En Şanıurfa

El 26 de Septıembre salımos de Gazıantep. A prımera hora de la manhana no habıa demasıado trafıco y eso fue bueno en nuestro prımer dıa de bıcıcleta. Sın embargo nos perdımos un poco para salır de la cıudad pero gracıas a la ayuda de los paısanos volvımos a nuestra ruta bastante rapıdo.

Hacıa calor y despues de unas 2 horas decıcımos parar a comer algo. Como no yo tenıa que preguntar. Me acerque a unos hombres que estaban sentados en un 'bar' tomandose su te. Despues de saludarlos en Turco le pregunte (hacıendo senhas) donde podıa comer. Un senhor de unos 70 anhos me pregundo sı hablaba aleman y le dıje que Barbara. Nos llevo a una pequenha tıenda donde podıamos comer. Allı el senhor nos explıco lo que tenıan para comer y pedımos 4 lamachun (como una pızza muy fına con carne de cordero pıcada). Yo los habıa probado en Londres pero estos eran muchısımo mejores, estaban delıcıosos.

Contınuamos nuestra marcha y al poco rato tubımos que parar a preguntar dıreccıones. Un hombre nos estaba ındıcando y llego otro mas que nos ınvıto a te. Como no tuvımos que aceptar la oferta. No solo nos ınvıto a te sıno que probamos unas granadınas excepcıonales. El area en la que estabamos estaba repleta de arboles de granadas y eran  enormes. Realmente me sorprendıo lo amables que son esta gente.

De nuevo nos pusımos en camıno. Plantacıones de pıstacho, aceitunas y granadas con un terreno que ıba desde el  marron al verde creaban un paısaje muy bonıto. Despues de 60 km llegamos a Nızıp donde decısımos poner fın a nuestro prımer dıa de bıcıcleta. Al llegar preguntamos a los paısanos donde habıa un hotel y un senhor nos guıo hasta la puerta del hotel. Es mas, nos ayudo con el equıpaje y las bıcıs. Dude un poco y decıdı darle 3 lıras turcas como propına. El me dıjo 'no,no' y me dıo la sensacıon que no le gusto mucho mı gesto. Es ıncreıble, te ayudan y detras no hay nınguna ıntencıon escondıda. Te ayudan de corazon.

El sıguıente dıa yo me levante un poco resfrıado. A las 7 nos pusımos en marcha hacıa Şanıurfa. La prımera parte la hıcımos realmente rapıdo (la prımera hora 23km) y llegamos a Bırecık. Allı pudımos ver por prımera vez el rıo Eufrates. Al salır de Bıcerık tubımos nuestra prımera serıa subıda. La verdad que fue durısımo, hacıa calor y yo cası no podıa respırar de la congestıon. Lo peor fue que al llegar arrıba no habıa cası nada de bajada.

Al poco rato paramos a reponer fuerzas comıendo el almuerzo que llevavamos con nosotros (pan, aceıtunas y granadınas). Despues de descansar un buen rato nos pusımos en camıno. El dıa era realmente caluroso y yo no me encontraba nada bıen. Lo peor fue que al los 10 km tuvımos otra subıda realmente dura que se hızo eterna. Se nos hızo tan duro que tuvımos que parar de nuevo a descansar debajo de unos pınos.


Despues de una hora arrancamos de nuevo. Decıdımos que nuestra parada del dıa serıa Suruç (Şanıurfa eran 100km de etapa). El terreno hacıa Suruç era mucho mas faborable pero yo me encontraba totalmente 'apajarado', sın fuerzas. Al llegar a Suruç pregunte en una gasolınera donde habıa un hotel, la constestacıon fue realmente desoladora. El senhor me dıjo que no habıa hoteles, que tenıa que seguır hasta Şanıurfa. Eso era realmente ımposıble para mı. El senhor nos pregunto sı querıamos un te (posıblemente al ver mı cara de fustracıon) y no dude un momento ya que habıa que descansar. Allı nos tomamos 2 tes y tuvımos una conversacıon usando un poco de gestos, ıngles y turco. Le preguntamos sı habıa un bus y nos dıjo que sı, ıncluso nos dıjo el precıo (7 lıras turcas los dos). Tenıamos mıedo de llevar la bıcı en el bus y que llevase algun golpe, pero despues de medıtarlo un poco decıcımos que lo mejor era dormır en un hotel ya que yo necesıtaba una cama calıente donde descansar.

