Metsovo Photos

here are two fotos from when we were in Metsovo, Greece and we met Enrique from Spain, Mercedes from Argintina and İzzy from New Zealand. there's a posting on the blog already but sans foto.

27.7.10. İstanbul

we're here again in İstanbul with our friend Deniz. so far we've gone more than 2,500km by bıke (and at times by foot when the climb was too steep or the trıcycle was broken). we leave  İstanbul on Thursday evening by ferry for Sevastopol, Ukraine in Cremea. we think we'll do 600 - 800km there before arrivingin Kahovka.

 

hugs all around, Liam and Valentina

 

link to Chıef Seatle letter: http://www.barefootsworld.net/seattle.html  

northwest Turkey must be the sunflower capital of the world!

22.7.10 - Luleburgaz, Turkey

yesterday we had one of the most ımportant and meaningful experiences of the trip. in old and impoverished parte of Babaeski we were greeted with open arms and hearts by all the families in the neıghborhood. we stayed to night there with them. our spirits are renewed by their simple, open, warm nature. there were happy and beautiful elderly, children, cows, horses, mules, chickens, cats and dogs. we went from one house to another for tea, bread, tomatos, american music with turkish dancing and finally a place for the tent.

 

we think we'll arrive in İstanbul on Sunday and find a ferry boat for Cremea.

 

with to source of life, Liam+Valentina

20.7.10 Edirne, Turkey

the bastards lıed to us!

when we arrived at the border in Derekoy to enter Bulgaria we were told that Valentina, being from Ukraine, requires a special visa to enter the country and that visa is issued only in Istanbul (260km) and Edirne (100km) for a cost of 50 euro. after five hours trying to convince them to call the embassy to make an exception for us or to at least give us the number so we might call but they refused. after five hours waiting there they physically removed us from the Bulgarian side and placed us on the Turkish side of the border. we arrived at the embassy here in Edirne this morning and were told that we would have to go to Istanbul. they gave us the number for the office in Istanbul which functions like a phone sex number - you much pay 13 euros to ask a question or schedule an appointment.

at this point we're rather discouraged to say the least. (siamo brutti, stanchi  e non vogliamo vivere di piu'!). it's a case of discrimination against the poor people. we certainly don't want to play this stupid game with the Bulgarian emigration any more. we'll try to by pass the country. we are heading back in the direction of Istanbul (300km) and will make a decision as what to do next.

we did visit a gorgeous masque here today that rıvals the best in Istanbul. Edirne is certainly a lovely little city.

with sweat and tears we remain,

angry Valentina and the privileged american 

19.7.10 Kirklarelii Turkey (again)

after a brief stay in Bulgaria (5 hours) we were returned to Turkey. we now must go to the cıty of Edirne, Turkey to get a vista for Valentina to enter Bulgaria - five days or more added to the trip. the turks are great people. it's good to be here.

 

much love to all, Liam * Valentina

17.7.10 Kirklarelii Turkey

the blue mosque of the sultan, istanbul

the road from İstanbul to Bulgaria is much farther than we thought. we don't have a real road map so we guessed wrong. the trip to İstanbul was about 500km out of the way (10 days of pedaling), but well worth it. we met many dear people and had some great experiences. we just met here two boarder police (i took a foto of them with Valentina) who said they would look for us tomorrow at the boarder.

thanks to everyone, liam and valentina

siamo belli e vogliamo vivere!!!

12.7.10 İstanbul 'for us time does not exist - only space exists.'

a few days ago, while pedaling out of Tekirdağ, i was looking around with my mouth open at the strange city, the people - everything seemed to me like another world.    i was thinking, how is it possible that i arrived all the way here by bicycle! in that very moment the front tire went flat.

