Stage 69: From Havza to Samsun

On the final stage to the Black Sea! There were still a few small hills to climb, but with a tailwind, it wasn't too bad. At Cakalli, there was an unexpectedly large lunch that gave me an extra boost for the final steep descent to Samsun. New record: 66 km/h! That got me to Samsun earlier than expected, and I was able to explore the beach in the west a bit. Samsun is a modern, young, and sporty city. You can find tennis courts, stadiums, a bowling alley, and much more here! In front of the hotel, I was intercepted by Hamdi, a local teacher. He speaks good English, is curious about my journey, and wants to meet with me the next day, so we exchanged numbers. It started raining in the evening, so further sightseeing was postponed to the next day.

In the morning, the Bandirma Ship Museum was on the agenda. There is a replica of the ship that Atatürk and his companions landed with in Samsun on May 19, 1919. There is also some background information on the War of Independence, but unfortunately, it is only available in Turkish. On the way to the museum, I realized that Samsun is a city with a population of millions, and it took me what felt like an eternity. Fortunately, Hamdi passed by in his car to pick me up! After a walk along the promenade, we picked up his wife at home, and they already had a small program in mind for me. We started by going to the Amisos Hill, which can also be reached by cable car. Unfortunately, the café they were heading to was under renovation, but we still enjoyed the view. Then we went back to the harbor for fish soup and pide at 4 p.m.! Finally, we drove a bit further west to the lively beach of Atakum, where we still needed dessert. Of course, the two of them didn't hesitate to treat me to everything... Thank you, Elif and Hamdi, for the great time with lots of fun conversations and new experiences! I was brought back to the hotel late at night, happy and satisfied.