http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Omentide/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Omentide en-us Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:14:31 +0000 Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:14:31 +0000 Predictably the worst part of the journey was the M25 where we got stuck behind a very nasty accident for a long time.We are however home and safe. http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Greater-London/Ealing/blog-415450.html Dinner was sensational. Ashley started with a duck foie gras which was very intense. Hilary had roasted goat cheese with honey which was amazing. The duck was medium in the French sense of medium. It came with several vegetables some of which worked better than others. The sauce was a bit sweet but well flavoured with orange fennel and I think sage. We didn't photograph the cheese char http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Nord-Pas-de-Calais/blog-415203.html We are further north now in St Omer about 30 miles from Calais which makes getting across the channel and back to west London pretty easy assuming the weather continues to hold. It has been warm again today. I really cannot complain we left the UK at about 2.30pm on 5th June since then we have not needed wet weather gear.This close to the channel and on a Saturday St Omer is rather unsurpr http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Nord-Pas-de-Calais/blog-415119.html Last night's dinner was as predicted pleasant enough but overpriced. The cheeseboard was however sensational. We did get four courses for the money though neither of us could finish the crme brulee. Today was the first cool and not very sunny ride since we left the UK back in early June. It was cool enough to wear gloves the first time I have worn riding gloves since Italy on the way out http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Picardie/Laon/blog-414878.html Last night was too hot to sleep. This is a paradox as we have been in places far hotter it is probably the humidity that makes the heat unpleasant. We opened the windows at 4 a.m. and turned on the fan. This meant we could hear the trains as they ran by including TGV's going very fast but it was easier to sleep.We got a good breakfast with lots of coffee then set off for Fort D'Orient. We http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Champagne-Ardenne/blog-414772.html Today began with breakfast of croissants bread cheese jam and coffee. We then attempted to leave the hotel but the bike got stuck in deep gravel in the car park. The hotel was unable to assist. Hilary and two passing frenchmen were unable to push it out of the hole. In the end it got reversed back onto the pavement and then powered its way out. But for a few moments we thought we would http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Burgundy/blog-414767.html After a pretty decent French breakfast coffee croissants cheese jam and more coffee we decided to make more use of the cablecar passes to access some good walking. Not as high as yesterday but yesterday we were well above the snow line and we do not have the gear for walking on ice. Equally neither of us have acclimatised to altitude so staying below 3000 metres was probably a very good http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Rh-ne-Alpes/Chamonix/blog-413725.html The hotel gave us coffee but was not set up for breakfast so we drank coffee tried to get online failed as the hotel connection was down packed up and left. We stopped at a motorway services where we had the breakfast deal espresso orange juice and a chocolate croissant each then headed for Mont Blanc through a series of tunnels culminating in the Mont Blanc tunnel itself. This tunnel http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Rh-ne-Alpes/Mont-Blanc/blog-413409.html Nothing much happened on the ferry. We chatted to people. Hilary read the other two books she bought for the reader Fury and Interworld. Eventually we got to Ancona left straight away and rode 80 km straight into the sun ending up back at the Ferrara hotel in Cattolica. They seemed pleased to see us. Ashley demanded new eyes but settled for beer goggles we found a place opposite the Rit http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Aosta-Valley/Aosta/blog-413299.html Sadly the time came to say our goodbyes and leave Selcuk at least for a time. The first part of the journey along the coast road was pretty and very enjoyable. Soon though the coast turned into resort after resort with very little way of telling where one ended and the next one started. When the road went up the mountains away from the coast it did get pretty again and the air full of the sc http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Turkey/Aegean/Cesme/blog-413117.html After the usual excellent breakfast we took the minibus to Sirince. They run every half hour and it is not far not far as the crows fly and there are a whole lot of crows here but it's a steep and winding road up a mountain. Sirince is pretty and takes advantage of this. It's full of little stalls selling honey fruit wine and olive oil soap. There are also a load of restaurants and pans http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Turkey/Aegean/Sel-uk/blog-411514.html Today has been a blast of fun. Went riding through Kusadasi and some smaller villages to the Millipark National Park. The ride there and back was pretty good then we got to the park. A small winding paved road with mountains on one side and the sea on the other the whole area heavily forested with pines oak plane fig olive and various other trees frequently with vines growing betwe http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Turkey/Aegean/Sel-uk/blog-411132.html Today has been fantastic. We went out riding. There were some great roads wide and winding through mountains able to go fast enough to stay cool. I got stung by a wasp through my tshirt my leather was open but that is no big deal.We managed to visit 4 ancient sites. Magnesia which we came to by chance and the three planned for Didim because of the fantastic Apollo oracle Miletus becaus http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Turkey/Aegean/Didyma/blog-410812.html Today there was excellent breakfast followed by a trip to the local weekly market. The market here is not all that large compared to say Ayvalik but we did find all one would reasonably expect. Seasonal vegetables fruit herbs cheese honey clothes houseware and spices. We bought paprika and pul biber.We picked up the rucksack and dropped off the spices before catching the minibus to Ep http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Turkey/Aegean/Ephesus/blog-410510.html The day started with the apricot and the antiapricot. I'm not going to explain this. Be puzzled.We saw a place for sale in Selcuk a house in the old town on the hill. It was rather run down to say the least probably needs a new roof new floorboards new stairs new windows and new doors. It was quite fascinating and certainly had potential and some of the rooms were remarkably cool which http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Turkey/Aegean/Sel-uk/blog-410187.html The best things to say about the ride today are 1. No mishaps2. We made it to SelcukWe checked in at the Homeros a really nice and friendly place on the hill. Had tea ate gozleme a sort of pancake. We are going to be here for a few days some day trips planned some on the bike and maybe some on the dolmus. We had a little wander around town looked at some places. This is the area we a http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Turkey/Aegean/Sel-uk/blog-409841.html I found a new road surface today something to add to gravel rock and the rest. Tar. It is going to be fun trying to get the tar off the bike when I get home For now I am not going to worry about it. For once we got to go riding without the luggage which is nice the bike copes well with the luggage but it was good to leave it and the windshield behind for a day. Most of the ride was fun http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Turkey/Aegean/Aphrodisias/blog-409450.html After a rather good breakfast bread olives melon watermelon cheese omlette washed down with lots of coffee we spent all day wandering around the travertines and the ruins of Heiropolis. I managed to not put sunblock an a bit of my legs with the inevitable result a rather red patch which is a little sore. Oh well. Hilary managed to miss a bit as well but it is all minor so nothing to http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Turkey/Aegean/Pamukkale/blog-409214.html It was a long and hot ride from Bergama to Pamukkale but all went pretty much to plan in that we did not get lost or have any sort of mishap. We took the inland route via Sahili more direct and less highway. There were a couple of events of note firstly roadworks there was a short bit of unsurfaced road and gravel which returned to a reasonable surface after a few hundred yards I thought gre http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Turkey/Aegean/Pamukkale/blog-408807.html After riding for the last 9 days it was nice to have a break and do tourist stuff. The tourist stuff being wandering around the ruins of Bergama. These are both extensive and impressive. We took many photographs. I was wondering why people go to visit these places. I'm pretty sure that I know why I do. I am interested in history. I am particularly interested in classical and preclassical http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Turkey/Aegean/Bergama/blog-408530.html