DUBROVNIK - 24 May 2009
It was the moment when Nick brushed his teeth with shaving cream that made us all wonder if we had been on the road too long. In the last week we have crossed Turkey, Bulgaria, the Balkans and find ourselves in Dubrovnik. Huge changes both culturally and scenically. As we came north from Syria through the beautiful Taurus mountains of southern Turkey for the first time since Algeria, gone was the sand and sparse vegetation of the desert to be replaced by woodland, grass, wild flowers, service stations with unleaded fuel and people. We spent the first two nights in Goreme in Cappadocia. The area where a combination of geological uplift and wind created the conical rock formations which the persecuted Christians of the 4th century hollowed out into houses. But coach loads of tourists, cheap souvenir stands and kebab stalls do detract from the charm and beauty of the place.
Two days later we were in Istanbul. Expensive, exotic and fun. Again overrun with tourists but well worth a return visit. Sweet shops full of Turkish delight and baklava, the sweet pastries of the east, and the aroma of Turkish coffee. It was my birthday and a whip round from the boys produced 25 Turkish Lira (or £11) for a present. I was relieved it was not spent on the belly dancer they threatened. We visited all the main sites – Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, the Topcapi museum and the water cistern and wished we had time for more.
Across Bulgaria and into Serbia. Sullen, ugly border thugs, full of their own self importance and power, brought home recollections of the Balkans war. We found ourselves in Nish for the night. The Lonely Planet quotes: Accommodation in Nish has been pathetic for some time. At the time of research there was only one city hotel open and the others were either closed or on strike. We found the Regent Club quite by accident and had probably the best meal of the entire trip. Locally cured prosciutto and a salty three year old cheese were a masterful combination followed by tender lamb cooked in milk and in the back ground a quartet, the Nish equivalent of the Buena Vista Social Club. As the evening wore on and the slivovitz took its hold we had visions of them on stage in London. But like slivovitz, they probably taste better at home.
We pass many more bikers now making the trip from Europe. In Africa we would have waved at anyone on two wheels but from recollection we only ever saw one other bike and that was in Tunisia. A few more once we were in Jordan and Syria. Now we have reverted to type, totally ignoring sports bikes or Harleys and pretending Charlie is not really with us.
Kosovo is a strange place. We did not see a house, shop or factory that appeared to be over 10 years old and many appear to be lying empty. Another result of the war but who is funding it all? We crossed into Montenegro climbing high into the mountains, passed their ski resort before dropping down to the coast. Dramatic and beautiful as the mountains plunge down into the sea forming the only fjord on the Adriatic. The Russians have bought up the coastline and it is now looking very built up. In Podgorica, Charlie jumped a red light and was stopped. Ten minutes later and €80 lighter after some negotiations by Tim, we had a happy Charlie who did not have to attend the magistrates court in the morning, and a happy policeman who, as a Manchester United fan, could now make the trip to Rome for the final.
We arrived into Dubrovnik just as the sun set after 14 hours in the saddle and 8 border check points. It had been a fantastic ride. In distance terms not so far but twisting roads through beautiful mountains, constantly overtaking, constantly vigilant for the unpredictable move by other drivers. Sore bums as we eventually climbed off crotchety and hungry. My previous visit had been in 1975 and the marble streets, buildings and setting had left a lasting impression. What a disappointment to find it crammed with people, every available building converted to service the tourist industry. It had lost much of its magic and it was difficult to appreciate the magnificence of the baroque architecture. We realised how truly spoilt we had been wandering through Palmyra, Leptis, Cyrene and all those other wonderful sites of north Africa and the Middle East with barely another foreigner to be seen.
Now we head north up the Dalmatian coast and across Italy.