Day 8 April 8
The first official day of the Ferris Wheels Turkey Treasures Tour for 2009. We met the people whom we will be traveling with for the next 3 weeks: Tom & Sylvia, James & Joanne, and Jim all from N.S.W., Joel is an American from Seattle; there’s our tour leader Mike, and our 3-man Turkish support crew - guide Baris, driver Yusuf and motorbike mechanic Shukru.
Today Baris took us to the two major buildings in the old part of Istanbul, and both buildings were visited by Barack Obama just 24 hours prior (as pictures in today’s newspaper showed – I bet he didn’t have to battle the crowds of people like we did). The Blue Mosque is an actual place of worship for Muslims in Istanbul – unique for its six minarets. Mosques only have a maximum of four of these high, needle-like spires, this is the only one in the world with six. This building is relatively new, only being built in the 17th century. Almost next door is the Hagia Sofia – once a working mosque after one of history’s very first Christian churches, building started about 600AD. Walking inside both buildings takes the breath away.
Later that afternoon, the bikes are delivered to the hotel, and I got my first look and feel of my "bike buddy" for the next 3 weeks.
Day 9 April 9
284 kms on the bike.
A rather nerve-wracking start to the day, as we negotiate our way from our hotel to the main road south out of Istanbul. The streets directly from our hotel are very narrow, cobblestones, and full of traffic and people. Just as we got onto the four lane highway that runs right alongside the Bosphorus, I could see dolphins playing, just 10 metres from the shore. About half-dozen, jumping right out of the water, and happily playing in the calm morning air. How fantastic … and we were only 5 minutes into the ride. I suddenly realized that I to concentrate on riding this dam big bike underneath me – this Ferris guy certainly puts on a show for his clients.
I am riding a Suzuki 650 V-Strom, and it’s a beautiful thing to ride. So much bigger and more powerful than my 400 back home, but after an hour, I felt quite comfortable. It took us the morning to ride out of the Istanbul built-up area – it is a huge city, and it hugs the coastline for ages. When we left the main highway, things got a bit hairy with windy roads, but I finished the first day feeling a sense of accomplishment. All that training and now I'm here doing Turkey. We finish the day in Geribolu, a charming little fishing village about 30 minutes from the Gallipoli battlefields. They're tomorrow.
Thursday, 9 April 2009
Tuesday, 7 April 2009
Istanbul
What an amazing first day in Turkey. It started with breakfast on the top floor of our hotel (World Park Hotel, in central Istanbul), with an amazing view over a sprawling city. The habour was right in front of us, and we watched ferries come and go as we had breakfast. Again we noticed a marked police presence on the main road down by the Bosphorus River, hinting at more Obama movements today.
Mike then took us on a quick tour of Istanbul, about 10 kilometers on foot, over 5 hours. First stop was the Spice Bazaar down by the Bosphorus, but on the way, the police grew in numbers. Busloads of them, in fact. Helicopters directly overhead. A police marksman in a minaret above us. Then the main road was cleared of cars, the street cars stopped operating, and police cars and motorbikes zoomed past. Then … the man himself. Barack was sitting on our side of the big black limo, and waved at the crowd as he drove past. Everybody stopped and watched him go by. We find out later that he was heading for the Blue Mosque, perhaps the most holiest of Muslim buildings in Turkey.
The Spice Bazaar was crazy – with every kind of edible spice on sale. Also there was an animal market - rabbits, chickens, peacocks, dogs, and the strangest was a bottle full of swimming leeches!! The spices are so colourful, and one guy tried to sell Anne a little jar of aphrodisiac for her husband. She declined.
Up the hill and through narrow streets we found the Grand Bazaar – a huge covered market many hundreds of years old, with 4000 shops selling absolutely everything. The shopkeepers hassle as you walk past, but if you humour them, it’s actually fun. You could spend hours, even days, here.
We then went underground to explore the Basilica Cistern – built in 532 AD to provide water to the palace and important buildings. It was actually re-discovered in 1545 when people found they could get buckets of water from underneath their floors. You can now walk through this underground room of stone, with hundreds of columns holding up the roof and about one foot of water on the floor. It’s an extraordinary feat of Roman stone engineering.
