Silivri to Büyükçekmece – 30th August
Distance: 30.9 km – Elevation +300 m -310 m
Weather: Sunny. Temperature: High 29 degrees
The hotel was very clean and comfortable and the staff were very friendly. Breakfast this morning was on the 8th-floor roof terrace providing magnificent views of the harbour and beyond. It was a beautiful morning as I watched the town dogs playing in the sea below.
I had slept well and was feeling good as I climbed out of the town, a 3 kilometre slow climb. Today’s walking was predominately in suburbia, the towns and communities leading into Istanbul, a very interesting day watching the normal lives of the Turkish people. Lots of kebab cafes and mini – markets. The sea was close by, and narrow side streets led to the beach, but the sea was mainly hidden from view. There were a few roadside stalls selling melons and each time I passed the stall holders offered me a slice of melon.
The time passed quickly and around 3.00 pm and having not eaten a substantial meal since breakfast, I stopped for a late lunch in a very smart restaurant by the side of a filling station, the Ova Et Lokantası in Güzelce. I was the only customer and received great attention and service. The staff seemed surprised at my arrival and the usual questions started – “where are you from”, “how old are you”, “why are you here”. It is very difficult in Turkey to explain the concept of a Christian pilgrimage; the Turkish word for pilgrimage is ‘hac’ , which everyone here in Turkey associates with the annual muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, and they ask are you Muslim? and it goes on. The waiters that served me were from Syria, Iran and Lebanon and just one from Turkey, they were delightful people. The grapes on a plate in the photo are from the vines that form the roof of the restaurant terrace.
After the late lunch I was left with 5 kilometres to walk to reach Büyükçekmece and the Otel Pelikan. I crossed over Büyükçekmece lake where I was able to see the magnificent Kanuni Sultan Süleyman Köprüsü (Suleiman the Magnificent Bridge) built by the Ottoman chief architect Mimar Sinan in 1567.
