from Ipsala to Genova
Dalaman Airport
My brother had mentioned his wish to travel to Spain via crossing along so many European countries from the border İpsala, Turkey two years ago. In fact, we couldn't realise that cause of Melike's visa problem. This year, Melike have got visa for long time over too her expectation.
Life has so much unexpected events like you know..I had to delay for a few days to go to meeting point in Istanbul due to my appointment in the dentist. Finally, I was at the airport in Dalaman April 7th, 2025. This delayed travel plan would make us to accept intensive passing days along Adriatic until arrival to Milano.
As you see in this photo, we are in Kavala city in the first stop. Kavala is a favorite place by Turks. Its nice views, heritance of Ottoman and delicious cookies are main attractions. We had forgot that Greecs had siesta time noon as a routine, thuse chef Konstandinos's shop was closed. Even so we bought a few small box cookies from other shops.
The first night and accommodation in our journey was in Bitola (Manastır) , North Macedonia.We arrived Danita's house "N95" at the night hours thanks to navigation. Her apart was so comfortable and in the heart of city center and close to clock tower. The military school that Ataturk studied too was a few hundreds meter distance.
A new morning we are on the street early after breakfast . "N95" apart house's yard opening to the main street. A pharmacy sign I am familiar with slavic letters back " APTEKA" .. Macedonians are using slavic letters.
The military school is using as a museum nowadays. Inside of museum , a few room organized for Ataturk memory.
We stopped by Ohri city and got around for an hour before going to Tirana. Ohri lake and ancient residential area was so beautiful.
Encountering to the monument of Priest Kiril was a surprise for me. I couldn't aware this scuplture despite I had visited this city center in 2018 before . The selectivity in the perception should be that. After starting to study Russian. you learn some of basicaly terms like "slavic communities" or " Kiril letters" . According to Google knowledge, Priest and linguist Kiril and his brother Methodios lived in the first half of 9th century in Thessaloniki. I don't know the connection of them to the city of Ohrid...
The evening sun was setting as we passed the city of Budva. Our car tire damaged and exploit while crossing the Kotor bay. We had understood something going wrong as passing inside of darkness on the road cause of changing loud that came from outside. Driver Melike had fall to a potholes a bit ago on the road. Melike firstly had got slow and stopped the car as she finds propre field left side of road. We saw the problem was not only tire was additional the car had not starting anymore. There was no electricity light on the dashboard. Making somethings that we may able to achieve was optimal option to us. While my brother started get out all luggages to reach out to spare tire one other hand I settled the light reflector far about 70 meters on the road for coming cars.
Stopped a driver wanted to do help us and he called his mechaniker friend. Mechaniker suggested to pull the car to repair atelie in that time. In the context of this option, It turned out we had to wait next morning to intervention of car master . My brother refused this option... as Melike and I were looking into darkness to catch a help, my brother continued to set up the jack under the chassis.
What I will tell after this desperate situation deserve the title as if was a miracle! One after another two drivers stopped near us who didn't know each other. I told them what we have a main problem that the car has not electric and didn't work. While one of guys were bringing a pair cable for connection from battery to other battery, other one of guys who is very young and tall changed exploited tire quickly and pulled his car in fron of our car and opened car's baggage. There was a very big battery in the baggage! It would not be require so long time to watch what will happen... After connection of electric cables , our car started in the first turning of button.
Probably we will never forget these guys along our life. We often mentioned how about these guys' help us along our trip . We described them as "Hızır" that this figure like in Turkish tradition. According to say that "Hızır" character comes from for even Sumers period who is help to people and is thought to be a prophet. In term of Turkish pronounciation "Hızır" or " Hıdır" - al Khidr- word mean is green man and roots Arabic. We saw no only one already two Hızır! Unfortunately we forgot to take a photo with them. That's too will be our regret..
One of the most impressive place I saw must be Dubrovnik coasts. If we don't count the old town of Dubrovnik, tourist resting features come out clearly. Amazing views of its make it unique. After 10 years I was here again.
