3 July, Divriği
Otel Ninni 60TL (negotiated down from 70TL)

Three buses brought us to Divriği, a small town in the mountains north of Malatya. The first, a city bus, took us to the Malatya bus terminal; the second, a mid-size bus, dropped us in Kangal; the third, a mini-bus, brought us here. Our tough day persuaded us to change our itinerary, pack a daypack, abandon our bikes and panniers at our Malatya hotel, and come to this out-of-the-way place by public transport. What a stunning ride. We ascended hills tortured and lovely, coloured grey and red and olive and cream. We dropped into valleys surrounded by hills stony and wild-looking, though the valleys were cultivated, wheat growing green and yellow. In Kangal our enquiry about the bus to Divriği resulted in a shopkeeper assigning a youngster to lead us to the bus stop. As we approached, Charl saw the bus leaving and gave one of his piercing whistles, bringing not only the bus, but the entire town to attention. The bus was full, but two tiny stools were pulled from beneath the seats and placed in the aisle and on these we perched while the bus, its route dictated by the needs of the passengers on board, drove into tiny villages with grey tin roofs, making its slow way here. 

Divriği

Divriği