Walking back to our hotel, we pass through a park with garden beds of flowers, quite beautiful. The dominate flower is the tulip – of every colour.
Mike then took us on a quick tour of Istanbul, about 10 kilometers on foot, over 5 hours. First stop was the Spice Bazaar down by the Bosphorus, but on the way, the police grew in numbers. Busloads of them, in fact. Helicopters directly overhead. A police marksman in a minaret above us. Then the main road was cleared of cars, the street cars stopped operating, and police cars and motorbikes zoomed past. Then … the man himself. Barack was sitting on our side of the big black limo, and waved at the crowd as he drove past. Everybody stopped and watched him go by. We find out later that he was heading for the Blue Mosque, perhaps the most holiest of Muslim buildings in Turkey.
The Spice Bazaar was crazy – with every kind of edible spice on sale. Also there was an animal market - rabbits, chickens, peacocks, dogs, and the strangest was a bottle full of swimming leeches!! The spices are so colourful, and one guy tried to sell Anne a little jar of aphrodisiac for her husband. She declined.
Up the hill and through narrow streets we found the Grand Bazaar – a huge covered market many hundreds of years old, with 4000 shops selling absolutely everything. The shopkeepers hassle as you walk past, but if you humour them, it’s actually fun. You could spend hours, even days, here.
We then went underground to explore the Basilica Cistern – built in 532 AD to provide water to the palace and important buildings. It was actually re-discovered in 1545 when people found they could get buckets of water from underneath their floors. You can now walk through this underground room of stone, with hundreds of columns holding up the roof and about one foot of water on the floor. It’s an extraordinary feat of Roman stone engineering.
Walking back to our hotel, we pass through a park with garden beds of flowers, quite beautiful. The dominate flower is the tulip – of every colour.
Monday, 6 April 2009
Istanbul
We learn that none other than Barack Obama is also in Turkey today, addressing the Turkish parliament in Ankara on his way home from the NATO summit in Strasbourg and the G20 meeting in London. On our way into the city from Istanbul's Ataturk International Airport, we pass hundreds of police, on every corner, carrying weapons, and we learn that Mr Obama is arriving here a few hours after us, after his visit to Ankara. And his visit to Turkey is all over the Turkish news - press and TV - the guy is creating huge expectations in Turkey after 8 years of bad relations between Turkey and the US.
By the way, we saw a great t-shirt in Vienna the other day. It said "20-1-2009, the end of an error".
We have a couple days to explore Istanbul before starting the bike tour on Thursday.
By the way, we saw a great t-shirt in Vienna the other day. It said "20-1-2009, the end of an error".
We have a couple days to explore Istanbul before starting the bike tour on Thursday.
Sunday, 5 April 2009
Vienna, Austria
Our final full day in Vienna, and after a leisurely start, we purchased a day ticket for the public transport and just wandered aimlessly, starting off heading away from the city, unlike every day previous. The train line ended up across the Danube in the new part of Vienna – modern, new buildings of glass and steel, open parklands and mostly apartments. A Sunday market was happening in adjacent to the station, with a children’s merry-go-round and colourful train. Again we got the impression that this is a very livable city. Heading back to the old city, we passed an amazing piece of architecture – a working waste treatment factory that has been made into a work of art - it has to be seen to be believed. I can imagine some people thinking it grotesque … we thought it was a very clever way of beautifying a drab piece of industry. Very arty, eye-catching and provocative. Maybe everyone should consider turning their ugly industrial sites into visual works of art?
Our friend Judy recommended a visit to the Sacher hotel for their famous torte and hot chocolate – and honestly it was the most heavenly chocolate experience we’ve ever had. Enough said – end of story.
Then on to the museums, and we chose the History Museum – we could have chosen from dozens of others. Egyptian and Greek artifacts from 1,300 years B.C., and then paintings by Rubens, Rembrandt, etc, etc, some paintings from 16th century. All housed in the most incredible building with a marble interior, huge staircases, huge stone pillars, vaulted ceilings with gold-plated paintings. Every corner we turned took our breath away. What must the other museums be like? You could spend a month in Vienna and not see everything in its museums.
