The house where I rented the room to spend the night has a fully equipped kitchen. Last night I bought bread and spreads in the local shop so I can have breakfast without unpacking any of my camping gear. I close the door behind me and the key goes back into the mailbox.
Today I'm going to visit two huge monuments again, which are quite close to each other and on my route to Turkey.
The first monument, The Liberty Memorial in Shipka, symbolizes the liberation of Bulgaria. When it was unveiled in 1934, the colossus was supposed to resemble a Bulgarian fortress, is 32 meters high and stands on top of Shipka Peak. The 890 steps to it is still a thing but luckily it is not so hot this morning.
From the Shipka Peak you can also see the second monument I want to visit: The Buzludzha monument. Unveiled in 1981 in a place where many battles took place between the Bulgarians and Ottomans. That is exactly where the Bulgarian Communist Party wanted to come together and had this special building constructed. Because that's it. A building where the party held their meetings and events. But not for long, because after the collapse of the Soviet Union from 1989 it was left to its own devices.
Now it is unfortunately no longer accessible due to the danger of collapse and since I want to go to the border with Turkey today, I will leave it at a few photos.
The road to the border consists of many very long, straight stretches through gigantic farmlands and remote industrial areas. At 34 degrees, not always the nicest roads, but always better than motorways. Before I get to the border, I have to pass a mile-long queue of trucks, which are being directed by the police from the highway to the hinterland. I can't imagine them standing in line here for days.
Of course I can pass and, after being expelled from Bulgaria without any problems and quickly, I join the short traffic jams at the Turkish border posts. The border crossing reminds me most of an airport. Huge size with even a duty free shopping zone.
But it won't be fast. By car it takes at least 10-15 minutes before everything is arranged. Most visitors, like me, have to buy insurance because the Dutch vehicle insurance does not apply in Turkey. All in all, it takes me more than 2 hours to cross the border, half of which is in full sun at 32 degrees.
Fortunately I am in the first city in Turkey after the border crossing, Edirne, before dark. It's weekend and really very busy in the city. People everywhere. When I have maneuvered my motorcycle through the narrow streets and enter the Hostel I am told that they are full. Oh, I didn't expect that. Drenched with sweat, I try a second hostel. Also full. I'm lucky at the hotel around the corner. I get the last room for €25,- incl. breakfast (and air conditioning) and I step into the shower with my motorbike undergarments still on. First come on now…
I stay in this hotel for a few days because I need a good internet connection to log in online when my eldest son Pim is going to defend his graduation thesis at university. Until then, I have plenty of time to explore the city of Edirne.
And that starts with my visit to a mosque. And then also one that is on the world heritage list: the Selimiye mosque. It was built between 1568 and 1574, by order of the Ottoman sultan Selim II. With a dome of 32 meters in diameter and minarets of 71 meters high, an impressive appearance.
Unfortunately for me, but good for future generations, the building is currently under construction due to renovation work. The interior is also only partially visible. The photo of the mosque without scaffolding and the interior of the huge prayer hall comes from the internet.
