Retrospective

We’re slowly starting to recover. After four days of hibernation Istanbul and Tekirdag seems so distant in our memory that it feels like a story we’d tell our grandchildren. It seems almost unbelievable that a few days ago we were bathing in the Marmara Sea or wandering in the Istanbul bazaar. It’s time to read the blog again, and refresh our memory before the presentation of the tour on the 20th of August.

This expedition was certainly worthy enough to be our anniversary “bișiklet turu”. Cycling to Tekirdag, even if we skipped Bulgaria – who would have thought a few years ago that we will be cycling through the village of Cakmak, or visiting the Rákoczis on bike? 800 kilometers (~500 miles) of riding the bike, the rest with cars and an unbelievable country.

But let’s begin with the Transylvanian/Romanian part. Țara Moților, Roșia Montană, Ilia, Banat, Orșova and Wallachia. This was the part of the expedition most similar to previous ones, since we’ve slept mostly in tents or under the stars, we cooked our own dinners and team was permanently together (as opposed to hotel rooms). This is an important part of the Bike Expedition, this is what gives it a „wild” flavor and helps build the community. This certainly benefitted us this year, we formed a team in the first few days and we’ve arrived to Turkey as a well-oiled machine. The first few days, to be honest, passed really slowly. After the exhaustion of cycling 160 kilometers (~100 miles) in two days, Tekirdag still being a thousand kilometers (~ 600 miles) away, we started to ponder the challenge we have set out to accomplish. However, nobody was thinking of turning back.

The rain followed us almost until Calafat, we got a little rained upon every day. If wouldn’t have had to build our tents or wake up wet, it wouldn’t have been a problem. It’s still better than riding the bikes in the summer heat, though. At around the middle of the expedition we left Romania, and the second part followed, crossing Bulgaria in cars. Naturally we got no rain this time, we were cruising on the highways in the sunshine. We’ve already said a lot about why we haven’t cycled here, and crossing our southern neighbor we feel our reasoning being justified. It seemed like we were going through a ghost-country – lots of abandoned settlements, collapsed buildings and somewhat unfriendly people. Outside of the cities we haven’t really seen signs of vibrant life. This doesn’t mean that there isn’t, only that we haven’t found it. In a sense it was OK this way, Turkey was our goal and we’ve spent three more days there instead.

But the essence of the expedition followed now: our one week adventure in Turkey, similar to the Hungarian exiles of the Rákoczi War of Independence, began in Edirne. Wherever we went we met helpful people in this country, who were always ready to invite us for a tea. True, we haven’t spent thirty years here, but we feel in love with Tekirdag to such a degree, that for a week we’ve forgotten Cluj-Napoca. We’ve been to places where tourists don’t really go. We’d highlight Cakmak again, since it was probably to most beautiful event of our expedition – while eating melons in the village center we’ve befriended the locals to such a degree that the local religious leader, the imam, opened their mosque, explained the essence of their rituals and sung us some of their religious songs, praising Allah. We had a similar welcome in Pehlivanköy, where the local school’s courtyard was given to us for the night. And Tekirdag was the zenith of the expedition. Hotel rooms by the sea, wonderful sights and beautiful Turkish city. Only one house was left of the Rákoczi ancestry, which is today’s Rákoczi museum. Our dear friend, Ali Kabul the museum director was our host and he told us the story of the exiles, in Hungarian (!). After that Istanbul was the cherry on top, though one day is hardly enough to discover a city of more than ten million residents.

This was Turkey and the 10th Bike Expedition, we went home on cars in two days. We’ve enriched ourselves with lifelong memories during the sixteen days. We thank everyone who helped make this expedition possible, sponsors, parents, the press and everyone who has contributed in any measure to this megaproject. Thank you for reading the blog and commenting every day to our posts.

You are all welcome at the 20th of August Bike Expedition Day at 3 PM, where we will be presenting our adventures!