After I finished the russian course we cycled an impressive round-tour in southern Crimea. Returning to the campground we celebrated a great farewell party with plenty of vodka flowing.

After 36 hours on the ferryboat across the black sea, we arrived on 6th of August - via Bosporus which splits Asia and Europe - in one of the most beautiful metropoles of the world. Istanbul with around 15 Mio inhabitants, where modern and traditional life hit each other, enchants us with impressive mosques, fantastique palaces and colourful bazars.

The first thing we noticed here in Turkey is the great hospitality. The friendliness and offers of tea, kebap, fruits, smiles are constant and e.g. the drive with Merthan (Swiss/Turkish guy we met just after arrival) along the Bosporus up to the far end of entering the black sea ending with a delightful fish dinner, or the Disco night with our dear hosts from Istanbul, were the dot on the i.

To avoid the city traffic we took a Bosporus ferry boat up to the black sea (asian side). Here we started cycling along the coast - well, cycling is maybe said too much. Often we had to push our bikes because we were not able to do the up to 20% descents in another way. The climat was hot and damp, the sweat drips in eyes, mouth and nose, the clothes are drenched. But at night it got nice and cool so we were able to sleep very well.

Cycling here in Turkey is a great pleasure because of the already mentioned turkish hospitality. We endeed regret not to be able to speak the turkish language, even so many people speak english or german. While heading inland from the black sea coast, we experienced a storm. It blew us uphill when in the back, but when it hit us from the front it made us use all our strength to even go downhill. But the worst were the gusts of wind. Once I just did not have enough strength to hold the bike, and often the wind blasted us from one side to the other or even sometimes into the ditch. Good thing on that road to have practically no traffic.

After 5677 km of cycling we finally had to repair the first flat tire. A very sharp thorn was the cause. Ankara - the capital of Turkey - is a fast growing city with an annual growth of 100'000 people. Here we applied for the Syrian visa, which took us quite a while. And the visa will be ready to be collected after two weeks only.

So we cycled to Goereme, Cappadocia, where we met friends from Vals and our sponsor Sahli with wife Claudia and son Ege. It was just so great to see them all, to get spoiled by getting driven by car, eating all these delicious turkish specialities and chatting with beloved friends, we wished it would never have ended.

Goereme is a fantastic place with a landscape like a fairy tale. We hike through the valleys and explore settlements curved into the tuff rocks, rock churches, the astounding chimney rocks formed by erosion. This is one of the places on earth you just should not miss.

From here we will go on to the beach of Alanya (southcoast) where we will meet with our daughters Nicole and Tanja. We can hardly wait.