Friday 8 June 2012

Bergama to Kutahya

A short report today because I am very tired after a long day.


Ate a huge breakfast at the guesthouse and then had a very varied day on every type of road imaginable and through a wide variety of terrain. The roads ranged from new multilane highways to narrow winding country lanes, mountain passes past snow streaked peaks, to gravel roads made of egg sized river pebbles. The countryside varied from coal mining country complete with coal fired power station, to lush irrigated farms, to subsistence farming on poor soils, to opium poppy farms, conifer forests, deciduous forests, and limestone plateaus. Were stopped by the police again for another licence, rego paper and insurance check. Again there were 3 of them and the boss spoke a bit of English. He advised against going on one of the minor roads ahead but we ignored him and it turned out to be the best part of the ride though very slow and twisty. Morning tea stop in the main square of a small market town and  lunch at modern highway cafe. The afternoon was very tiring on mainly terrible highways full of potholes and with the bad gravel sections. Must have done about 400 km much of it at only 40 kph.



Visited the 2nd century AD Temple of Zeus at Cavdarhisar and had planned to stay the night in the town but couldn't find a hotel so we pushed on to Kutahya. Rode round the city centre trying to find a hotel and were eventually successful at the main square. Wandered around town a bit looking at some of the old Ottoman houses, most of which are falling into total disrepair or being converted into shops.



The illuminated porcelain fountain in the main square.

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