We accommodated in an apart "Green Garden", Dubrovnik. Already we spent too much time on the road for repairing the car. Therefore it was midnight when we arrived to apart. Honestly we weren't sure to able to check-in in the apart due to was late. Before arrival there, Melike sent some of documents to house owner for check-in via internet. Thanks God the key was on the door. It is impossible passing without saying somethings about stairs that you have to climb to reach out to GreenGarden. As always other summer houses of Lapad area, there is not possible to pull the car in front of house. We left the car down street and carried heavy luggages to up.
The next morning...The work was that firstly we would be changing the spare tire to the new one. Tire service was shown by navigation on our itinerary. The old town was planned destination. After checked and learned the tire price my brother decided to buy for thirty euros the second hand tire from service that was good condition. In fact, even second hand tire was good condition than other the car's tires.
A detail from a relief that we saw old town. Dubrovnik. This detail show us much more than was told us. According to our history books,Ottoman soldiers were leaving small money bag ın the skirt of vines as they were getting a few cluster grape while crossing foreign lands. That's it understood that taken much more than this.
After one night accommodation and got around a long day in Dubrovnik, we left to go to the west, Rijeka. We had supposed until arrive to Rijeka is a city of Slovenia. We would have continued this error until we see Croatian Flags and cars' international code in the morning. Even so I wanted to sure and asked to somebody where are we? Guy said, "of course in Rijeka, Croatia".
The distance between Dubrovnik and Rijeka appeared about 6 hours and 600 km by car on the maps . Before the evening we left from Dubrovnik to going to Rijeka. When we arrived Studio Apartment "Kalina" was late. Thanks God the owner of house had send key code via whatsap. The house was on the narrow street but has car parking for one. Next morning, we dont have large time to spent in Rijeka to see the city center at least. Thing that I remember from Rijeka is quite limited... thick-trunked trees that were two side of streets...
The safe of travel was depends on car's battery a little too. We thought one of Lancia Service in Italy can check the battery and if requires to changed. Distance between Rijeka and Milano as 500 km , 5 hours by car. We passed so many İtalian cities along arrive to Milano. In Vicenza, we stopped by a Lancia service and asked the battery price that was 180 euros. As always every brand price policy was much higher than other stores. We found a new and good battery for half price,95 euros in other battery store "Nordor" where they changed without take a money for service. No longer we wouldn't concern about car electricity.
The apartment that we would accommodate for one night "Casa Manzoni" in Novara was far from Milano city center about 50 kilometers and the west of. We arrived the apartment evening and found the key in the box. The owner of apartment had sent the entrance instructions before by email. We left the car on the side street without know the meaning of blue, yellow or green lines and carried luggages to up. If we find the car where we left next morning we would smile with happy. So.. This zone didn't appear safely . Already people that we saw at the stairs were black skin, from Africa or South Asia.There was time to encounter with realities of Italia.. Good or bad..
The next morning...We parked the car the next to metro station "Molino Dorino" that in the appearance seemed safe because has the fee and a barrier that you can't leave of there by car without payment. Thuse , we thought that we would rid out no get in the traffic chaos in the city center of Milano. Already Melike had left us to attend to " FieraMilano" fair center before the parking place.
Our breakfast was only a piece croissant and a glass tea in a cafee in the Molino Dorino station.
We came out of metro in front of "Duomo" cathedral. According to I know the main attraction spot in Milano was only Duomo and historical shopping "Galleria Victoria Emmanuel II" . Of course you can find so many luxury stores at the streets..
According to google Duomo dedicated Nativity of St Mary. To build began 1386 and took nearly six centuries complete; last touches was in 1965. It is the largest church in Italy , if you don't caunt the St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican. It has a gothic style and more than 3000 sculptures except marble figures.
After the visit Duomo Cathedral, My brother and I got around at the close surround of Cathedral while we were waiting Melike who has completed her observation in the Fiera Milano. We sat at ta caffe for rest and internet access . Probably I will not order " espresso" anymore after see its amount in the cup. By the way Melike joined to us in this caffe and we together went to Galleria Victoria Emmanuel II.
