A Tale of Two Castles
Before going on a trip, there is the preparation, Ali had to get new brake pads and an oil change to do before we could depart for Babak Castle.
Enter Iran
Border crossings are always accompanied by anticipation of the unknown that lies beyond, but on that day my excitement was especially intense. There was something strangely unsettling in the prospect of entering Iran, I was nervous and very excited and not exactly sure why.
Nemrut Dağı: the finale
I left Nemrut Dagı and set course for Nemrut Dagı. You doubt my sanity here? This notion might not be totally wrong (there will be further evidence later in this episode) but this statement isn’t actually as idiotic as it seems.
Nemrut Dağı: the debut
In Cappadokia I got the very valuable tip to visit Nemrut Dagı, a mountain in southeastern Turkey. It was on my towards Iran and I didn’t have any different destinations, so why not go there?
Cappadokia
It all started approximately 20 million years ago with intense volcanic activity. The region of Cappadokia was covered in immense amounts of volcanic ash, over millenia the ash was compacted to tuff, a soft and crumbly rock. Since then erosion created this bizarre landscape with its winding valleys and stone pillars, called fairy chimneys.
Serious Business in Thessaloniki
I didn’t come to Thessaloniki to act as a tourist, instead I had some serious business to do. Since that crash in Gradiste almost 3 weeks ago, I was riding with a hole in my panniers and a broken right handguard. I planned to fix that, and for once fate was on my side.
Castles and Monasteries
Not far behind the border to Albania on the lakeshore lies Ohrid. With a history going back to early antiquity, it has a beautiful old town with a castle, byzantine churches and much more to offer for the traveller.
The Last Rainfall
Because ist was too hot close to the sea, I decided to go back to the mountains, to the Durmitor national park to be more precise. This meant I had…