Moto Camp Bulgaria .. AGAIN
 

En route to Sofia ..

I probably should have chosen a more challenging destination, but I was too LAZY!!

This makes me ponder whether Moto Camps are a good thing - as you end up mingling with like minded people rather than the general population. They are fun, that is for sure. So, to answer my own question, they probably they are good - if taken in moderation. As it is, I am aware of camps in Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria. Are they spreading? Please chime in if you know more.

Anyway, I thought I would be alone at the camp but then a couple of 1930s Harleys showed up ..

I had a VERY leisurely start the next day, as I was only riding 3 hours to Sofia.

There are 3 Harley's in that pic. But one is a bit more recent than from 1930.

Keep going, I'm enjoying your story :thumbup1:

Sofia, Bulgaria
 

Sofia, with the stunning backdrop of the Vitosha Mountain, was my home for five days. So far, it is second behind Tirana, as a street photography destination. The gypsies were kinda scary, so I had to be discrete...

I was staying in a Modern apartment near Lions’ Bridge with safe parking, English speaking TV - great for checking out the news - and a washing machine!

The bike stayed parked up for my visit. I quickly developed a breakfast routine of visiting the excellent nearby the patisserie and then walking the city streets. I had my first falafel of the whole trip - a VERY disappointing statistic. It was excellent, and cost $1.

I had one logistical mission - I needed buy new SD cards for my camera. I picked up a 64 and 32 Gig card. Prices were reasonable, $16 and $8 - so maybe I paid $5 more than in the US. Nothing too dramatic.

What was dramatic was using up the last of my English tea. So I have now transitioned to Nescafe 3 in 1 coffee. Not great, but it gets me out of bed and I don’t need to buy milk anymore.

I visited my second huge military museum. Again it was worth the entry fee if you like history and rusting soviet hardware.

I cannot help feeding and petting the feral cats. This is either a character weakness or strength. This is also why I have owned so many stray cats and dogs in the US.

In summary, Sofia is a cool town. It’s worth checking out for at least a couple of days.

I hadn’t heard of Moto camps before your thread. Thanks for that.

The road to Istanbul
 

I left Sofia early to ease the pain of Istanbul traffic. This plan did not survive contact with the enemy, and I spent 3 hours waiting at the border due to lots of Turkish expats returning home for vacation. I don’t like driving to the front of the line, despite lots of advice to the contrary, after all what gives me the right? This is my English upbringing and I am powerless to resist it.

I was charged $30 for 3 months insurance at the border. There was no way to avoid it. Cars pay 65 Euro, so I guess that makes me feel a bit better. Note, Yoyou cant buy less than 3 months insurance ..

In addition, the PTT charged about $26 for the HKS toll card which is required for motorways. I picked it up just inside the border. You are supposed to stick it inside your windshield. Mine fell off at the first sight of rain. I now have it in my tank bag and it still works fine, I think. TBH I am unsure of exactly how it dowa work, but I have not been stopped or charged so far.

It was cool and wet for the ride from the Turkish border to Istanbul. The city is unbelievably vast with amazing views over the Bosphorus. I have never seen anything like it.

And yes, the traffic is as bad as they say. And yes, the drivers are crazy. I was skeptical but am now a believer.

Too late I discovered bikes can’t use the Eurasia tunnel. I tried. An armed soldier stopped me. He was very helpful though, as he directed me back into the thick of the city traffic. I had chosen to stay on the Asia side of Istanbul, and it was about 8pm when I finally rolled into my AirBnB.

An iffy pizza aka “pide” and some expensive supermarket beer wrapped up my first evening..

Istanbul, Day 1
 

I began my first full day in Istanbul by buying an InstanbulKart which is good for all trains, buses and ferries. With the discount it provides, the first ride of the day works out to be about 60 cents, and subsequent rides that cay are even cheaper. It’s definitely worth getting, although the card issuing machines only take bank notes.

I then took the metro train from Maltepe and rode about 20 minutes to get a “breakwich” in the Kudikoy district. It was excellent, and the area is definitely worth checking out. Trains during peakish times are standing room only, so I subsequently tried to avoid those times

I was then a total tourist and did the “full” Bosphorus cruise, again using my Kart to pay. The cruise was 2 hours each way, and cost about $5, which is a bargain. Annoyingly there was a 2 hour wait (in light rain) for the return ferry, which gave the local eateries a captive market ..

It ended up being a full day and I fell asleep to call to prayers, which I grew to really like. It is strangely comforting. Don’t ask me why ...

Istanbul, Day 2
 

Day 2

My second day in Turkey coincided with a national holiday, which made the crowds at tourist spots and on the ferries even more insane.

I started the day by getting somewhat lost on my way from Maltepe to Taksim square as I gradually figured out how to read the bus and train route maps. I had no one to meet and nowhere special to go, so I enjoyed the experience..

The square itself was dull and full of tourists, but the surrounding back streets more than made up for it with their collection of cafes, restaurants, bookshops, antique stores - and, of course, local characters.