As far as I remember, Melike has delayed to Duomo visit to next morning cause of no enough time. In this context, we were not going to spend much more time here before return to car parking place, Molino Dorino.
.....Except to look at the BYD Sealion 7 in a showroom that was in the close distance to Duomo.
..........................................................................................
Until this time along journey from the Ipsala customs, we didn't encounter with a case that effected our journey . Molino Dorino car parking was an exception
When we arrived near of car and opened the luggage turned out that luggages was disappeared. Not only this, the left rear door glass was broken. It was so clear that luggages was stolen by thieves. There was a some reasons to be surprised, first of al was day time, parking was no free and has a barrier.
I wanted help by a young couple who would call the police at the parking . As far as guy's told Police was proposing to us to going to police center for complaining. It seemed to we that it would be spend time to wast. Already guy said that his car's glass had broken seven time until now. There was not other exit way except to accept this event was an unforgettable lesson in term of journey preparations. You can't leave any goods on the car's seat which was visible.
Whatever the decision we had to accommodate in a hotel that night. My brother said that we could have decide tomorrow whatever we want. Already we had a house reservation in Busalla, Genova. No longer was not day time, we wouldn't have found solve to cover broken glass. Already distance the reserved house to here was 135 km , two hours by car. Melike drove the car while was the glass broken.. The loud of wind was exploiding in the ears. We arrived to "Casa Voje" at midnight.
"Casa Voje" that's we stay is in the village, Magnerri, located between Busalla and Genova. The narrow village road is reaching to this house. As if it was top un the mountain... we didn't have climbed until now to high places by car along Italy lands. The house owner had opened heating system before our arrival. The heating system was a stove you know which using industrial fuel pellet, where was settled at the ground floor. The second floor has the bedrooms.
At the next morning, we came out to see the view , according to the appear we were in a village that smelling soil after rain like black sea coasts. Genova was not far , the first work should have been visit. Already we had arrived until this place..
The road that reach to main highway was direct to downhill and pass of a small village or county. Our eyes look for an usefull item to cover the car's broken glass along road. We found an open shop, florist and a supermarket in the village despite was on sunday. To show the broken glass to the florist woman was easiest way to explain what we want, already she nothing understood as I spoke in English with her. The woman immediately understood what we need and gave a carton box and strech film. We told her we thanked her so much. We forget take a photo with her at the shop, it was a pity ...
After than we bought a package tape in a close supermarket and covered the opened window of car with that items, carton and stretch film. This implementation would be enough to prevent loud and rain until to return to Turkey. -Finally, my brother would have solved this issue without paying 300 euros in Italy for new part, with only 60 euros for the second hand in Istanbul.-
Those, we dove the narrow streets of Genova which one took us to The Piazza di Ferrari. At the center of Square , a bronze fountain became a symbol of city in time. The Teatro Carlo Fellice and in front of it a statue of Guiseppe Garibaldi is one of main buildings surrounded the square.
You can't be in Italy and not look at the price of olive oil. The Carli's oil bottle was 15,70 euros that was one litre.
After than a short walk on the Genoa's streets we returned to the car to continue to the road. My brother stopped by a benzin station to make the tank full. A middle age İtalian helped to us to take fuel beceaus was on sunday and all process going self-service without any officer.
Finally, my brother declared his thoughts about the next journey period as he before take off this station that he had. My brother had decided to return back to Turkey due to my niece has not a motivation to continue to . That was right decision. It turned out there was not mental preparation againts loss of personal clothes!
