in 614 AD. The city's importance as a commercial center declined as the harbor was slowly silted up by the Cayster River. Ephesus was one of the seven churches of Asia that are cited in the  Book of Revelation. The Gospel of John may have been written here.The city was the site of several 5th-century Christian Councils, It is also the site of a large gladiators graveyard.

It took us about 3 hours to walk around the entire complex with our trusted audio guide in our ears.  I should say the having Len with us was a huge help to us.  If you want to know more about the site, I suggest you go to google.

The photo below is of Peter and I sitting on the steps of the Great Theatre which seats over 25,000 people.  We are giving the 5000km sign. 

After walking around the complex it was time to go into town and see the carpet man.  The photo below is the guy that sold Peter and Len a beautiful carpet.  And Yes I didn't buy one.  Before you say what a tight ass, Graciella had recently bought one for the house.  That saved me a bundle of money. 

After buying a carpet we went and visited the sacred site where it is believed that St John was buried.  I took some photos but I think I've said enough for one. day.

Tomorrow we're riding to Kusadasi for a coffee and cake at the seaside.  Then coming back to do some work on the route north which commences on Thursday. 

Until tomorrow, safe riding.

Seferihisar to Selcuk. 50kms

I had a great sleep last night and woke fresh for another day on the ride south to the historical town of Selcuk.

We hit the road at 8.30am with little wind but under a beautiful clear sky. The road would take us along a coastline which was very similar to the Croatian coastline.  As we went up and down hills all day, it didn't matter when one could look down into the crystal clear waters of the Aegean Sea. The air was cool and it didn't matter how long we spent out on the road covering the 50kms, we were having the time of our lives.

We stopped a couple of times for a nice cup of tea, and to chat which we are very good at doing. We continued on along the coastline till we got about 10kms from town where we dropped down the mountain and onto the flat plains that took us into Selcuk.

Len had routed us to the Meral Hotel in town and soon we were pulling in and confirming our reservations.  Peter and I got our twin room for 17 Euro with breakfast.  Once showered we went up to town to buy a late lunch and to have a look around.  The town is set up to accommodate the tourists who likes to buy rugs and souvenirs and I'm tempted to spend some money.

Dinner was at the famous Wallaby Cafe and it was superb. 

Tomorrow Len is coming out with us to visit Ephesus.  This will be a highlight in Turkey and attracts tourists from all around the world.  I'm glad we're going to see the site in the off season and in the cool of the day.  It's not an early start which means I get to sleep in.

 The photo above is of one of the luxury yachts exploring the Turkish coastline of the Aegean Sea.  

 The above photo was taken about 5kms outside of Selcuk of the Great Theatre. We will be visiting the theatre tomorrow, but I can tell you it was reconstructed by the Romans between 41 and 117 AD, and is capable of holding 25,000 people.

 The photo above shows another timber yacht taking shelter from the wind on a beautiful coastline.

The photo above shows the aqueduct that was used from the 100 AD by the Romans.  Not much remains, but it certainly captures your attention when you stumble upon it like Peter and I did today.

 The photo above show Len and Peter checking out some stunning rugs that are hand made in one of the many rug houses in town.

 I took the above photo of a place I found interesting.  The Wallabies Aquaduct Victoria Hotel in Selcuk.

The photo above shows the men at the dinner table of the Wallabies Aquaduct Victoria Hotel. Notice the aquaduct in the background.  It was a perfect night in a fantastic location. 

Tomorrow's planned, breakfast 8am, and I'm back to 100% good health.

Until tomorrow, safe riding.

Cesme to Seferihisar. 92kms.

Today we got back on the bikes after about 6 days sightseeing in both Athens and Chios.

We had to wait till 8.15am for breakfast so we didn’t get on the road until 9am. This was the first time that there would be 3 of on the road with the addition of Len to the DFC. I think Peter and I were both keen to get back on the road and do what we had come here to do, and that’s ride a bike. 

We started with a nice tailwind out of town and then it turned into a cross wind and at times a head wind.

The road today was not flat by any stretch of the imagination.  The road had a lot of climbing all day, although not steep it did take its toll by the end of the day. We took the secondary road as we didn’t want to temp fate and ride on the expressway.  Our road had a good shoulder to ride on and at times it disappeared completely.  We didn’t have any hassles with the traffic today and when we left the main road at the 45km mark there wasn’t much traffic at all.

The above photo of Len (L) and Peter (R) was taken on one of the many climbs to Seferihisar.

When we turned off the highway to take the alternate route south we went past this squatter camp.  Small tins sheds with sheets of plastic used as roofing material is what some people would be calling home.  It did remind me of my visits to Soweto camp in South Africa.  Yes I know, I’m very lucky to live in the country they call ‘the lucky country’, Australia.  I did notice that one of the sheds had a satellite dish hanging off its roof. 