Packing our cases for the flight to Turkey tomorrow. We finished the day by popping round the corner to our favourite restaurant/pub (within staggering distance), and our new friend from the other night Thomas was working again. Nice to catch up again before we go. To finish our Austrian experience, we had traditional Austrian fare – “camembertbrot” – apple slices, melted cheese and cranberries on traditional brown bread, and then a traditional dish from the Styrian region of Austria called “grostl” – potatoes, small dumplings and onions. I had black pudding (or blood sausage as the locals call it) and sauerkraut, while Anne has grilled turkey and cheese. And it was delicious.
Our friend Judy recommended a visit to the Sacher hotel for their famous torte and hot chocolate – and honestly it was the most heavenly chocolate experience we’ve ever had. Enough said – end of story.
Then on to the museums, and we chose the History Museum – we could have chosen from dozens of others. Egyptian and Greek artifacts from 1,300 years B.C., and then paintings by Rubens, Rembrandt, etc, etc, some paintings from 16th century. All housed in the most incredible building with a marble interior, huge staircases, huge stone pillars, vaulted ceilings with gold-plated paintings. Every corner we turned took our breath away. What must the other museums be like? You could spend a month in Vienna and not see everything in its museums.
Packing our cases for the flight to Turkey tomorrow. We finished the day by popping round the corner to our favourite restaurant/pub (within staggering distance), and our new friend from the other night Thomas was working again. Nice to catch up again before we go. To finish our Austrian experience, we had traditional Austrian fare – “camembertbrot” – apple slices, melted cheese and cranberries on traditional brown bread, and then a traditional dish from the Styrian region of Austria called “grostl” – potatoes, small dumplings and onions. I had black pudding (or blood sausage as the locals call it) and sauerkraut, while Anne has grilled turkey and cheese. And it was delicious.
Saturday, 4 April 2009
Vienna, Austria
A good look around Vienna today, by foot. Quite easy since the city centre is quite close to our apartment, and the beautiful old buildings at every turn made the walk so enjoyable. We lost count of the statues, parks, sidewalk restaurants (very bus at lunchtime), stone buildings, and horse-drawn open carriages. A three-hour bus tour of the city then took us outside the city centre, and we discovered that there is a very modern side to Vienna. The Danube actually flows a couple of kilometers away from the old city, and modern Vienna has been built on its banks, with wide open parklands, wide multi-lane freeways and glass and steel buildings for offices and high-rise dwellings. Just outside the city boundary is a large hill, or small mountain, covered in trees (the Vienna Forests) that give a commanding view of the city below. Several open spaces have been planted in vines, and many Austrian wines come from this area.
Schonbrunn Palace was the residence for the ruling Habsburg dynasty in Austria for hundreds of years until the revolution that made it a republic and ended the monarchy in 1918. This sprawling and opulent palace and gardens reminds us of what we saw at Versaille in 2007 – as grand and expansive. The attention to detail was amazing, from the paintings on the ceiling of each of the thousand rooms, to the hedge trimming in the gardens. We spent most of the day here, finishing with a demonstration by a professional cook on how to make real Austrian apple strudel. Anne was picked up out of the audience to help him finish it off, earning her a certificate in making Apple Strudel!!!
We’ve just returned from a restaurant within staggering distance from our apartment, it’s 10pm. We were served by a young Hungarian guy called Thomas, who’s been living in Vienna for many years, and he was typical of all the locals that we’ve met in Vienna. So friendly, very helpful, amazed that we’ve travelled so far, very proud of his city, and speaks very good English. We love this city too.
The biggest priority for Anne on this trip was crossed off the list this morning – the Lipizzaner horses of the Spanish Riding School of Vienna. An interesting product from the Spanish connection of the Habsburg monarchy of Austria, these white stallions have been bred for the past 400 years to perform in this huge stone building. The tradition of classical horsemanship has been handed down by the handlers of these magnificent animals for hundreds of years, and you could tell that these were special horses.
