Netherlands - Egypt 1 (1972).

ai 1972, again we mounted our bikes, this time also loaded with tent and sleepingbags; Africa was expected to be primitive. Of course we camped in Europe as well, hotels didn't fit in our budget and farmers were always willing to give us a place in their fields. After Germany and Austria we stood in front of the "iron curtain". A path was cleared for landmines, two rows of barriers and a watchtower, a soldier standing on top. We waved, he waved back. The custom officers smiled us a welcome and we cycled in our first communist country without a problem.
Hungary is famous for its food and every day we went to eat a big bowl of goulash. This was served by waiters who attended us quickly and courteously, though they are civil servants as everything is state owned. If the black-eyed gypsies, ardently playing their violin to accompany the meal, were it too, we doubted.
The most hospitable country we were in was Rumania, we could hardly progress anymore, because so many people invited us to their homes. They were talkative, made jokes about their communist government, poured their delicious home brewn liquors and dressed us in their beautiful embroidered costumes, which still were worn.
On Sunday we attended Moldavian folkdances in the local house of culture, seeing the traditional costumes of the different regions.
In Bulgaria, as summer approached, it started to become hot. Fortunately public taps were installed everywhere, although water didn't come out always. In a village with dry taps the people took us to the lemonade factory, where some girls kept on opening bottles for us, to drink and to fill up our containers, all on state expenditure. Up till then we managed quite well with our knowledge of 6 European languages, not in Bulgaria. First the writing was different, second the language had no familarity to the ones we knew and on top of that they nod no and shake yes with their heads.
Again we came to Turkey. This time we choose a route along the Mediterranean to combine small clear and quiet beaches, to cool after a hot day of cycling, with Greek and Roman ruines. One night we pitched our tent in front of the gates of the Troy's ruines, cooked our meal and went to sleep, the tent open for coolness. In the middle of the night we heard footsteps, a bright light illuminated our tent and we saw a mysterious dark figure with a gun. It bent, stretched out its hand and said: "Mister antique?", showing a little stone sculpture: a guard who wanted to sell antique.
The Turks proved to be very generous this time, while picknicking or drinking tea in a teahouse, we were often offered a huge plate of gorgeous grapes and figs or even a bucket full of peaches and huge watermelons.


Turkey: People live a social life with a tremendous lot of time, the men mostly in the cafés where you can enjoy the hubble-bubble (waterpipe).