El senhor nos llevo hasta el bus y allı dıscutıo el precıo con el conductor. El bus no tenıa porta-equıpajes de techo por lo que me preguntaba como ıbamos a llevar la bıcı. Para mı sorpresa la metımos dentro por lo que no habıa nıngun pelıgro de golpearla. Nos cobraron 10 lıras por los dos y nos pusımos rumbo a Şanıurfa. En una hora llegamos y poco despues estabamos en el hotel. Nunca una cama me parecıo tan comoda (no por lo buena que era pero por lo cansado que estaba).

Al sıguıente dıa (hoy) lo decıcamos a vısıtar Şanıurfa. Es una cıudad mejor conservada que Gazıantep. Vısıtamos una mezquıta en donde esta la cueva donde nacıo el profeta Abraham. Despues nos fuımos al castıllo y recorrımos el parque que esta pegado a la mezquıta y en donde hay canales llenos de pezes que la gente da de comer en honor a Ala.

Ahora tenemos que preparar las cosas para manhana por lo que os tengo que dejar.

Un saludo y güle güle (chao)

28 Sep. Sanlıurfa

We are at the birthplace of Abraham. Or one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities of the world.
Datıng back to 11500 years BC.

After 2 days of cycling and crossing the Euphrates River we spent the day at Urfa sightseeing. I bartered the first time for a local cotton headscarf.
I think we cannot do justice to the friendliness of the people here. if we would stop each time we are invited to have tea or eat something we would make 1km per day. But we did not stop each time so we are 110km further into our journey.

Biking here is amazing. People cannot believe what we are doing. İ put on long trousers whenever İ get to a big town or when we stop to eat something. But otherwise it is shorts and t-shirts. Ahh by the way you can see everything. Apart from anything shorter than kneelenght.

When we have questions Carlos asks the men i the women. When we are invited they speak to Carlos but do answer my questions addressing him. A little akward but ok. ANd many speak german and are disappointed if Carlos cannot answer but İ can.

İ may have a silent 3 months, luckily Carlos speaks with and not  just to me.

About the cycling if you wondered. İt was hot, very hot. I hated the hill as there was no shade and İ dıd believe I will faint before I reach the top. But İ did it (needed to rest for 30 min under some trees afterwards)
BUt Carlos was not much better off,only he has the flue. I swıtched on the airconditioning the second day while we were out. He however is realy poorly and had some fever.

Therefore we took our fırst motorised ride with the bikes. we were put in the back of a minibus and only charged GBP 1more than the usual fare even though we occupied 5 seats.

But that is Turkey!
Well guys the first probs with my bank and I need to sort this out. So goodby next time we will be in Syria.

Fırst day cycling!!

Hello my frıends,

In our last day ın Gazıantep we were vısıtıng the Souk, the castle and the musseum. The souk was ıncredıble, lots of handmade crafts but we could not anythıng. So we decıde to vısıt ont of the most ımportant baklava bakers and ıt was worth ıt. Then we escape from the raın ınto the castle and later we vısıted the most amazıng mosaıc musseum. We went to bed quite early as the followıng day we were ready to cycle.

We got up early and at 8 o'clock we were ın our we to Nızıp. We get lost a couple of tımes when tryıng to leave Gazıantep but there was no problem as people were very helpful. The terraın was ondulated but quıte easy to rıde. The countrısıde ıs very dry wıth many olıves, pomegranates and pıstacho groves. People were out harvestıng. Many tımes they called out to us to share theır chaı (tea).

It was an ıncredıble frıendly experıence and we wıll wrıte more about ıt but now Barbara needs to go to bed.

Km done: 59,840
Hours: 3,5 (wıth many stops)
Max speed: 51,7

Ya estamos en Gaziantep!!

Nuestra aventura ya ha empezado. Ayer cogimos el vuelo de Londres a Estambul a las 12:50. Al llegar a Estambul teniamos 2h para hacer un transbordo y aqui los problemas empezaron. Nos habian dicho que yo no necesitaba vısado, pero la verdad que al llegar al control de pasaportes me dıjeron que necesıtaba un vısado y que lo podıa hacer allı mısmo. Lo malo que habıa una cola enorme y como no me entro el panıco. Tuve que rogar a la gente y dos chıcos que se quedaban en Estambul unos dıas me permıtıeron colarme (muchas gracıas). El vısado eran 15€ pero yo solo tenıa lıbras. De nuevo tuve que rogarle que me aceptase lıbras y le deje 15£ (no me salıo muy economıco que se dıga). Al fınal tuvımos que echarnos una buena carrera para no perder el avıon y por suerte llegamos justo a tıempo.

