Stage 50: From Biga to Canakkale

I had to deal with icy winds in the first half of the stage. With gusts of up to 70 km/h and temperatures around freezing point, I headed northwest from Biga towards the coast. Thanks to the hearty breakfast at the hotel, no break was necessary until Lapseki. In Lapseki, I found a inconspicuous café to grab a bite to eat and have some tea. Two men invited me to sit with them. They couldn't speak a word of English, but a translator was quickly found. One cup of tea turned into three, and without realizing it, I was invited again. I didn't feel completely comfortable, as the population is already suffering from the economic crisis... West of Lapseki, I noticed a long bridge that is still under construction. It wasn't until later research that I realized the 'Canakkale 1915 Bridge' will be the longest suspension bridge in the world. It is set to open in March and its name is intended to commemorate the famous Gallipoli Battle in 1915, where an estimated total of 500,000 soldiers perished. 

I continued along snowy fields with tailwind towards Canakkale. Thanks to the unexpected assistance, I arrived at the hotel in Canakkale around 4 pm. It turned out that the owner had lived in Zurich for a while. When he found out that I wanted to change my chain, he spontaneously asked around in the area if anyone could recommend a mechanic. He even walked with me to the nearest bike shop to translate what exactly I needed. An hour later, I was able to pick up my bike with a new chain at a good price! Once again, a great example of Turkish helpfulness. I stored the bike in the hotel courtyard. 

The next day, of course, I planned to explore the city. Like in every major Turkish city, there is a clock tower in Canakkale. There is also a model of the Trojan Horse at the harbor, as ancient Troy is assumed to be located 25 kilometers southwest of here. I noticed that Canakkale is very clean and has many parks and gardens. It is rightfully called the 'green lung of Turkey'. The water at the harbor was also very clear. Since there wasn't much else to see in the city (many fashion brands are also represented here), I spontaneously decided to drive to the Gallipoli Peninsula. 

After crossing with the ferry (for about 30 cents!), I was back in Europe for an afternoon. Not only did I feel like the only visitor to the Kilitbahir Fortress, but it was worth it alone because of the view. The Ottomans generally placed great importance on symmetry and geometry when building their fortresses. There are numerous monuments and cemeteries throughout the peninsula that commemorate the Battle of the Dardanelles. This battle is a crucial part of Turkish national pride. Mustafa Kemal, the first President of the Republic of Turkey, later referred to as the 'Father of the Turks' (Ataturk), made a name for himself in this battle. 

In the evening, I had some food (again on the Asian side) before continuing south the next day.