Day 79 - Edirne

4,177.50 km - 322 Left to pedal

We slept in this morning. After breakfast we planned for the remaining 322 kilometres to Istanbul. Hélène refined the route to be used each day. We got most of the daily lodging sorted except for this one establishment where language was a problem. We enlisted the help of the hotel front desk. The place we wanted to stay at wanted full payment now but our hotel person found that to be unreasonable. The matter was resolved in our favour.

We took a taxi to the city centre and the Selimiye mosque saving us a 45 minute walk. The mosque is being restored and is not open to visitors.

Selimiye mosque

City Centre is a busy and happening place with lots of pedestrian and vehicular traffic. There are loads of shops selling, making and repairing just about anything and everything. There are also loads of small restaurants making very difficult to decide where to sit and what to eat. We almost experienced analysis paralysis but in the end, we managed to have lunch. 

Choose small restaurant, few tables and tiny menu.  Problem solved

We checked out a number of bazaars co-located with mosques, had ice cream and Turkish chai while sitting in the shade.  

                                            We added sugar as recommended, pretty good

We then headed towards the Macedonia Tower only to find it wrapped in scaffolding and building wrap being restored.  From there we made our way to the Serefeli mosque and museum. There was a very impressive collection of mosque renditions that included in what cities those mosques were built and the name of the architect. Mimar Sinar was the name that appeared most often.

As we made our way to the taxi stand, we stopped for sweets and coffee. I noticed a touring cyclist and thought he looked familiar. I asked if he was from “Stow” and he replied “Yes”. He was the young Englishman, Jim, we met a while back when entering Bulgaria. We had thought he would be in Instanbul already. Turns out he got to cycle more European countries than we did. Unlike us, Jim will be cycling home after spending sometime volunteering on a farm in Turkey, if memory serves me right.

Jim & Daniel

Another cab and we were back at the hotel ready for supper. They have a nicely priced restaurant and the food is tasty and plenty.

No plans yet for tomorrow but we will sort that in the morning.

Mosque up the street from our hotel