As we have been corresponding since couple months, Italian riders Antonio & his wife Nicoletta finally arrived to Turkey on 03/08/2001. We went out for dinner together with them on 06/08/2001 and talked to much about motorcycling and their trip to our country. Nicoletta has a very strong memory and learned lot of Turkish words at least to explain herself. Next morning, they headed to Cappadocia and south coasts of Turkey and going to visit our Italian Goldwinger friend Paolo Volpara who lives in magnificent Gocek town of Turkey.
We hope to meet with them again in Italy during our coming trip in late August 2001.
We are very gald to meet with them and hope to see them in the future in here, in Italy or on the roads of the world...

Cantù 3 September 2001

Greeting from Antonio,

This is not a simple report of a ride but a collection of feelings and pleasant surprises we experienced in a Country called Turkey where splendid people live.
I reached Istanbul almost by chance in 1987 when I was travelling without a specific plan with my Honda 550 across East and South East Europe: Hungary, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey. Those days spent in Istanbul stayed as the best souvenirs brought home from the ride and, before time cancels all my souvenirs I planned to go back to this Country and to this People with my wife Nicoletta.
I always try to prepare myself well on the traditions, history and habits of the visited country and my wife started learning Turkish to facilitate our meetings with the inhabitants. For two months before our departure I was in contact by e-mail with Feza Haznedar ([email protected] and the web site at http://www.haznedar.com): I met him on the Internet thanks to his web page dedicated to travelling on Gold Wing. From the way Feza answered to my question I realized how generous and kind he was. The desire to meet him and his wife Berrin grew strongly from the departure day till our meeting in Istanbul. Here we spent two days mixing with the people in the street, bars, restaurants always impressed by the open spirit of the Turkish. We met Feza and Berrin on the last night and the kindness and hospitality demonstrated to us confirmed the impression received on the net. We dined in a splendid restaurant and we had an interesting evening: we only hope to be able to return the hospitality during Feza and Berrin visit to Italy. After Istanbul we rode to Cappadocia: in the fascinating scenery of Urgup we met a special person Suha Ersoz ([email protected]) owner of the Hotel Esbelli Evi (www.esbelli.com). We did not stay in this unique hotel but Suha was very kind in providing suggestions and information to visit the area. We then continued toward Antalya and Bodrum meeting on the road, at petrol stations, in villages friends who share time and pictures with us: we are now sending them the photos we took. It is the first time I came back from a ride in a foreign Country with a strong desire to go back immediately to renew friendship with those special people.
In conclusion we like to thank, together with all people we met, Feza and Berrin Haznedar, Suha Ersoz and Paolo Volpara ([email protected]) of the One More Mile Riders Group (www.ommriders.com).
 

Antonio e Nicoletta Giuliani