The above photo was taken after a big climb looking back to the Aegean Sea.

We pushed along and climbed another hill that took us to a ridge where we could look down on the town of Ulamis. We had our lunch stop here late in the day, but needed to eat something as we still had about 20kms to go.  It was just before Ulamis that the wind started to come directly from behind and pushed us along at speeds reaching 30kph.  This was great riding.

After a couple more climbs we were roaring into Seferihisar to the end a fantastic day on the bike.  We’d covered 92kms today, and considering I’ve had 6 days off the bike and a sick day thrown in, I felt pretty good all day on the bike.

We ended up finding a cool little hotel and I went inside and negotiated a price.  Len got a room for 40 Turkish Lira with breakfast and Peter and I got a twin for 60.  The young guy who runs the hotel grilled an enormous portion of chicken and salad for us, and we all tucked in like starving creatures. And the electricity went off in the town and now I'm in darkness as I left my lights down in the pannier bag which is on my bicycle downstairs.   

 

Tomorrow we ride about 50 kms to the historical town of Selcuk.

Until tomorrow, safe riding.   

Chios Greece to Cesme Turkey.

Today is the day we leave Greece and catch the ferry across the Aegean to the port of Cesme in Turkey.  Turkey is where it all started back on the 24 June 2013, and since then we’ve covered close to 5000kms and had one hell of experience.

Last night I had another great sleep. Peter left nice and early to go and see if he could pick up our tickets for this afternoons ferry to Turkey.  As we don’t carry a printer on our bicycles we needed to find someone who was prepared to print them for free.  No good, will have to deal with that at the port.

 The photo above is Peter checking out his birthday cake.  Not many people can celebrate their birthday in 2 countries on one day.

The above photo was taken whilst waiting for our ship to leave Chios this afternoon.

The above photo was taken as we entered the port of Cesme Turkey.

During Peter’s walk he got his hair cut and walked the streets of Chios for perhaps the last time.  Whilst Peter was away I got out his birthday cake which I bought yesterday. Now I know there are some people that would be thinking, ‘bullshit’ there’s no way I would spend money on a birthday cake, well I did and I did it on my own. 

I got Amber and Don to wait for Peter to come back so we could surprise him and eat his cake.  Eventually he came back and when he entered the kitchen I presented him with a really nice cake.  Amber and I sung happy birthday, and I think he was tickled pink by the whole idea. The rest of the day we went back into town and had some lunch and sat down on the promenade looking at million dollar boats.  

5pm came around pretty quick and with no hassle about our lack of tickets we were on the boat with our bikes heading to Turkey.  The trip took about 1 hour in blustery conditions but the large ship handled the seas with ease. Getting through customs took about 2 minutes, and as soon as I wheeled my bike through customs Len was there waiting for us and also presented Peter with a nice bottle of red wine for his birthday.  Len asked me about his slice of cake and I told him I ate it, end of story.

The hotel Len booked us into is called the Akpinar Hotel in a great location in Cesme. Has everything you need and very clean.  Tonight we’re going out for Peter’s birthday down on the waterfront for something special.

We’re now back in the hotel and had a great night of food and exchanging stories on each of our holidays.  The DFC now numbers 3 and we should have a fantastic time over the next 3 weeks as we make our way to the finish line in Istanbul on the 13 October 2013.

Since Len is now part of the team it will add another dimension to the routing of the tour.  Len has this top shelf Garmin navigation unit and this makes life much easier in getting from one town to another.  We’ll head for about 90kms and then call it quits. We won’t be hitting the road until 9am as breakfast in the hotel is served at 8.30am.  Not an ideal time to start riding, but it’s our first day back on the bike after having a great break in Athens and on the Greek Island. 

Until tomorrow, safe riding.

Chilling in Chios.

Last night we got 10 hours sleep which is a record for the tour. 

Today's story is pretty simple.  Peter went for a 50km ride down the coast and I went for a walk of the town.  Looking at the museum, shops, bicycle shop, food shops and sitting around the harbour.

The photo above was taken at our local eating and drinking spot at the harbour front with Peter and our  friend from England.

Even though I took the soft option and kept off the bike I did relax in a beautiful part of the world.

Tomorrow we catch the ferry from Chios across the Aegean to Cesme Turkey. Another cyclist will be added to the famous DFC. 

Until tomorrow, safe riding.

Piraeus to Chios. Overnight voyage.

The photo above is myself trying to get some sleep on the deck of the ship last night. I do my best work on my back.    