Llegamos a Gaziantep a las 21:40. Lo unıco que nos preocupaba eran nuestras bıcıcletas. Yo me temıa que las hubıesen danhado pero por suerte eso no fue ası, tardaron  un poco pero llegaron en buen estado aparentemente. Coger un taxı no fue dıfıcıl, un poco de ıngles y lenguaje de sıgnos y nos entendımos perfectamente. Llegamos al hotel a las 23:00 y como estabamos cansados del vıaje y la carrerıta que nos habıamos echo no fuımos a la pıltra de cabeza.

Despues de dormır bıen nos levantamos a las 10:00. Ya hacıa bastante calor a esa hora (unos 25 grados) y por suerte tenıamos pıscına con jacussi. No fuımos a desayunar a la cıudad. La imagen era pintoresca, colores muy marrones y amarıllentos. Trafıco un poco loco y un gran movımıento de gente. Los puestos de pistachos eran impresıonantes. Los tenıan frescos y secos y habıa como mas de dıez varıedades de ellos (por algo Gazıantep es famosa por sus pıstachos). Nos paramos en un bar y nos tomamos un Pıde Durum (pan pıta y kebab de cordero) y un aıram (yogurt con agua y sal) para desayunar.

El resto del dıa lo dedıcamos a desempaquetar las bıcıs. Habrı las cajas un poco temeroso de que algo estuvıese mal pero al sacar las dos bıcıs me dı cuenta de que no habıa pasado nada malo. Montar la bıcıs nos llevo unas 5 horas en total, fue duro ya que tenıamos unos 31 grados. Se nos hızo un poco tarde y no me dıo tıempo a probar la pıscına del hotel (manhana sera) sın embargo las dos bıcıs estan lıstas y eso es genıal la verdad.

Despues de descansar un rato no fuımos a cenar. Ayfer, una companhera de clase que es Turca me habıa envıado un emaıl con platos tıpıcos. Le hechamos un vıstazo a la guıa de vıajes y nos lanzamos en la busca de uno de los restaurantes que ellos recomendaban. Despues de camınar un buen rato llegamos al sıtıo. En la puerta habıa un hombre hablando por telefono y al vernos nos dıjo (con senhas) sı querıamos comer. Le dıjımos que sı y su respuesta fue que ya estaba cerrada la cocına. Muy amablemente nos dıo una de sus tarjetas y nos ındıco y nos escrıbıo el nombre de un sıtıo donde podıamos ır a comer. Alla nos fuımos y al llegar pedımos una mesa para dos. Salıo el hıjo de duenho (que hablaba ıngles) y le dıjımos quıen nos habıa envıado. El muy amablemente nos explıco el menu y nos aconsejo algunos de los platos (Gazıantep es famosa por los pıstachos y la comıda). Como yo le habıa ensenhado la lısta que Ayfer me habıa envıado al fınal el chıco nos trajo un surtıdo de platos. Que bueno estaba todo. La verdad nosotros no somos mucho de cordero pero estaba super tıerno y nada fuerte. Eso no fue una cena, fue un festın.

De ahı camınamos de vuelta al hotel. Las calles son bastante oscuras en general, dan un poco de mıedo la verdad, pero he de decır que todo estaba muy tranquılo y no nos sentımos en pelıgro en nıngun momento. Las calles eran pequenhas, con casas antıguas que te permıten vıjar en el tıempo y darte cuenta de la ımportancıa de Gazıantep. Sın embargo la mayorıa de las casas estaban en unas condıcıones muy precarıas.
El paseo fue genıal, tranquılo, luna llena y noche calurosa. Ahora estamos lıstos para descansar y manhana dısfrutar de la cıudad y del jacussı.

Pronto empezaremos a rodar.

Her şey için bir kucaklama (un abrazo para tod@s)

We are in Gaziantep

24 Sep Antep, Turkey

Dear Friends

We are on our trip, finally! Yesterday we flew from Stansted to Istanbul to Gaziantep (South Turkey).
It was good fun and so far we only noticed that we have forgotten the phone charger, but Turkey be thanked that is already sorted out for 2.5 Euros in Antep.

But let´s start at the beginning. We managed our packing well. We finished at 3am (sorry housemates for the late hoovering) Then Carlos rushed at 7am to shave (he was afraid that in a muslım country people do not know how to shave as they wear beards) and on to the storageroom to leave the last few forgotten items.
I in the meantime dragged the bags downstairs and made the sandwiches as Pegasus air is only offering meal if you pay. No worries there the last tıme ham in a while was a good option, specially as the dessert was berries from the garden.

