Thursday November 21
Cycled: 44.34km//3hr19min//13.36km/hr
A beautiful mild morning by the sea reminded us that straying from the coast will get you into temperature troubles. We headed for Ayvalik, departure point for our ferry to Lesvos, Greece, after a relaxing morning of coffees and eggs. We began our ride by taking the 'scenic route', one that follows the edge of the coast. It was far from scenic - we were too busy sweating and focusing on the road in front of us, because the hills were outrageous, one exceeding a 20% grade that and could only be ridden by switch-backing up. The first chance we got, we opted to get back on the highway. The remainder of the ride was uneventful, except for the strong headwind that whipped up in the final 15km stretch to our destination.
We arrived in Ayvalik with time to spare, and opted for a light meal along the waters edge to pass the time. The ferry fun began at the security line up approximately 1 hour before departure. Ladies appeared, young and old, who had an incomprehensible need to be at the front of the line at all costs. Bags overflowing, boxes piled high, you'd think it was Black Friday. These ladies achieved new heights in rapid speech and hand gesturing, making the women of Turkey seem like church mice.
We arrived in Mytilini, and found our way to small local cafe (MPompiras), where we were introduced to rakomelo, or three. Of course, these were consumed with a delicious spicy feta dish, beef tongue, and rooster with mushrooms. It was warm enough to sit outside on their patio, even when it began to down poured (thankfully, there was a protective umbrella). This is where our WarmShowers host, Lisa, found us.
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| Deserted beaches are the new norm. |
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| Fishing boats in Ayvalik, bobbing beneath a rather threatening sky. |
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| Madalene enjoying our last meal in Turkey, calamari. |
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| Jenn's glamour shot aboard our ferry to Lesvos. |
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| The brights lights of Mytilini. Obviously, there is still a Turkish (muslim, mosque) influence on Lesvos |
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| Rakomelo: 1-2 teaspoons of honey for every 4 shots of raki, along with one clove and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Chiefly consumed during the winter as a warm drink. |
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| Madalene warms up with rakomellow. |
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| The weather took a turn for the worse. |