Deniz and Bora' have been unbelievably kind, entertaining and generous. we've slept four night at their home, we've eaten a lot of interesting and delicious food, they took us to the turkish bath and to two parties, they introduced us to many dear people. we leave with gifts in our mouths - Bora' is a dentist and fix a tooth for each of us. we sincerely thank them for all they've done for us!

we leave İstanbul Tuesday heading north to Bulgaria.

very fondly, Liam+Valentina

12.7.10 İstanbul 'per noi non esiste il tempo - esiste solo lo spazio.'

qualche giorno fa, mentre pedalando via da Tekirdağ, stavo guardando bocca aperta intorno alla citta' strana, la gente interessante - tutto mi sembrava un altro mondo. stavo pensando, come possibile che io sia arrivato fino a qui in bicicletta! proprio in quel momento e' rotta la gomma.

Deniz e Bora' sono stati incredibilmente gentile, divertenti e generosi. abbiamo dormito quattro notti da loro, abbiamo mangiato molto cibo buono e interessante, ci hanno accompagnato al bagno turco e a due feste, ci hanno presentato a tante buone persone. portiamo via anche i regali proprıo in bocca - Bora' fa dentista e ha sistemato un dente per ognuno di noi. gli ringraziamo sinceramente per tutto!

partiamo da İstanbul martedi' verso nord per Bulgaria. 

con molto affetto, Liam+Valentina

Celebrate!

thanks for the bırthday greetıng. ıt was also the fırst bırthday of Denız's nıece so we went wıth them to a garden party wıth lots of great food and cute chıldren. the nıght before there was a fun lıttle party at Bora's apt. - the fırst sıx fotos. the last three are from the turkısh bath. that was a unıque experıence though boarderıng on vıolent - a man scrubbed many layers of skın and dırt from my body mıxed wıth what seemed lıke a combınatıon of thaı massage and caıropractıcs. (sorry for my spellıng. also the letter eye on thıs keyboard looks lıke thıs: ı). you can put any or all as you see fıt gıven your possıtıon as art dırector for the blog.

we leave tomorrow mornıng and head north to Bulgarıa.

a bıg hug, lıam

Happy Birth Day Liam!

i hope you are having a great BirthDay!

love to you and Valentina,

Charles

9.7.10 İstanbul

siamo arrivati ieri sera ad İstanbul il capitale culturale dell'europa per 2010. siamo a casa di Deniz un'amica del mio amico Roberto de Domenico (grazie Bro!). abbiamo appena fatto la lunga docia calda - la terza fra 37 giorni. Deniz e il suo ragazzo Bora' stanno preparando la cena. lui fa dentista e ha gia' sistemato modo molto forte e bello il mio dente rotto. il giorno era quello piu' stressante e pericoloso del viaggio. la strada era piena delle macchine, i bus, i camion che correvano velocemente, senza bancina, un vento fortissimo. siamo contenti di essere ancora vivi, di essere in questa citta' favolosa, di essere con questa copia gentile, generosa, buona.

tanti saluti a tutti, liam e valentina

Istanbul

9.7.10 İstanbul

we are safe at home in Istanbul wıth a very kınd young woman wrıter named Denız. we just took a long hot shower - our thırd shower in 37 days. Denız and her boy frıend, Bora' are preparing dınner. we had a very dıffıcult day today - the more dangerous of the entıre trıp. the road was fılled wıth speedıng cars, buses and trucks, no sholder and a ferce wınd - at times from the left, other times ın the face. we're happy to be alive and happy to be ın thıs amazıng city (chosen european culture capital for 2010) and happy to be wıth kind dear people.

much love, liam and valentina

Tekirdag, Turkey tuesday 6.7.10

we arrived in Turkey sunday mornıng. ıl border was very coplicated - more so than check point charlie in Berlin during the soviet union era in 1984. in spite of the fact, after paying 35 euros for the vista we passed without problems. from the border untıl 30km later there was not even one tree, scorching sun and terrible water. fortunatly at the end of the day we arrived in a pine forest to put the tent to sleep. in Keshan we went to a supermarket and were shocked by the prices - 3 euros per kilo for bananas, 38 euros per kilo for nuts, ect. also ıf we were hungry we couldn't pay those prıces. durıng the pause for lunch in a cemitery (only there we found trees) we saw a poisonous snake e İ broke a tooth on an olive pitt. our first days in Turkey seemed like hell. but only later we realized that those prices were in turkısh lıra' worth half the euro. insead the prices here are quite convenient. with a little stone for sharpening knives Valentina was able to remove the sharp edge of the broken tooth.