In the afternoon, we took a scenic cruise on the Danube – another one to cross off the list. A highlight were the two locks we had to navigate, due to the 8-meter drop in the Danube downstream from Vienna, and again coming back to our point of origin. The Danube itself is very wide, which shows why it’s so important to shipping for Vienna. It may have been blue once upon a time, but now it’s a dirty, muddy brown colour, largely thanks to the silt it brings downstream from its upper reaches. But it’s still a magnificent stretch of water, and a pleasure to cruise on. We shared a table-for-four on the top deck with a mother and her 12-year-old daughter, and by the end of the four-hour journey, we’d made yet another friend in this wonderful city.
Vienna calls itself The Music Capital of the World, maybe because of favourite sons like Strauss, Beethoven and Mozart, among others, but it certainly has a healthy music scene in styles other than classical – I’ve seen posters for up-coming concerts in Vienna by Al Jarreau, Robin Gibb, Bruce Springsteen, Kraftwerk, Al Di Meola, Chris de Burgh, Patti Smith, Metallica, and productions of Rocky Horror and Jesus Christ Superstar. And it's not unusual to see someone on the train with their musical instrument of preference over their shoulder ... and it's quite often a cello in a large hard case.
Schonbrunn Palace was the residence for the ruling Habsburg dynasty in Austria for hundreds of years until the revolution that made it a republic and ended the monarchy in 1918. This sprawling and opulent palace and gardens reminds us of what we saw at Versaille in 2007 – as grand and expansive. The attention to detail was amazing, from the paintings on the ceiling of each of the thousand rooms, to the hedge trimming in the gardens. We spent most of the day here, finishing with a demonstration by a professional cook on how to make real Austrian apple strudel. Anne was picked up out of the audience to help him finish it off, earning her a certificate in making Apple Strudel!!!
We’ve just returned from a restaurant within staggering distance from our apartment, it’s 10pm. We were served by a young Hungarian guy called Thomas, who’s been living in Vienna for many years, and he was typical of all the locals that we’ve met in Vienna. So friendly, very helpful, amazed that we’ve travelled so far, very proud of his city, and speaks very good English. We love this city too.
The biggest priority for Anne on this trip was crossed off the list this morning – the Lipizzaner horses of the Spanish Riding School of Vienna. An interesting product from the Spanish connection of the Habsburg monarchy of Austria, these white stallions have been bred for the past 400 years to perform in this huge stone building. The tradition of classical horsemanship has been handed down by the handlers of these magnificent animals for hundreds of years, and you could tell that these were special horses.
In the afternoon, we took a scenic cruise on the Danube – another one to cross off the list. A highlight were the two locks we had to navigate, due to the 8-meter drop in the Danube downstream from Vienna, and again coming back to our point of origin. The Danube itself is very wide, which shows why it’s so important to shipping for Vienna. It may have been blue once upon a time, but now it’s a dirty, muddy brown colour, largely thanks to the silt it brings downstream from its upper reaches. But it’s still a magnificent stretch of water, and a pleasure to cruise on. We shared a table-for-four on the top deck with a mother and her 12-year-old daughter, and by the end of the four-hour journey, we’d made yet another friend in this wonderful city.
Vienna calls itself The Music Capital of the World, maybe because of favourite sons like Strauss, Beethoven and Mozart, among others, but it certainly has a healthy music scene in styles other than classical – I’ve seen posters for up-coming concerts in Vienna by Al Jarreau, Robin Gibb, Bruce Springsteen, Kraftwerk, Al Di Meola, Chris de Burgh, Patti Smith, Metallica, and productions of Rocky Horror and Jesus Christ Superstar. And it's not unusual to see someone on the train with their musical instrument of preference over their shoulder ... and it's quite often a cello in a large hard case.
Thursday, 2 April 2009
in-flight to Japan
Tokyo Narita International Airport – killing 4 hours while waiting for our connecting flight to Vienna, it’s pouring rain here – just as it was when we left Sydney 10 hours ago. We’ve had just enough time to make some observations of the Japanese way of life, and in this short time we’ve learned that the Japanese are incredibly friendly people, sometimes embarrassingly humble. Everyone we’ve spoken to can’t do enough to please us, and they always finish their task with a bow of the head. Makes you feel like royalty.
