Day 164 Sept 20 Thu - Abandon Petrol Station Camp in Silivri - Farm Land Camp in Babaeski

Bus stand rest
Water runs slow
Farm land camp under hidden trees
farm land getting ready for planting

Earlier plan is to go Kirklareli,then follow the Black Sea coastal road in Bulgaria. but changed to a more direct road to Paris in view of the coming winter.
Excellent well maintained road D-100
vast Farm land not yet ready for planting
Turkish school kids
Road signs in Turkey very clear and easy to read- no problem so far

Today's Distance: 106km
Today's Temp: 18 - 27c
Average Speed: 16.2 max:54.5
Time on Bike: 6hr 33 min
Average climb: 2% max:9%
Trip Altitude: 806m max: 279m
Today's spending: 5 ytl
Total Distance to date: 10601km
Total spending to date:670.66 ytl

Say goodbye to Marmara Sea! Silivri was the last coastal town as I rode northwest in land to Corlu and Babaeski,still on D-100,tomorrow expected to cross border to Bulgaria in Edirne.Ride today under cooling weather,vast farm land can be seen on both sides,less populated,less traffics on a wide excellent road,maybe most of the traffics prefered to use the express way. Campsite tonight on a piece of farm land but was quite hidden under the trees about 100m from the road.Hard to find campsite with water here unlike in the mountainous coastal road. So I had to carry 3 litres of water ready ,usually about 4-4.30pm.

Day 163 Sept 19 Wed - Istanbul to Abandon Petrol Station Camp in Silivri

Sunset at camp
Abandon mosque and petrol truck at the station
Abandon petrol station
The facilities still looked quite new- what a waste!
I was quite tempted to sleep on this bed but decided to camp at the side

Fishing boats of Buyuk Cekmece


Roadside water tap
Abandon petrol Station camp - noticed the cupboard used as my kitchen table

A turkish plane preparing landing in Istanbul International Airport -Havalimani
Buyuk Cekmece seaside
Buyuk Cekmece seaside
Scrapped plane as decoration near the beach side
Buyuk Cekmece seaside

Today's Distance: 98 km
Today's Temp: 20 - 27c
Average Speed: 16.1 max:64
Time on Bike: 6 hr 06 min
Average climb: 2% max: 17%
Trip Altitude: 878m max: 308m
Today's spending: 15.7 ytl
Total Distance to date: 10495km
Total spending to date:665.66 ytl

So much talks about the bad terrible traffic jam of Istanbul especially for cyclists were advised not to ride into the city. But as I found out on this morning, no problem if you have a city map and follow the coast. Don't attempt to do a city ride, the many crowded lanes inter crossing each others were full of shops and peoples. You can take the LRT or just by foot as what I did, most tourist attractions are within walking distance. I am still on D-100 road along the coast,passing by the Havalimani International Airport and major seaside towns like Kucuk Cekmece,Buyuk Cekmece and Silivri, there are all located in the valley between two hills. So you climbed hill when you leaves the town and downhill approaching the town. Campsite tonight at the abandon petrol station that included a mosque and a petrol truck.It seemed business in Turkey not that good after all!

Day 162 Sept 18 Tue - Discovery on the Beauty of Istanbul (2)

Besitas Square


Amisos Hotel
On board the ferry (free during Ramadan )

Hotel Hurriyet where I stayed for 3 days total cost 90 ytl
Entrance gate to the Dolma...... Palace
Besitas pier

Bike shop with Shimano parts

Not only in London....
Who want to try...
Very old tree right in the middle of road

Long Q of visitors to Hagia Sophia Museum
Grand Bazaar built in 1461, a must see
Dome ceiling of a Mosque
Stalls inside the Grand Bazaar

Istanbul Archaeology Musuem

Funny tree in Tophane Park

Won't you pls play a song..a sentimental song for a sentimental fren.....

Blue Mosque
Hagia Sophia Museum

Smoke on the water
Sultanamet Yerebatan tourist area

Today's Temp: 20 - 27 C
Today's spending: 46.32 ytl
Total spending to date:649.96 ytl

Have to leave Istanbul tomorrow morning to continue the journey to Paris. Two days of walking tour around Istanbul definitely not enough to see all the interesting places. But I am quite happy to at least seen some of the tourist attractions eg: Grand Bazaar , Spice Market , Blue Mosque, Sultanatmet ,Palace , experience ride in the LRT and the ferry cruise.