The guys from Bros Motorcycle in Erzurum did a great job and luckily I'm back on the road. Taking a break for a few days is nice to update my reports, but I still prefer riding my bike.
For today's route I have chosen Ardahan as the end point. The last town of significance before the border with Georgia. The landscape changes and gets a bit greener here and there, while I am above 1500 meters for most of the route.
The biggest change and surprise, however, are the colors of the mountains. I've heard of 'rainbow-mountains' in Peru and Georgia, but what I now encounter on the way near Penek is truly incredible. These are not just rainbow mountains (mountains with all kinds of colors) but a complete rainbow landscape! Truly breathtaking to see mountains in yellow, red, green and gray colors, with golden grasses and green trees among them.
And in this picturesque landscape stands the Bana Katedrali, the remains of an early medieval cathedral that was converted into a fortress by the Ottomans during their battles in the 16th century, but was completely destroyed in the Turkish-Russian War in 1880.
There isn't much left, but enough to give you an idea of the whole. It was still not easy to get there. Because of the many paths used by shepherds it is difficult to determine the right route, but in the end I am on top of the hill. What a view!