Thuse, my brother determined to turn the itinerary to Turkey via Venice, Zagreb , Sofia and Kapikule border. I booked an apart "Appartamenti Gherbin Jesolo" in Jesolo that was the East of Venice. We didn't pay attention the check-in regulations of this apart while passing over on this 430 km and 4, 30 hours by car. When we stopped in front of this apart the clock was showing the 21.10. Nobody replied my calls. We needed to rest . I browsed the bookingcom application and found an other hotel "Hotel Palm Beach" was in the same area. By the way, I wanted to see which method would be much more economic and we went to directly hotel without have a resevation. That was surprised to see the hotel officer offer the fee much more than the booking com application. Of course I completed reservation via booking com while stood in front of desk!
We didn't see any sightseeing in Jesolo. This place already the east of Venice far from it it about 50 km. Therefore we left of the hotel after breakfast to go to Zagreb. It was much more sad for me than being stollen our luggages I forgot two magnet on the entrance bank of hotel room!
We arrived to Zagreb before evening, first job was the check in the apart "Offoo Zagreb" . We lived short controversy with the owner of apart. Beceause I couldn't see the parts of apart that seen in the web. It turned out that the owner filled whole photos of apart as if he offer the rooms by the same price! We solved this issue with reservation cancel via bookingcom and cash payment. The apart owner did not neglect to get 20 euros as a deposit.
The time that rest to evening was enough to buy somethings at the supermarket. The one of Liddle market was on the close distance by walk of the apart.
The next morning after breakfast we left of apart to visit city center of Zagreb. Frankly Zagreb was not impressive for me after see the other holiday cities of Croatia..
Saint Stephen cathedral was not open due to care or repair process.
No longer we travel all day time after the period of Genova. The next morning, our arrival place was Beograd, 400 km, 4 hours by car from Zagreb.
The house "Anni" was an useful small house in the contrary its appearance of outside. More too, it has a garden for free parking. There was not any external appearance photo of house in the bookingcom application. It was so clear why... The house owner old woman gave to us what I need to cooking equipments. Thanks a lot..
"Kalemegdan" is the oldest residential area in Belgrade once upon a time. The castle and city be conquered by Ottoman in 1521. "Kale meydanı" Turkish calling became "Kalemegdan" by serbian pronunciation in time. This castle located relatively high point and look at the down that the Danuba and Sava river reach out to each other . A suitable place that you can see the views of Belgrade city from the high point. By the way I learned that Beograd city name come from slavic roots, Белый город "BeyazŞehir"
The Saint Sava cathedral was started to build in 1935 and completed in 2020 as dedicated the founder of Serbian Orthodox, Saint Sava. Inside the cathedral contains main dome and decorated mosaics that covered gold .
...................................................................................................................................................................
If we do not count the stop by Sofia , our journey had been completed in Belgrade. We had thought to stay one night in the Sofia city and visit the city center next morning. We left the Belgrade city like in 3 or 4 pm and arrived to Sofia was sunset, distance 400km , 5 hours by car. I had booked an apart "Natan apart" in the application. The owner of apart oriented us to another adress what own himself know the reason. We met the owner of home in front of other apartmen adress and go up the apart by lift. I should describe this guy a little here.. He has medium height and athletic body, has not moustache but beard.
He was speaking in broken, sporadic Turkish words with us. I asked where did he learn the Turkish and what is the meaning of this beard while ascenting up in the lift ? He said that he had lived in Istanbul for a while, and became a muslim despite hid name reflect his previous orthodox identy. I matched his appearance with an ISIS militan on this moment, in my mind. I was trying to chase the prejudice of my mind, waited to see the conditions in the rooms of apart.It was so biggest disappoinment for me that didn't encounter before. There wasn't any equipment except tree dirty mattress and walls. We left there and explained we could not able to stay there.
Sofia was a bad experience for us. We didn't want to search another house to accommodate due to late time , already the border of Turkey was not far. We decided to continue to road until arrive to Istanbul after the dinner . It was not so hard to find a Turk restaurant on our itinerary before come out the Sofia. Thuse, we arrived to our parents house early morning without stopped on the road along 540 km except in the crossing of border.
What can I say about our last journey? Probably it would be that " Life is very short, nothing deserves to be regret"
..................................................................
Yorumlar
Yorum Gönder