The Taxi arrived in time and with enought space for all the things.

Oh at that time it was still sunny in England but once aboard the taxi we were seen off with increasing bad weather and torrential rain in Stanstead.

The surprise was Pegasus Airlınes. Helpful check in staff, even asking if we deflated the tires on the bikes. No probs at the customs and a quick noodle meal before boarding. OK 20 min delay due to rainstorm but they acctually did keep us informed.

Then we took off and Carlos and me had a snooze. The plane was full and seating like Easy jet, only wıthout the sales pitch. Over Bayreuth we started looking out of the window and munching our delicious lunch. I think İ know where to go on our next trip already. Along the Danube lookes great from above, just need to make sure I start in Austria as Bulgaria is terribly hılly.

Then we set foot into Turkey. We already had our boarding pass for the flight to Antep so we thought 1hour 20 is plenty. Most of the people were queueing on the counter for Vısas which we ignored only to arrive at the passport control and finding out that Carlos had to go back and to get a Visa too... Barbara and her white cross on red background PP was of course welcomed without any Visa needed. VIVA la SUISSE.

A major sweat broke out not because of the high temperature, while Carlos tried to jump the queue.
Well I never run through a airport that fast and normally I am not early. We managed but were not able to change any money into Turkısh Liras (TL). Nevermind.
On the flight we met Marion. An English Lady on her way to a mayor dig in Sanlıurfa our next destination. We had a very enjoyable conversation on the flight and could not believe how quickly we arrived.

When stepping out of the aircraft a heatwave welcomed us. 25 degrees easily at 9.30pm. Welcome to the summer.
Antep airport is a little desolate, specially as the international passengers are imediately segregated from the national arrivals.
Anyhow guess what we saw first moment out of the plane. The unloading of our very fragil bike box. Uuuuppps it just slipped through the hands of the loading staff and fell off the other side. Carlos was ignoring it, holding Barbara back so she could not have a word with them.

But hey at least they were here. We then had to let customs x ray the bags. "What is in the box?" " A bike" "Two boxes,two bikes? You like bikes". We decided not to try to explain that a girl can ride a bike too.
After splitting up into 2 taxis for the ride to our lovely hotel Barbara tried to change some Euros into TL so the taxi driver does not need to wait to long. In Turkey it seems Taxi drıver do not matter much "they can wait" was the answer when she asked that the money is changed before all the hotel formalities are comleted.

After that we crashed, without dinner.

Then on the 24 we had our first holiday lay in, then we went to get some food (Antep is the capital of good eating and İ think it is true). But what is really amazing are the Pistacio nuts. So many variaties. And they are very very tasty. They have the untoasted unsalted ones too yummie.

After a hour or so out we came back to the hotel, no not to enjoy the 30 degreed at the pool, but to assemble the bikes (los caballos) in the otoupark. Luckily there were not many cars down there and it was about 20 degrees only. By 6pm we were done and ready for dinner.

So we went but the restaurant we chosen was closing, but the owner passed the phone over and hıs wife explained in best german (less accent than Barbara) that her husband will send us to somewhere else where the food is deli. And so it was. Very shiny place wıth super food and somebody explaining what we should try. Some of the food was on Ayfer`s list and yes they are very very good. (İf you ever need good food, friendly people go to Antep).
After a extensive dinner (yes İ know we are trying to lose some weıght on this trip so we fit in some nice clothes for the wedding (not ours)).

After dinner we went to buy a map for the area between Antep and Urfa because traffic is manic on the big roads. The two kids palying on the computer in the offıcematerial shop we passed imediately understood the word Atlas and they understood we need one for this area. So they called Dady away from his tea. So Mumy came too. We then tried to have a conversation Dady said he was born in Germany Barbara tried to explain she is from Switzerland. Well it was not easy, but at least we learned that he is not Turkish but Kurdish. Barbara had a smile with the mother and the bıgger kid charged us for the map with his brothers assistance in knowing the number 5 in english.
İn short it was great!

Then we decided to walk the long way home and to stroll via the castle back to the hotel. Well tomorrow we will also stay in Antep to see some more. This was a good taster. The old houses look very interesting and many families, men and wifes were sitting on their doorsteps for a chat. Ahh and the fırst shoe incident was witnessed. A naughty boy got a shoe thrown at him by his mother.

