Bursa - Iznik (90km)

Trip Start May 23, 2009
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Trip End Ongoing


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Flag of Turkey  , Bursa,
Tuesday, May 26, 2009

I stopped about 5km shy of Iznik.  I was going to just pitch by the lake but couldn't quite find the perfect spot, well, not one free of snakes anyway.  Then I stumbled upon a campsite which is just where I'd have put a campsite.  Cheeky buggers charged me 10TL for the night and the place is filthy.  Managed to get 50 kuruº off the beer though.  The sunset was perfect though and I went for a dip too - not too cold once your moving around and the water's clean.

The lake was refreshing after a long day.  I left Adrian's after 9am, said farewell to Ibo and headed north on the Yeni Yalova Yolu.  Once last call at Zülfü's for a tea on the way.  Stopped off for a Tahin simit at Öz Çarşamba simit & Firin and was invited to stay for tea.  One turned into five plus three cheese pasty's, a meat pasty and a simit.  Turkish hospitality :)  You're never far from a friend and the guest is king.

The Yalova road was noisy and busy with lorries but after 30km I turned off for Iznik lake and things became more peaceful.  I'd bought some olives near Gemlik and now I was cycling through the olive groves which stretch from the lake to the mountain.  I took the road to Dolucme and stopped for lunch.  I met Murat and Turgay at the cay hane.  They were visiting Murat's village from Istanbul for a couple of days and they treated me to tea and a (karaşık tost) mixed cheese and meat toastie.
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