Turkey two week tour, the female perspective

[SpecialAgentNancy]

Not a rain suit, off road gear by Fox, Dakota is the brand.

And it's not very rain proof so I had neoprene underneath.

[SpecialAgentNancy]

So ends my story about Turkey....a little sad that I am heading back but then again ready for a comfortable bed, some familiar food and my friends and family.

We left Amasra and headed to Safranbolu and the roads were just beautiful.
Tree lined and green.



Next stop Safranbolu.





Can you tell by the look on their faces that it's hot again?


So the special thing about Safranbolu is the houses are Ottoman style, why even the sugar box is shaped like one.


Walked around



This waterfountain looked Russian



The houses are so old why even the satellite dish is rusted. :)


Cool old minaret under renovation



These kids were just adorable.


We ate lunch here


The 5 TL menu


Local artisan works


View from the top


That's me in shirt #1 in the pink at the table below


Next stop Istanbul and another white knuckle ride through the city, I'll spare you the details but this blurred image of the hookahs will kinda illustrate how we felt arriving near 10pm at the hotel


Volkan helped us again secure parking for the bikes right in front of the hotel!


Walked around the next day and discovered some new things


Last year I decided to save the Hagia Sofia for my return trip


Requisite trip to the spice bazaar to get ripped off but found some wonderful Istanbul Rose perfume oil


And my favorite, Turkish Delight!


What does $240 look like?


Met up with a bicycling couple we met in Amasra for a drink


The next day visited the palace that was closed for cleaning last time I was here....Lord seemed like we walked through a 100 tiled harem rooms.


Posing like a sultan



Went to Doy-Doy for a rooftop dinner


Enjoyed a Koyna pizza


Bosphorous bridge we crossed the night before


This little critter said "Ciao! Ciao!" early every morning in our hotel lobby


My last day went to the Galata tower for a crowded sunset view




Stopped for a drink after a rather steep hill and a big healthy tabby came and nestled on my lap


Plug your nose


Now REALLY plug your nose....Giacomo stinky boots, excellent burglary deterrent.



Any my last photo, sniff sniff
The stupid, flying off, annoying BMW hard cases are in the trash.

[wingnut11]

This was a cool RR. Well done, I like your mix of writing and pictures.

[Sonoran_KLXRider]

Originally Posted by SpecialAgentNancy

Any my last photo, sniff sniff
The stupid, flying off, annoying BMW hard cases are in the trash.

Excellent - LOL!

[dogmoon]

I love your ride report and your pictures. You are a very lucky person to be able to do this, thanks.

[LukeKTM]

Great report Nancy! I am happy that I took part in this adventure .

[achesley]

Great photos and story. Thanks for all the work of sharing with us.

[rtwdoug]

Originally Posted by SpecialAgentNancy

Hey Doug!


Coming back next spring for another 3 weeks along the Aegean and Southern coast, combining riding with scuba diving so please keep me on the radar as I need a riding partner.

me; Hey Poly, can I go for a bike ride with a pretty girl for 3 weeks with many stops at beaches for swimming & diving along the way?

Poly;


yeah, THAT is gonna work out well!

I think you should invite Poly. You will both have a good time, and I wont get my ass kicked for askin if I can go.


Doug

[SpecialAgentNancy]

I already tried asking/inviting Poly and she agreed then bailed close to the last minute...I was very disappointed but then riding is about riding, the relationship is between you and your bike.

I don't really care who comes along, I only ask they help me pick up my bike on those sharp right dirt turns I don't do very well.

Hope springs eternal, I'll ask her again.

[rtwdoug]

she mainly didnt want to leave as I was gone, & she figured one of us needed to be at the camp. Which was right, as we've been pretty busy.
But if the trip is in the spring, (May?)
then I will stay here while she goes, & I'll take off in june.
She is gonna call you when we get back to the US

Doug

[LukeKTM]

Originally Posted by rtwdoug

....
But if the trip is in the spring, (May?)
then I will stay here while she goes...

Doug

Don't worry Doug, they'll find their way . You and me -

[SpecialAgentNancy]

OK I asked her but remember boys it's Turkey after all and I'm not dumb enough to ride without a male escort....

[wingnut11]

I'm sure you won't have any problem finding guys to escort you around here.

[Becktastic]

Originally Posted by SpecialAgentNancy

Not a rain suit, off road gear by Fox, Dakota is the brand.

And it's not very rain proof so I had neoprene underneath.

Haha yeah I have that same outfit. I wore it in a rain storm and got soaked to the bone.

Kudos on the excellent adventure! Awesome pictures and a well written report.

[MarkGS]

Very cool. I did a similar loop through eastern Turkey last year as a backpacker and had pretty similar thoughts. The wonderful hospitality, the often annoying (and tragic) Kurdish kids, the sometimes amazing and often bland food (I actually miss the ayran more than anything).

Dogubeyazit was definitely the lowlight - the lack of women on the street, the macho vibe of the city, semi-homeless kids everywhere, and the oppressive military presence. The complete opposite of Istanbul in every way.