We left the hotel at 7.30pm and made our way onto the docks of Piraeus and located wharf E2 where our ship was leaving from. The journey would start at 9pm and arrive at 5am the following morning on the Greek island of Chios.  And that is what exactly happened.


It's really hard to get any sleep on these ships, especially when you decide to pay for the cheapest ticket which is sleeping on the deck.  People put their heads on tables and tried to get a couple of hours sleep, but Peter and I decided to pull out our camping mats and sleep on the floor.

I did manage to get about 3 hours sleep in total, but by the time we reached Chios I was dying to find our guesthouse called 'Chios Rooms' and catch up on some much needed sleep.

Our room is really great with an amazing view of the harbour.  We're going to chill out for the next couple of days, do some walking, do some eating, and finish off with some sleep.  I tried to book a motorcycle for tomorrow but with no licence, no motorbike.  Doesn't matter, Peter is going to go for a ride on his bike and I'm doing nothing.

 The above photo was taken from our balcony.

 The photo above was taken from our balcony.

 The photo above is of our palace on the water front in Chios.

Feeling pretty good now after a couple of days off the bike, but looking to turning the pedals again come Sunday.  We've been in contact with our buddy Len and he's already in Cesme waiting to join the DFC.

Until tomorrow, safe riding.

sightseeing in Athens done, time to catch the boat.

Today I was ready to go back into Athens and see what I should have yesterday. I was feeling much better and was now keeping my food in place.  We caught the train into Athens without buying for a ticket because we found that no one buys a ticket and no one is employed to check on it.  No wonder the country is having huge financial troubles. 

Our first port of call was Hadrian's library. Hadrian's Library was created by Roman Emperor Hadrian in AD 132 on the north side of the Acropolis of Athens. The building followed a typical Roman Forum architectural style, having only one entrance with a propylon of Corinthian order, a high surrounding wall with protruding niches at its long sides, an inner courtyard surrounded by columns and a decorative oblong pool in the middle. The library was on the eastern side where rolls of papyrus "books" were kept.

Adjoining halls were used as reading rooms, and the corners served as lecture halls. The library was seriously damaged by the Herulian invasion of 267 and repaired by the prefect Herculius in AD 407-412.
During Byzantine times, three churches were built at the site, the remains of which are preserved:

 The photo above shows Peter checking out the inside of Hadrian's Library.  This place is certainly worth a visit if you ever venture into this part of the world.

Our 2nd site today was the impressive Roman Agora of Athens which was built in the 2nd half of the 1st Century BC.  The aim was to transfer the commercial centre of the city to it from the Ancient Agora.  The donors are recorded in an inscription carved on the epistyle blocks of the west propylon as Julius Caesar and Augustus.  Now that was an impressive visit. The photo above is of the Roman Agora of Athens.  You can just make out the Parthenon on the rock in the distance.

The reason why I took the above photo was to show not only the inside of the Roman Agora of Athens, but to show how the city and other buildings and shops now surround all these historical sites of the capital.

Our final stop for the day was the Acropolis Museum.  The museum was founded to exhibit all the significant finds from the Sacred Rock and its foothills. It was inaugurated in 2009. From the top of the Parthenon one can look straight down on the site and once again is a fantastic place to look through.  I was a little disappointed I couldn't take photos inside.  That's forbidden to all areas accept one. 

Basically inside the museum is busts of famous people dating back to 1200 BC to urns, coins and unbelieveable sculptures. We spent a good hour walking around the museum, and could have spent a lot more if I wasn't so tired. 

 The photo above is of the excavated earth under the glass walkway before you walk into the museum. An incredible architectural feat, to excavate and build a museum over the top showing what life was life thousands of years ago.  There are sections inside the museum which are being excavated by archeologist all the time.  As they say, work in progress.

The only photo I took inside the museum is the one above showing the bust of a lady.  The significance of the statute is that there are 6 of them and they come from the Parthenon. The ones that are currently at the Parthenon are reproductions.  5 are held in the Acropolis Museum and the 6th is in a museum in London.  That's another story.

Tonight Peter and I start the next leg of journey by boat to the island of Chios.  We'll spend 3 days there and then head onto Cesme to meet up with our other cycling buddy Len.

Until tomorrow, safe riding.

Rest day spent on the bed.

Today is a brief update.  I didn't feel too good yesterday on the way back to the hotel and as the night progressed my stomach deteriorated. By the morning I had that virus back again.  Spent the whole day laying on the bed doing nothing.

Peter went into Athens and had a great time during the food tour, and didn't bring me back any sample for me.  So much for looking after your mate. 

Hopefully tomorrow, I'll be jumping out of my skin.  Also we catch the boat tomorrow night to Chios, which is a Greek island off the east coast of Turkey our next destination.

Until tomorrow, safe riding.