we found also a fountain with miraculous water e wonderful bread. later evening while pedaling on the road we saw a family taking their tea. they sıgnaled to us to drınk with them. we didn't want to mıss the chance and without speaking turkish we pass a lovely time with them. the man has three wives and four chıldren. there were all except the third wife and the smallest child who were home in İstanbul. they invited us to their home when we arrive in İstanbul. this city, Tekirdag, at first seemed strange and ugly but as soon as we entered, the men in front of this internet cafe put little table and chairs under a tree for us, one man imeadiately took the thermos for hot water for tea, and another went to but delicıous baklava with pıstaccio. we felt like royalty. we've discovered that Turkey is a country of contrast and our home is here in this moment.

greetings from Turkey, lıam and valentina

Tekirdag, Turchıa martedi 6.7.10

siamo arrivati ın Turchia domenica mattina. il frontiere era molto complicato - piu di check point charlie a Berlino mentre l'unione sovietica in 1984. nonostante dopo aver pagato 35 euro per ıl vısto siamo riusciti a passare senza problemma. dal frontiere fino a 30km dopo non c'era neanche un albero e ıl sole bruciante e l'acqua non buona per nıente. fortunatamente alla fine del giorno siamo arrivati in un bosco di pini per metere la tenda per dormire. a Keshan siamo entrati in supermercato e eravamo scioccati dei prezzi - 3 euro al chılo per banane, 38 euro al chılo per le noci, eccetera. anche se avevamo fame non avremmo pagato quelli prezzi. mentre faccendo la pausa di pranzo in un cemıtero (solo lı' c'erano gli alberi) abbaımo vısto il serpente velenoso e ho rotto ıl dente sul osso di olivo. i primi giorni in Turchia sembravano inferno. ma solo dopo abbiamo capito che quei prezzi erono in lıra' turco che vale meta' del euro. ınvece i prezzi qui sono molti convenienti. con la pietra per infillare i coltelli Valentina e' riuscita di togliere il fastidio del dente rotto. abbıamo trovato anche una fontana con l'acqua miracolosa e ıl pane favoloso.

ıerı sera mentre pedalando sulla strada abbıamo vısto una famıglia che prendevano ıl te'. ci hanno fatto il segno di bere con loro. non volevo perdere l'occasione e senza parlare ıl turco abbiamo passato un momento molto bello con loro. l'uomo ha tre mogli e quattro bambini. li' c'erano tuttı tranne la terza moglie e ıl bambino piu' pıccolo che erano a casa ad İstanbul. loro cı hanno invitato a casa quando arriveremo ad Istanbul. questa cıtta' Tekirdag all'ınizio sembrava strana e brutta pero' appena che siamo entrati glı uomini davanti questo internet cafe hanno messo per noi una tavolino con le sedie sotto un albero, un uomo ha preso subito il termos per mettere l'acqua calda per il te' e un altro e' andato per prendere ıl baklava con pistacchio buonissimo. ci sentivamo come persone aspettate. abbiamo capito che Turchıa e un paese di contrasto e la nostra casa ora e' quı.

con saluti da Turchia, lıam e valentina

con saluti da Turchia, lıam e valentina

3.7.10 saturday - Alexsandroupoli, Greece

we arrived early this morning in the last Greek city before crossing the Turkish boarder. if all goes well tonight we'll find a nice spot in Turkey to put our tent. we still have 260km before reaching Istanbul but it looks like we'll arrive there sometime next week. there are a few friends of friends there so we hope to have a place to stay (for the first time in the trip) and be able to see a bit of that fabulous city.

much love and peace to all, Liam+Valentina

bizentine bridge near Xanthi:

link

via egnatia - this is the old road that we followed (more or less):

link