I promise we will not be so lenghty with all our entries, but we have such a good impression so far. İf this keeps going this way then this will be the destination of choice for the future.
Ahh and by the way woman are wearıng short sleeves, no headscarfs etc. What a misconception İ carried in my mind!

Spirits are high hope this stays on when we start cycling!

Cheers Barbara and Carlos


Liebes Mami wir haben eine super Zeit. Die Leute sind so freundlich und hilfsbereit wie ich es selten erlebt habe. Mach Dir keine Sorgen wir geben sorg. Aber ich moechte nochmals sagen dass ich einen ganz falsches Bıild von der Turkei hatte. Auf jeden Fall hat sie sich bis jetzt im besten Licht praesentiert.

Dir wuerde es hier auch gefallen! Aber es ist ein bisschen heiss.

Kuss Barbara

My last day at work

Today was my last day at work for the next 3 months. Sounds like a long time but... Well I hope that the guys staying behind will not have to many strikes and other problems to deal with. So they should not miss me to much.

I was riding home and suddenly it hit me: This may be the last time I am riding this way. The nearly full moon was looking down on me in a beautiful sky and it was really peaceful. I guess that is a good farewell.

But then I arrived home and Carlos told me about another catastrophe with the bikes. Yesterday we spent all afternoon trying to find a hanger for the bike gears (a vital part except if you are going on a monospeed) and in one of the many shops they exchanged our hanger with one which does not fit.  We were also unsuccesful in getting a kilometer counter (not an essential but yes nice to have).Therefore Carlos had a freakish morning.

But we got the rings, so Carlos put it on my and I on his finger on the Westbound platform at Stratford, waiting for the tube, promising to stick together and to love each other during the next 3 months. So we are offically married (at least in our heads); for the next three months. Then we may divorce again on the eastbound platform at Stratford as he does not like to wear a ring and I do not like the design of it (mine needs to be made by my friend Hernan Ormachea and the design is already set in my mind.... are you reading this Hernan? As long as you are not willing to work in wood and gold I will not be able to get married).

Well the good nes tonight was we got it wrong...The 23 Sep when our flight is taking us on our adventure is not as we thought the Wednesday but the Thursday of this week, that bought us 24h to finalise all the things still outstanding. So the most important one is tomorrow evening going for some civilized drinks with our friends (Where dear ones). I think we might stock up on english beer and cider bringing us through the 3 months without any drinks (do not forget that Syria and Lebanon have their own wine and beers).

And me getting ready to visit all these lovely Hamans (Carlos is a little afraid as there might be some unwanted sexual attraction).

At the moment I am in a good spirits "no pain no gain", but wait until the first hills come up.

Well if you want you can hear it on our blog.

Please do appologize for any spelling mistakes I do not have a spell check.

Next time we will be writing to you from either Turkey or Syria!

Take care of yourselfs.

We will be missing yous

Acerda de nosotros

Hola, mi nombre es Carlos y en este blog contare nuestras aventuras en Oriente Medio. Estare viajando con mi pareja, Barbara, por el Oriente Medio pero primero pemitanme presentarnos.
Yo, Carlos, estoy muy unido a la bicicleta. Con 10 anhos empeze a competir en el Club Ciclista Ponteareas, este fue el comienzo del romance. Competi en todas las categorias hasta profesionales donde lo tuve que dejar por diversos problemas fisicos. Despues de dedicarle 16 anhos de mi vida al ciclismo estaba un poco 'cansado' y empeze una nueva vida con el objetivo de encontrar algo que me hiciese disfrutar tanto como lo habia hecho el ciclismo.
Tuve la suerte de viajar 1 mes por Peru con un amigo y el pais me cautivo por lo que regrese un poco despues. En este segundo viaje conoci a la que hoy es mi pareja, Barbara. Ella llevava 3 anhos viviendo en Peru. Yo estaba  con mi bicicleta (como no) y me habia hecho amigo de los ciclistas en Cuzco. A traves de Hernan conoci a Barbara (gracias compadre).
Nuestras vidas se separaron pero 2 anhos mas tarde nos encontramos en Espanha y desde aquella estamos juntos. Ahora mismo vivimos en Londres donde ella trabaja en el sector del turismo y yo recientemente he acabado un Master en Psicologia del Deporte. Como eso de estudiar fue muy 'duro' decidimos que nos tomariamos unos meses sabaticos haciendo un viaje en bicicleta por el Oriente Medio. Concretamente Sur de Turquia, Siria, Libano, Jordania e Israel.

Un suenho hecho realidad y solo queda una semana para empezar esta aventura!!!

Carlos & Barbara