Our wheels become rooted in Turkey!

Speak any language, Turkish, Greek, Persian, Arabic, but always speak with love.

-Rumi

As our wheels starts to root deeper in Eastern Turkey, so is our love with the landscapes and people!

Encountering unbelievable hospitality never stops in Turkey!

For example, the driver Engin, who gave me a short ride in Cappadocia, suddenly offered us a stay in his family! And what a homestay that was!

They took us to Nemrut Dagi, until now the most enchanted landscape in Turkey we discovered, while the holy statues of old Hellenistic times were watching over us! We ate durum with Engin's family while watching one of the most beautiful sunsets at 2150 meters (you could even see Syria).

Nemrut Dagi, that's where the magic happens (I know I might sound like a tourist advertising slogan from a travel agency). Important: we arrived 1 hour before (from the little road coming from Malatya) the tourist buses arrived to watch the sunset, I advise you to do the same!

If you like Neolithic cities, Aslantepe is definitively a must to go!

Anyways, it will be clear we have been confronted with our history lessons of the first years of secondary school, finally discovering Mesopotamia, the land between Tigris and Euphrates.

Nemrut dagi was the cherry on top of the cake during our homestay, but apart from that they offered us food all the time (I got a private food tour in Malatya's bazar where everybody asked where I came from) and I received three pieces of clothing, just like that!

Refusing these clothes seemed impolite as Sudiye (Engin's wife) enthusiastically clapped her hands while wavering around me. If that was already over-the-top friendliness, she spent 30 minutes giving me a stunning hairdo. I felt like a bride, or a princess (and not quite sure if I deserved this attention).

We encouraged each other to improve my Turkish and her English language skills, by learning from Google translate, Duolingo and endless talks. Little son Metehan and mother Sudiye were trying to beat each other while doing the Duolingo lesson, meanwhile constantly putting a smile on my face.

Engin and Sudiye consecrated us the secrets of making delicious Yapra Sarmak by my fabulous host.

So we sat together on the ground cloth, rolling these Sarmak rolls, an attention-asking but nevertheless relaxing activity!

Turkish people spend so much time with their guests. Would we do the same if we were allowed the time in our Western society?

Next experience with hospitality, Thomas got a haircut for free!

How does the story go? At 5 pm we enter Kale in search of accommodation. It turns out the hotel in Kale is being renovated. Therefore, after a few minutes one of the guys at the teahouse suggests that we sleep above the supermarket – in his café (after ensuring us that it is closed this night). We can use the fridge for free, filled with diverse beverages – a thankful present if you consider the heat.

Next to the café is a men kuaför (yes, Turkish for coiffeur) who offers to cut Thomas hair! He is only doing this for 8 months, but I have to admit: I like Thomas’ new haircut much more than the one he normally gets in Belgium. Pleased with our enthusiasm, he takes us to his home 500 meters further and offers us the best meal with a view – his self-built house embedded in a big garden looks out over the lake of Kale.

Are these people aware of the gem this property?

Interestingly, the women appear to serve the food, but they don’t eat with us, only men (our host, his father and oldest child) and us seem to be present at the table.

Being guided through our host’s garden, we are taught how to milk a goat by the grandmother – she has so strong hands! I admire her.

Regrettably we have to avow, as soon as we enter more touristic places, the hospitality melts away. In Mardin we feel really treated as walking wallets. There is a reason why Mardin is UNESCO world heritage – it’s special and captivating houses are a pleasure for the eye. Nevertheless, we consider ourselves more at peace in nature than in touristic cities, which accounts for our short stay there.

We are definitely becoming Turkish foodies; trying out menus or (most of the time) being offered for ‘Ikram’ local specialities!

The last month we have been drinking kahve (coffee) in all sorts and intensities (Turkish, Bibek, Menengic - last one is strictly speaking no coffee but a milky pistachio drink)!

- As the temperature is brutally rising since Malatya, Reyhan Serbeti (sugary drink made with red basil leaves) is crowned our favorite fresh cold tea!

- We discovered a hidden vegan gem in meat-palace city Diyarbakir with cok cok lezetle yemek (too much yummy food) and a heavenly calm cosy atmosphere! #Gabo kitchen

- We consider cold Turkish yoghurt-mint or lentil soup (merçimek) as an absolute delicatesse!

- I’m having a crush on Turkish nuts, as they are everywhere in all colours and sizes – Turkey is one of the biggest export countries of nuts.

I would almost forget that we are cycling! The hot temperature makes cycling a challenge, so the last three days we got up around 5-6 am to conquer some kilometers or climbs before the real heat cooked us slowly. Cycling the last 10 kilometers to Diyarbakir was as biking in an oven – if there was wind it was a hot one, and the smog made it difficult to breath.

Nevertheless, the landscapes – as always- have been rewarding. We cooled down by swimming in Hazar lake, an enormous natural lake with a probable sunken city on its soil, after sharing a picnic with a Turkish family.

Although morning cycling is an amazing experience (no one is up yet, besides – unfortunately – the shepherd dogs), we’re trying to figure out how we’re going to beat the heat in Iran, as this country tend to be overly mountainous (read: a lot of climbs) and hot at the same time!

We have been more than a month in Turkey now, time flies!

Next up: lake Van and Iranian border crossings! Exiting times!

Little note: if you want to support our project to buy bicycles for the IIMC schoolchildren, please don’t hesitate to look on our website to know more about the project!

The money is safely transferred, and I have the uttermost confidence that the money is well spent, as I worked for more than a month with the coordinator of this project!

We’re still trying to reach 2000 euros, and would love to hand over 3000 euros by the end of august.

We try to save up as much money we can concerning accommodation and food, but every little euro would help us! Many thanks again for all the lovely people who gave us financial and thus also a little mental support