27 July . Leg # 8 return: Istanbul (Turkey) - Skopje (Macedonia) 870 km

We left Istanbul early, we had a long riding day in front of us. Another sunny day and the forecast is for a hot day too.
Istanbul was quickly left behind us and 200 km later we were at the Greece border where we "cleared" an incredibly long queue of lorries  waiting to cross the border  we were crossing it in half a hour.
Good roads in Greece too allowing us to keep a good speed, the only problem being the lack of Petrol stations.
At lunch time we stopped in a small town on the sea, plenty of tourist around and the beach was full, pity we did not have time for a swim.
We kept going riding along the Greek coast all afternoon and it was really hot, 35 degrees, finally we were in Macedonia and we arrived in Skopje at 18.00 hr.
In the evening we went visiting around town and we were impressed by the number of new monuments erected in memory of Alexander and other local important historical people. There are quite a few new buildings in town , flood lit at night.
Dinner in the old bazar with a real kebab.
Tomorrow destination is Split in Croatia, the forecast calls for a risk of rain.
Today we made 870 km for a total of 4997 since the start of our trip back home.

Lamps

Leg # 7 return : Istanbul - Skopje (Macedonia) 870 km

    Sunflower fields in Turkey

    Welcome in Greece . Finally back to Euro

    Nice sea in Greece . No time for swim

   Welcome to Macedonia

    The emperor Alexander

    Skopje by night 

    On the road in Skopje : not for us

    The stone Bridge

    Incredible monuments in Skpje

   Good Kebab in Skopje Bazar

26 July : Istanbul - rest day

A day rest from riding the bike is what the team needed and was really appreciated by everybody. The last seven days we have spent long hours on the saddle and both the physical and mental fatigue started to show up.
Today lazy day is what we need to recharge the batteries and get ready to complete our journey.
We got up not too early this morning, we are staying at the Kaylon hotel located right on the Bosphorus channel, the forecast calls for a sunny hot day.
Rustem Raptayev and son Alen joined us and together we went on a rental boat navigating the Bosphorus for two hours.
Istanbul sightseeing from the sea is awesome: the Golden horn with the Blue Mosque, the Haya Sophia and the Topkapy Palace landmarks are clearly visible against the city line together with a multitude of others minarets. It is an incredible, fabulous scenario.
Alan became immediately the bikers "grandson" spoiled to death especially by Lorenzo, the bikers grand dad!!
During the afternoon we visited the Bazar where we bought souvenirs. The place was not so busy and it was by far the coolest place in town, Istanbul temperature was 30 degrees with high humidity. From the bazar we move to the Haja Sophia museum. Originally Haja Sophia was a byzantine Christian cathedral till the 1054 when it was converted into a mosque, it became a museum in 1931. The byzantine mosaics, still in good conditions, got our attention.
Next stop to the Blue mosque and after that we run out of steam and after a deserved bier we found ourselves a restaurant close to the hotel for a good Turkish dinner sitting in a terrace in front of the sea.

Tomorrow we will say good by to Istanbul, get into Greece and a long bit after reach Skopje in Macedonia.
Another long riding day but hopefully not so hot like today. We expect to ride 850 km. 

The finish line is getting closer by the days and the team moral and motivation behind this adventure are higher than ever.

     The Golden Horn from the sea

    The blue Mosque

    An oil tanker on the Bosphorus : oil from Karachaganak ?

Europe and Asia connected by Bagaziçi Bridge

     The Bikers team today to relax 

    A submarine sailing in the Channel

   Rustem couldn't resist to swe in the Bosphorus 

Deduska Lorenzo and the new granson Alen

Let's have an Ice cream

     Shopping today

      Luca : Thinking  to Giulia

   Lorenzo : I Need better  protection for long riding hours

      Mosaics in Santa Sofia 

    Hagia Sofia

    A cold Guinness in a terrace  in Istanbul

   

   The old Istanbul   

   The Blue Mosque by night

25 July - Leg # 7 Return : Samsun (Turkey) - Istanbul (Turkey) 760 km

Today we left Samsum early, a long trip is in front of us but again it is a sunny day.
We have two very good news to report about Turkey: the first one is the good quality of the Turkish roads, they are European standards, and the second is that all the farm animals are kept behind fences and not roaming freely on the roads.
We kept a very good pace, stopping only for refuelling, few police along the road and an interesting landscape of mountains and green valleys.
At a petrol station we met two Australian cyclists , Dan and Less, pedalling from Australia to London, it is amazing what they are doing. They too collect money for a charity seewww.crewiicktolondon.com.
We arrived in Istanbul late afternoon crossing the Bosphorus bridge after 740 km on the bikes. The view from the bridge is exciting/astonishing.
We had to deal with the chaotic Istanbul traffic and we were able to reach the hotel sound and safe thanks to our "riding skills".
At the hotel a surprise was waiting for us, Rustem our colleague from Aksai was there waiting for us with his son.
After check in we walk to the Blue Mosque to visit it and found the area crowed with too many people.
Moved on to the fish market area for a good dinner.
Tomorrow is a well deserved rest day for the bikers after having been riding for 7 days and 4107 km.
The plan calls for visiting Istanbul, catching a boat ride on the Bosphorus and fixing Giovanni punched tyre.
Today we made 740 km for a total of 4107 since the start of our trip back home

Lamps

Leg # 7 : Samsun - Istanbul : 760 km

Market on the road : onions and Garlic

Landscape in the middle of Turkey

Dan and Jess : amazing adventure

Bikers and Cyclist on the road : same motivations

From Australia to London in bycicle

The bridge on the Bosphorus : ready to leave Asia to Euroope

The Blue Mosque

                    No comments 

              Fish selection 

                Finally fish food

Alen Raptayev : a future biker

Rustem : unexpected encounter on Istanbul to support the Bikers

24 July - Leg # 6 return : Batumi(Georgia) - Samun (Turkey) 553 km

In the morning we visited Batumi under the day light, very nice along the sea promenade and new buildings. Again we were granted a sunny day with a forecast for a very hot one.

Left Batumi we reach the Georgia/Turkey border after few km. It took only half an hour to clear all formalities and cross the Turkey border, the only real problem were all the additional customs stamps on our precious passport pages. The Turkey roads are good and we rode at good speed on a highway along the Black Sea reaching Sansum at 16.00 hours having ridden 553 km. Wevstayed at the Hotel Tuana on the shore of the black sea. The original plan called for a swim in the sea but, well the water was not looking so inviting, thus we spend the afternoon resting, doing some dirty washing before sitting down for a good dinner at the hotel. Being still Ramadan not alcohol was served but thanks to a waiter instructions we got some beer from a supermarket and we were allowed to drink it at the table during dinner. Starting from today no more Georgia money, 1 Lari= 0.45 Euro, we are now spending the Turkish Lira= 0.35 Euro and start paying European prices for gasoline what a shock after the cheap prices in Russia and Georgia.

Tomorrow long transfer leg 740 km to Istanbul hoping it will not be a hot day.

Today we made 553 km for a total of 3347 since the start of our trip back home. 

Lamps

                          Leg # 6 return : Batumi(Georgia) - Samun (Turkey) 553 km

                                              Batumi : the Rimini of the Black Sea

 Batumi : Modern architecture 

                                     Turkish border : easy operations

                                    Welcome to Turkey : good road in front of us

                                             Two "Marchigiani " thinking to "Conero"

                             The promenade in Samsun in front of the Hotel Tuana

                              Fishing in the Black Sea at the sunset 

Young people today in Turkey

                                                     The clandestine toast

                                A good cigar helps the planning for tomorrow