Posts Tagged ‘Çan’

Day 74. 74km. Çan – Gönen

Posted: November 28, 2014 in Cycling, Turkey
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Good cycling roads are different to good driving roads. A good cycling road has few cars, and no fast cars. It therefore needs to be windy, have some bumps and potholes, and pass through many small villages. Today the road to Gönen was never signposted as such. A good sign! I confirmed that it actually did go to Gönen and had a lovely, peaceful ride through the Turkish countryside.

On the way to Gönen

On the way to Gönen

This feels like the real Turkey I want to cycle through. No big freeway-like roads, but small roads where everyone waves. Small villages with chickens waddling around. And regular stops to eat Börek and other pastry delights. Oh, and quite a few vicious dogs – the three rocks are always ready in the back pockets of my cycling tricot.

A small Turkish village

A small Turkish village

On the way to Gönen

On the way to Gönen

Little did I know, but Gönen is quite a tourist centre – in the summer. It is famous for its hot springs, and there is a squillion hotels and pensions clustered around the spring and public hammam. I didn’t know this, and didn’t find them initially. A kind man who spoke German helped me find them, and also explained how the hammam worked. The hammam was wonderful, and I feel squeaky clean again! 🙂

My friend helped me find a cheap pension

My friend helped me find a cheap pension

Day 73. 72km. Çanakkale – Çan

Posted: November 27, 2014 in Cycling, Turkey
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A little kitten, all alone, meowing on the side of the road. Outside in the cold. I almost tried to take her in my handlebar bag. Passers-by didn’t seem too concerned. Maybe they didn’t understand me. She might freeze. Or get squashed.

A lonely little kitten

A lonely little kitten

After all the cold days, I was worried about climbing into the mountains. There was no need. It was short-sleeve weather for me (about 6C, I think – I overheat easily, as James can testify to). It was also big head-wind weather today. As I crawled along the valley, I was a bit worried about reaching Çan before sunset. (In the end, I made it easily.) And, finally, it was impressive cloud weather today. Although sometimes dark and looming, the clouds kept their water to themselves.

Up the valley from Çanakkale

Up the valley from Çanakkale

Up the valley from Çanakkale

Up the valley from Çanakkale

The road to Çan

The road to Çan

Looming clouds

Looming clouds

See how small she is

See how small she is

Thanks to the kind hotel manager at the Anzac Hotel in Çanakkale, I am now in a hotel that I would have never have found. Recommended as a cheap hotel, it is inside the security wall of a ceramic factory. It reminds me a bit of the teacher accommodation we stayed at in Lüleburgaz. It is a hotel, but, not for the normal public – or at least, it is not widely advertised. Its perfect for a tired cyclist! 🙂