I tried Pide again, and got a much nicer one that on my first night in the city. I followed it with a trip to a specialized dessert store and had an amazing kofte. Look it up - but mine featured Coca Cola syrup and cream….

I also got the chance to try out some basic Turkish phrases I had been memorizing. Things like “the bill please”, “how much is it” and “who is your favorite Turkish footballer playing in England”. I think my pronunciation leaves a LOT to be desired but I am going to stick with it and make it something I do in every country.

Using Google Translate takes away from the encounter, and I try to avoid it, although it comes in very handy at certain times. Make sure you download the full language packs ..

I gradually worked my way back to Kardikoy via the back streets and the Bosphorus waterfront. After reading an article online about the cats of Istanbul, I decided that cat focused photography would be my theme for the day. It was fun to try something new.

Too soon it was time to head back to the Asian side of Istanbul. Sadly my quest for cheap beer on the way home was fruitless. I later realized there are punitive taxes on alcohol ...

Istanbul - Days 3 and 4
 

Day 3’s highlight had to be the bazaars and narrow crowded side streets around Eminonu. What an experience. You could wander for days and never get bored. The Turkish hospitality was also very much in, for example the free tea one cafe gave to me. No doubt because I looked so tired..

Less of a highlight were the mosques, including the Blue Mosque and Suleymaniye. From a distance they are certainly amazing, but the internal architecture and decorations were uninspiring. Am I being too harsh? Maybe it was the smell of all the sweaty feet .. Now, on the contrary, I found the smaller mosques to be very tranquil and worth visiting just to sit and collect my thoughts.

On day 4, I walked around the Bala and Ferer districts in search of their painted houses. Both were very “hip” districts. Perhaps too much so as coffee shops outnumbered the visitors! The Ada cafe is worth a lunch stop. I had very good stuffed peppers, meat and potatoes - although a friend told me rather unkindly that this is the equivalent of good old beans on toast.

I also visited a specialist Baklava store, and stuffed myself with three different deserts - all in the interest of research ..

My last day in Istanbul
 

For my last day I decided to take a couple of ferries and check out the fishing village of Arnavutkoy.

I had gorgeous weather for the trip, which involved changing boat in Besiktas, which I had heard about as they have a football team.

I didn’t see a lot of fishing going on in Arnavutkoy, but there were a lot of boats offering day cruises. I had a swordfish kebab for my lunch .. the swordfish must have been unlucky to have been caught there.

TBH it was a pretty dull trip and would skip it next time. Then it was back to the apartment to get my gear ready for the following morning’s departure. I did buy a final can of cat food on my way home There is a family of three cats that are really going to miss me ..

For those of you visiting Istanbul, have at least 5 days for sightseeing. You will just be scratching the surface. Unlike me, I suggest you stay on the European side, as this will save you an hours commute each way - although the commute is very interesting and the ferries are great. Park your bike up, as the traffic is an “experience” even to someone like me that rides in big cities a lot.

7 Lakes, Northern Turkey
 

I said farewell to Maltepe and to my feral cats, who wouldn't be if I stayed a few more weeks ..

Istanbul’s urban sprawl is vast and it took a full 90 minutes to clear it as I headed to the East.

I had read reviews of the 7 lakes area and this was my goal. After reaching Bolu, the road began an ascent into the mountains. As if often the case in Turkey, the further you go from major roads, the worse - or at least the more inconsistent - is the road surface. Holes and gravel patches were common.

Towards the top of the mountain, I had a great lunch/snack of “gozleme” - flat bread with cheese - and cay from enterprising peasant with a roadside shack. I was also given a big pack of dates from a Saudi guy that happened to be driving past with his family

As I travelled further towards the 7 Lakes, I was rewarded with spectacular steep sided green valleys and mountains. It was a really great ride.

And that’s where it all went downhill - literally and figuratively. I rode down a 30km section of heavily potholed road/gravel, with cobbled sections past the 7 lakes themselves. It was bad and bumpy enough to break my Givi top box mounting bolt, although I did not realise until I had finished riding for the day.

This has convinced me that a rear seat bag is the way to go. And also (given my windscreen failing) that Givi gear is OK for casual touring.

I finished the day at a fantastic AirBNB in SafranBolu. The (Indonesian) hostess, Sari, made me great spaghetti while her Bulgarian husband made a beer run. I enjoyed a good chat with them (and their friend, who had recently visited California) over a few cold ones. The following morning she also me breakfast!!

If you happen to be in the area, check them out ..
Bağlarbaşı Mahallesi, İncekaya Caddesi No:3, Safranbolu, Karabük 78600

Goreme, Turkey
 

My plan was to head south from Safranbolu to Goreme/Capadocia and then drive an anti clockwise loop around Turkey. This would take me as far east as the border with Iran, while I would come somewhat close to the Syrian border in the south. I has decided to save western Turkey for a future trip.

Why Goreme? For the balloons and strange rock formations of course!!