Several locals are wearing a white mask over their nose and mouth – are they protecting themselves from airborne viruses, or are they so polite that they don’t want to infect us with theirs? They are an obviously fastidiously clean people – the place is spotless. Check-in areas, restaurants, boarding gates, toilets (that are equipped with bidets and squat toilets too). I also just saw an elderly guy reading a rather thick book, and walking past I noticed it was all black-and-white line drawings, comic style.
Vienna : It’s 7pm and we’re settling into a charming little apartment, quite central to the Vienna city centre, after spending a whole day in the skies. Our host, Erika, is charming, very welcoming and friendly. We booked this place through its website, and it was recommended to us by our Lonnie friends Roger and Judy, who also stayed here a couple of years ago. Their advice to pre-book a taxi from the airport was also brilliant – how special was it to walk out of the immigration hall at Vienna airport to find a uniformed driver waving a sign adorned with our name. And our two suitcases were the very first ones to emerge from the baggage carousel – how about that?
It was a cloudy spring day in Vienna, about 9degC outside, and what immediately struck us was that (nearly) every tree is bare, the parks and gardens in Vienna are full of leafless trees. Such a contrast to where we were a day and a half ago. An early night tonight after a very long and tiring journey, ready for some exploring tomorrow.
Several locals are wearing a white mask over their nose and mouth – are they protecting themselves from airborne viruses, or are they so polite that they don’t want to infect us with theirs? They are an obviously fastidiously clean people – the place is spotless. Check-in areas, restaurants, boarding gates, toilets (that are equipped with bidets and squat toilets too). I also just saw an elderly guy reading a rather thick book, and walking past I noticed it was all black-and-white line drawings, comic style.
Vienna : It’s 7pm and we’re settling into a charming little apartment, quite central to the Vienna city centre, after spending a whole day in the skies. Our host, Erika, is charming, very welcoming and friendly. We booked this place through its website, and it was recommended to us by our Lonnie friends Roger and Judy, who also stayed here a couple of years ago. Their advice to pre-book a taxi from the airport was also brilliant – how special was it to walk out of the immigration hall at Vienna airport to find a uniformed driver waving a sign adorned with our name. And our two suitcases were the very first ones to emerge from the baggage carousel – how about that?
It was a cloudy spring day in Vienna, about 9degC outside, and what immediately struck us was that (nearly) every tree is bare, the parks and gardens in Vienna are full of leafless trees. Such a contrast to where we were a day and a half ago. An early night tonight after a very long and tiring journey, ready for some exploring tomorrow.
Tuesday, 24 March 2009
Launceston
Prologue
The idea for this crazy adventure began on the evening of Thursday 11th October, 2007, when Anne and I were sitting in the restaurant of the Sylvia Hotel in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with our good friends Mike and Denise Ferris. We had just finished a memorable week exploring BC, and we were discussing what the next big adventure might be. For the umpteenth time Mike tried to convince me to join him on one of his motorcycle tours, as he had been trying to do since starting his Ferris Wheels travel company years ago. Motorcycles had always terrified me, so his attempts at persuasion had always been in vain. This time it felt different, and I began to consider it as a possibility, having just driven all through France and Ireland in a hire car, and enjoyed the most fantastic journey in Europe and Canada. Mike said Anne could ride in the support vehicle and still join his tour – all I had to do was learn to ride a motorbike (gulp!). From all the tours in his portfolio, Mike’s recommendation for a first-time rider ... was Turkey.
As I procrastinated over the next four months, Mike gave me a gift for my 50th birthday in February 2008 ... a very good, and very shiny and very black, motorcycle helmet. Some friend, eh? Talk about "gentle persuasion" - as subtle as a sledgehammer! So I undertook the Motorcycle Learner’s Course in March 2008, which was my first time ever in control of a motorbike; then bought a 2nd-hand Suzuki 400; clocked up the k’s on an L plate; and then passed my Provisional License on 7th February, 2009. Phew, just the lead-up to this trip has been an adventure in itself.
