21-23 November 2023, Kirklareli [TURKEY], 65km
Evim Butik 800 TURKISH LIRA [R523]

1001m in elevation gain over the 60km that lie between last night's bed in Bulgaria and tonight's in Kirklareli, Turkey, promised a long, tough day, and delivered one. But what a day...
We set out shortly before 0800 to push our bikes a km or so up the lane from our hotel to the road that runs to the border. This road was unexpectedly quiet yesterday and remained so today, making for a stress-free ride/walk except for Charl's brief faint spell. His hands were icy cold, his body sweat-hot, his head fuzzy. He will tell you I was unsympathetic, not so much in my proposed solutions (chocolate, stay off the verge to keep feet dry, a vigorous hand rub), but in how I delivered these! Whatever the case, he soon felt well enough to cycle ahead of me, his breath plume visible from behind on the cold air.
The border straddles the highest point on the road at 648m above sea level. The crossing was easy at both ends and just like that we were back in Turkey, one of our favourite countries.
A wide quiet road runs some 41km from the border south to Kirklareli, population 85,000. A multitude a steep climbs populate the road, making for slow progress. There is nowhere at all to stop for anything at all before the city, so we were glad we had bread and salami leftover from yesterday. We stood on a wide shoulder in the sun beside a safety barrier to make and consume salami sarmies, not only tasty, but energising. Later we had to repair a puncture on my bike, so that by the time we reached the outskirts of Kirklareli, it was just on 1700* and getting dark.
For 50km we cycled beside snow (the border official told us they had had half a metre); for the last 10km, there was no snow. For the entire distance we cycled through a deciduous forest, some trees already bare, some showing off yellow leaves alight in yellow sunshine.
The turnoff into town took us directly to the pedestrian centre. We popped into the first place we saw as (a) I was desperate to pee and (b) we wanted an early dinner and (c) we needed to insert our Turkish SIM so we could locate our hotel south of the centre. It was only after we were served çay (pronounced chai - strong black tea in a small glass), that we (a) realised we were in a dessert restaurant (the Turks have a very sweet tooth) and (b) we had no local cash on us. I was directed to an ATM just steps away, but when we came to pay for the tea, payment was refused.
We walked the busy streets with their pretty lighting, aiming south but in search of food, settling for pide, a Turkish pizza.
On the street we were greeted with smiles on open, friendly faces. Here a man roasted chestnuts, there another served mussels from a silver tray on a stand. Well-lit baklava shops tempted passersbys. One dog lay in the middle of the pedestrian path, rolling on his back, big doggy grin testament to an itch scratched. Others lay adoze on grassy triangles at intersections.
We are tired but happy...
*Actually, given the time change, it was just on 1800.
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OK. We want to spend a week or so in Istanbul before flying home on Dec 3. There are things we need to do to prepare for the flight and for being at home. So... we have booked ourselves and the bikes onto a bus departing Kirklareli at 0900 Friday, arriving in the city at 1200. I will be posting less in the next week or three. Once we are back on the bikes in South Africa, probably around Dec 18, I will chat again.
In the meantime here are some images from Kirklareli...