I arrived after a 6 hour drive, only to find my Travelocity hotel reservation was incorrect. They had expected me a day earlier! Probably my fault, but who knows. The Hotel was very helpful and found me a very cheap basic room in a neighbouring hotel.

I drove and wandered around the town, grabbed a meal, took a few pics and then went to bed quite early as the balloons lift off at dawn and that’s what I needed to see.

So 5am saw me hiking around the town to get balloon and rock pics in the 2 hours that the balloons were in the air and the light was good for photography.

There were LOTS of Chinese couples getting wedding pictures, and LOTS of tourists watching them watching the balloons. I was, of course, one of the them.
Capadocia is very touristy and whole flocks of them ride around the rock formations on ATVs.

I returned to the hotel and had a great 8am breakfast, feeling proud that my mission in the town had been accomplished.

I drove out of town around 9am...

Although I was checking from time to time, this subject is the reason I'm becoming a member. Tapatalk took some time to recognize my membership so a bit late I assume,but anything you want to ask, I'll be here as a local rider.

SM-N960F cihazımdan Tapatalk kullanılarak gönderildi

Malatya, Turkey
 

From Goreme, I had a 400km ride East to my next stop at Malatya.

The roads were empty and well surfaced - a mixture of brown plains, brown rolling hills and low mountains.

It was while crossing one of these low mountains that I picked up my first speeding ticket of the trip. Radar logged me at 102kmph in a 90 zone.

According to the very friendly cop (it was surprisingly cold, and I was trying to convince him to move to California), anything up to 99 would have been OK. I was given a fine of $50, but taking advantage of a 25% early payment discount, it came out to about $37.

And no, early payment was not giving the cop a handful of cash :) The whole system was on line and so I made the payment later in the day from my hotel. It was a small amount, and if you DON’T pay there can be “issues” when you enter of leave Turkey as they look up your license plate at the border. I intend to come back to Turkey in future, so paying was the way to go.

For the rest of my time in the country I was on the lookout for speeding traps and there are a LOT. They use a fixed or car mounted radar that logs you, then a couple of miles down the road another cop flags you down. As the speed limits are relatively low, you really need to be disciplined and on your guard.

I arrived in Malatya and escaped the heat in a quite luxurious (by the standards of the trip) hotel. Kind of like a business class Hilton.

I ate kebabs at a nearby neighbourhood restaurant, and then played a solitary pool game as there was no one around in the hotel.

The following morning it would be an 8am start to avoid the heat - temperatures reached the mid 30s by noon.

Tatvan, Turkey
 

As I drove east to Tatvan there were a LOT of military checkpoints with soldiers decked out in full combat gear. I saw G3s, M16s, MP5s, and many armored cars with .50 cals. There were troops with AKs patrolling the fields and mountains bordering Syria. There were LOTS of hilltop military posts overlooking the valleys and mountains.

All the troops manning the checkpoints were very friendly - the routine was a quick diversion off the highway into an area surrounded by blast shields. I received a cursory search one time, and was pretty much waved through the rest after a quick hello.

The terrain was heat scorched brown fields and mountains. I started riding around 8am and once again the temperature was in the mid 30s by noon. Nothing too terrible, but certainly warm.

I had one strange encounter with a group of local men in a fairly remote gas station. I was given tea, as often happened, and then the subsequent conversation had many references to Allah, Trump and I think the twin towers ..
They were friendly enough, who knows the errors Google Translate was feeding me, but I tried to keep my answers very neutral, especially when asked about Erdogan.

My front wheel skidded twice on hot slippy tarmac as I was driving through one town. After that, I rode more cautiously.

Tatvan turned out to be a working class town. The Royal Tasar hotel was a pretty decent business class hotel with secure parking. At $20 including breakfast, it gets a thumbs up.

I had my usual dinner of kebob, tons of bread, salad and ayran. It came to around $6. There was no alcohol in evidence in the restaurant, hotel or town. I could have really used a cold one.

Finally, the further East I got, the more stares I got. In Tatvan I really stood out when walking around the town and during a stroll down the lake front.

Dogubayazit, Turkey
 

Dogubayazit (try saying that after a few kebabs) was the furthest eastern point of my tour around Turkey. It is about 20km to the Iranian border, and equally close to Armenia. In my original route plan, his would have been my crossing into Iran, but the border is closed to big bikes right now, and even if it wasn’t, it would not be the best idea right now for an American to enter the country. Hopefully I can do it next year.

It is overlooked by the spectacular, near 17,000 ft peak of Mount Ararat (of Noah fame), and has the feel of a grimy frontier town. It was also the site of an incident H5N1 bird flu! I avoided eating the chicken ..

I stayed Hotel Butik Ertur. Why it is a “butik” I am not sure as it had no AC and was pretty basic. But it was OK in a cheap functional way. There was a guard to personally watch cars, and the hotel owner was shocked that I put my bike lock on.

After resting up, I rode up to the Ishak Pasha Palace which sits high on a hill above the town. The view is worth the price of admission. I also checked out the neighbouring ruined castle before turning in for the night.