Leaving on March 31st, we spend a few days in Vienna courtesy of cheap airfares with Austrian Airlines, then three weeks in Turkey from April 7th. France and Ireland was Anne’s dream in 2007 – this one’s mine.
(By the way, our account of France, Ireland, London and Canada in 2007 still appears below.)
24th March
As the trip draws nearer, I am spending many hours "in the saddle", so to speak, getting as much bike time as possible. My nerves have now given way to nervous anticipation of the fantastic trip ahead, perhaps similar to the expectations prior to driving a hire car around France and Ireland in 2007. Back then, I had to quickly adapt to driving on the right-hand side of the road, and Turkey should be no different, only this time I will have half as many wheels beneath me.
Last Sunday I did my longest day on a bike - 383 kilometers - a good dress rehearsal for a typical day in Turkey. Thanks to Joe for being my mentor on this epic ride to the East Coast of Tassie.
Another acknowledgment must go to actors Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman, as their “Long Way Round” and “Long Way Down” series served as an inspiration for this trip. I won’t even pretend to consider my journey to be as adventurous as theirs, but their attitude to pushing the boundaries, exploring new cultures and a quest for living life was a spark for me wanting to do this.
We have house sitters arranged, have my International Drivers License, travel insurance is good, travel documents photocopied, all accommodation confirmed, Anne's already packed, and I will pack at the last minute (I was still wearing riding gear daily).
The idea for this crazy adventure began on the evening of Thursday 11th October, 2007, when Anne and I were sitting in the restaurant of the Sylvia Hotel in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with our good friends Mike and Denise Ferris. We had just finished a memorable week exploring BC, and we were discussing what the next big adventure might be. For the umpteenth time Mike tried to convince me to join him on one of his motorcycle tours, as he had been trying to do since starting his Ferris Wheels travel company years ago. Motorcycles had always terrified me, so his attempts at persuasion had always been in vain. This time it felt different, and I began to consider it as a possibility, having just driven all through France and Ireland in a hire car, and enjoyed the most fantastic journey in Europe and Canada. Mike said Anne could ride in the support vehicle and still join his tour – all I had to do was learn to ride a motorbike (gulp!). From all the tours in his portfolio, Mike’s recommendation for a first-time rider ... was Turkey.
As I procrastinated over the next four months, Mike gave me a gift for my 50th birthday in February 2008 ... a very good, and very shiny and very black, motorcycle helmet. Some friend, eh? Talk about "gentle persuasion" - as subtle as a sledgehammer! So I undertook the Motorcycle Learner’s Course in March 2008, which was my first time ever in control of a motorbike; then bought a 2nd-hand Suzuki 400; clocked up the k’s on an L plate; and then passed my Provisional License on 7th February, 2009. Phew, just the lead-up to this trip has been an adventure in itself.
Leaving on March 31st, we spend a few days in Vienna courtesy of cheap airfares with Austrian Airlines, then three weeks in Turkey from April 7th. France and Ireland was Anne’s dream in 2007 – this one’s mine.
(By the way, our account of France, Ireland, London and Canada in 2007 still appears below.)
24th March
As the trip draws nearer, I am spending many hours "in the saddle", so to speak, getting as much bike time as possible. My nerves have now given way to nervous anticipation of the fantastic trip ahead, perhaps similar to the expectations prior to driving a hire car around France and Ireland in 2007. Back then, I had to quickly adapt to driving on the right-hand side of the road, and Turkey should be no different, only this time I will have half as many wheels beneath me.
Last Sunday I did my longest day on a bike - 383 kilometers - a good dress rehearsal for a typical day in Turkey. Thanks to Joe for being my mentor on this epic ride to the East Coast of Tassie.
Another acknowledgment must go to actors Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman, as their “Long Way Round” and “Long Way Down” series served as an inspiration for this trip. I won’t even pretend to consider my journey to be as adventurous as theirs, but their attitude to pushing the boundaries, exploring new cultures and a quest for living life was a spark for me wanting to do this.
We have house sitters arranged, have my International Drivers License, travel insurance is good, travel documents photocopied, all accommodation confirmed, Anne's already packed, and I will pack at the last minute (I was still wearing riding gear daily).
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