Day 60: Varna, Bulgaria to Gelibolu, Turkey: 510km, one border crossing, 28 - 37DegC

A long and hot ride from Varna in Bulgaria to Gelibolu in Turkey.

We have been riding along the 45-46 parallel for the past month since we arrived in Salzberg.

Lovely riding conditions. 

It was interesting  seeing the changes as we rode south to the 40th parallel.

Hotter, drier, more arid.

The bike is 'air-conditioned' so with my arms stretched out over the yellow bags a nice cool breeze cools my arms.

We ride through lots of corn and sunflower fields in Bulgaria. 

Some have been harvested and the land ploughed for next seasons seeds. 

Melons are the star attractions at the road side stalls, water melons and large rock melons. 

Alongside are  tomatoes and cucumbers.

Sliced tomatoes and cucumbers have been on almost every breakfast buffet since we left the UK. 

 

I'll let the photographs tell the story of our day.

The houses, the landscapes, the people and the food.

 

Houses in Bulgaria.

Mainly apartments, some from the communist era, in the cities. 

Grapevines drape most rural homes.

 

I think I can read this.

 

The cities we visited in Bulgaria are modern. This overhead walk way across a bury intersection is in Burgas.

 

 

Rural scenes in Bulgaria.

 

Our Danube River  cruise. Cost 9lei. About $NZ2.50

 

 

Border crossings have just become a little more complicated. Dick has written about this in his

blog

 

Women gathering. The men seem to gather in the tea shops in the afternoon.

 

Mehmet and Suleiman. Mehmet is explains the game they were playing. They'll fly gave us tea and water. Such hospitality to strangers is reassuring to us.

 

Our friends.

 

 

It became hot, dry and arid after Bulgaria.  Irrigation assisted crop growing.

 

Bread seller.

First sighting of  the Aegean Sea. 

 

Public buildings adorned with the flag and banners of the President.

 

The beach at Gelibolu.

 

Driver's reward, a local beer.

 

Turkish'chicken roasting' - - spicy concoction of tomato, capsicum, chicken, mushroom topped with cheese. Lovely garden salad and a local Efes pilsener.

Kofte(meat balls) with chips and some red onion and herbs.

 

The exchange rate is 1NZD =2.13 Turkish lira.