Yusuf Fell But Then Rose Again (Yusufelli, Rýze)

Trip Start Feb 27, 2007
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Trip End May 19, 2007


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Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Yo. 1st excuse my pathetic attempt at an anagram involving the name of the town where i am now - Yusufelli ın NE Turkey - and the name of the town where İ hope to be tommorow - Rıze on the Black Sea.
I left Kars this morning amid a fairly heavy flutter of snow, filled up the tank and headed out by 10.15am for the 210km scenıc mt drive to YF. Of course me being me with the compulsion to snap away at every turn of the rd that revealed a new vista, I didnt arrive till 7pm! After finding a hotel & getting something to eat Im now at the Internet Cafe. For a small town (6400) I wasnt expecting the web but I was proved wrong.
Anyway back to the drive. First it was a case of into the white void but after about an hour of slow uphill slog through narrowıng bıtumen due to encroaching snowdrifts, the weather cleared, the rd opened up and the scenery became much more green and lush though there was still patches of snow around.
Basıcally the rd accompanys a meandering babblıng brook which changes names too frequently to mentıon. I passed through tıny hamlets whıch gave me a bit of Delıverance feeling (just joking) but there wasnt much to them at all before having a picnic lunch of bread & jam wıth an orange at a picture perfect spot where I parked TIPO by the side of the rd, and walked down to the streams edge where I was hemmed in by the 2 narrowing valley faces. Tremendous bit of tucker made all the more tasty by the locale.
At this pt of the day with perfect weather and scenery and zero traffic TIPOs speed didnt get beyond 50kph which probably accounted for my late arrival. Just cruising checking things out and generally taking it easy. Eventually, after too many photo stops to mention, ıncl the ubiquıtous Kale shot and a sunset siesta by the at this stage Golbasi rıver, I reached YF.
2morrow I hope to visıt some Georgian churchs (no Im not goıng to the country Georgıa) en route to Rıze on the Black Sea which ıs Turkeys no. 1 tea growing spot - only approprıate for the amount of chaı Ive had while here. From there ıts onto Trabazon and Sumela Monastery....
Ok, take it easy, Wadirunner & TIPO.
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