Day 5
Leaving the Balkans for Greece and Turkey
After an extensive breakfast (and lunch preparation of course) I set off from Bitola, instructed by my hostess to visit Heraclea - which I did, wending my way through black-clad old women. I realised when I got to Heraclea that all these ladies were off to the adjacent cemetery, this being Sunday.
I had the site to myself:
I will limit myself to only one mosaic
Or two...
Very soon I was entering Greece. the friendly Customs staff chatted to me about the Irish ('better than the English, and better music') and were amazed I should be headed for Iran when I could go to enjoy the delights of Italy intead.
The country roads from the border, bypassing Florina and heading for Edessa, were wonderful, windy, and deserted for much of the way.
I saw a few very tall brick chimneys like this out in the country but have no idea what they were for. I will post a photo shortly when I upload it - anyone got a suggestion?
Soon I was at Pella, the birthplace of Alexander I believe and a major centre in its time:
OK, that's enough with the mosaics, it was time to put some miles in.
Soon I discovered that Greek toll booths only accept cash so I was back to tending a purse of coins for the attendant to take the right amount from (as they all scrupulously do), so I did not have to struggle with putting gloves on and off.
I also discovered Greece has some of the most expensive fuel in Europe at over 1.40 Euro/litre - good preparation for the high price in Turkey.
The first drops of rain of my trip fell near Asprovalta, Greece - not enough to get off and put on my waterproof 'boil in the bag' suit, fortunately.
I passed the historic cities of Thessaloniki and Alexandrinoupoli but you will be delighted, dear reader,that I did not visit and photograph any more mosaics today!
The road is named Egnatius Odos (which I guess is Greek for Via Egnatius (Odos and Odyssey and all that).
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Via_Egnatia
Looking at the GPS I realised that
I was knocking on towards the Turkish border. Whilst it is often better to be fresh in spirit when dealing with a difficult border crossing, I have generally found it easier and quieter crossing later in the day - often surprisingly so.
And so it was in this case. In a personal record, I was through the border to Turkey and its 3 or 4 set checkpoints (passport & visa checkpoint/insurance and vehicle reg papers checkpoint/customs check and finally, checkpoint that all the checks have been checked) in under 5 minutes!
Buoyed by this I wished them all GuleGule and decided to head for Kesan, since it was fast approaching my 5pm statutory 'knock off and down tools'.
Kesan was a strategic choice because it was the junction between the road to Istanbul, and the road down to Gelibolu and the Dardanelles crossing. I had been weighing up all afternoon whether the shorter trip via Istanbul and its fierce congestion on the bridge, or the slower but scenic route by the Gelibolu ferry.
I chose a hotel from the GPS and proceeded to go around the town centre in circles whilst the GPS dithered - I think everyone out for a stroll that evening knows me now, from one of my laps!
But I settled on a very ritzy Hotel, the Cetin, where the bike got pride of place by the front door. You know it's ritzy when there is a bath robe, so I resolve to tone it down for tomorrow night's accommodation.
The day finished with kofte and ayran (a bit like lassi) and the deep sleep of the knackered, after two border crossings and two sites of antiquity in one day.
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