Thanks Jim - the cold is taking care of itself and is doing fine - me, slightly less so!
Westward Ho!
I leave the Maku Tourist Hotel by 0830, after an adequate breakfast and an inadequate discussion with management about the absence of hot water in the shower. They explain they are a government hotel and can do nothing to make amends! My theory is they used all the heat pumping it out the radiator - my room was like a boiler room all night even with the window fully open.
However it's chilly but dry outside. Last night I had a deputation to ask me to park my motorcycle in the marble floored lobby of the hotel in case it rained. This biker has an allergy to marble, especially when mixed with water as they proceed to do. So I declined the offer and am glad it was dry all night.
20 Kms later I am at the border in Bazargan. On my way past the Kms of lorries queued up I see in the queue a German campervan- I am puzzled why they would choose the TIR queue and be there for days when they could drive straight up as I do.
Entering the customs area I am led by a courteous gent to the Carnet area which I recognise from 3 weeks ago. Rapidly my carnet is filled out (very important process here as recovery of my €3,300 deposit depends on this being done right). Then I slip through passport control - a slight delay like last time as internet is slow!
Then I am out of Iran, changing my remaining 20,000 Toman as I go. The entry process to Turkey is equally painless (it helps that I have made laminated colour copies of my vehicle registration document and my green card).
So by 9am I am in Turkey!
Once out of the border post I connect my heated jacket and prepare for a cool ride. I have booked a hotel in Erzurum some 300 Kms away - looks like I will be there early!
It's chilly on the Anatolian altiplano (yes I know that's the Spanish term but I love the alliteration)
It feels different being in Turkey again - almost like coming home! I can use credit cards, ATMs, have internet access to the BBC news (not when I am riding of course!) and am covered by my uk insurance.
But I am reminded of how secure Iran feels when as I approach Dogubuyazit I see an armoured car and soldiers fanned out across countryside by the road, presumably in an anti PKK operation. (Attentive readers will recall I was turned back at a military roadblock near here 3 weeks earlier!)
And there are a series of heavily armoured roadblocks as I head West. The clearly cold soldier who stopped me was interested in how I didn't freeze, riding fast in these conditions.
It's also harvest time and the fields are full of workers picking spuds
Also the biggest cauliflowers (?) I have ever seen
As expected I arrive in Erzurum by about 1pm which is most civilised even if I have to take a circuitous route to the hotel because police have blocked the direct route.
One follower of this blog asked for more cultural elements to this blog. He may have been facetious in which case he will regret his words! Erzurum is a very historic city:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erzurum
so I will limit myself to the highlights of a pleasant, sunlit afternoon of mooching around - the only westerner in town as far as I can see.
It is striking to observe the reduced hijab with about half the women bareheaded and wearing more western clothing.
I visit a couple of historic madrasahs
This one has some lovely artefacts so although there are no mosaics I am taken by this 12th century pottery
And a pair of matching jugs which may appeal to some readers
The next madrasah is apparently notably for its form of minarets. It's clearly a big pull for Turkish tourists
Ok that's enough minarets I think!
It's easier here dealing with familiar script so even if you don't speak Turkish you can work out what the name means
The number system is also familiar although as one friend I met in Iran points out, our number system is just a corrupt version of the Persian numbers and if you swivel theirs around you can see which Western number they are in many cases (not all!).
Someone was getting married
and this Turkish bike rider was having a bad day
Police were swarming around a nearby car which must have been in contact with it.
I got back to my street to see the police are keeping a good eye on my bike, and indeed blocking off the street on which it is parked
I celebrate by cracking open the litre bottle of roghan 20/50 and topping up the engine oil level. I bought this oil on my second day in Iran and have not needed it until now.
Now off to hunt down dinner amongst the many eateries on Main Street.
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