We will
be really glad to meet with our "Greek Motorcyclist Friends" in Istanbul
on 8-10 / October / 1999.
The idea
come from my friend Bravos Vangelis who I met with him last year via internet
through my home page.
We, as
Turkish Motorcyclists, will meet them at the "Kinali" entrance of
Tekirdag - Istanbul motor way and will be glad escort to them till
their hotel in Istanbul. On Saturday, we are planning to visit the
historical places of Istanbul together with them and will have a dinner
together with other Turkish Motorcyclists. Sunday morning, we will have
a typical Turkish breakfast at the Bosporus coast of Istanbul. Lets
hope the weather be good !
These
are just our plans, the details may change according
to their requirements and proposals.
*** Actual
notes of the 1.Turkish - Greek Motorcyclist Friends Meeting
(Istanbul 99)***
It is
really not easy, even too difficult for me to express my feelings about
this first meeting with our Greek friends. We met with them on 8/10/1999
Friday afternoon about 17.00 o'clock at the entrance of Kinali - Istanbul
motor way where is 90 kms away from Istanbul. It was really very warm welcome
for everybody. They were 7 motorbikes with 12 person and we were 3 bikes.
We excited
too much when we saw their motorbike's lights, from far away, while they
were approaching to us. They were wearing special T- shirts with
special design indicating this first meeting between Turk - Greek motorcyclists
and as a kind attitude of them, they gave to us the same T-shirts too.
We welcome
them with red roses and traditional Turkish deset named "Lokum" and they
replied us with traditional Greek drink named "Uzo".
They
have put on their bikes both Turkish & Greek flags. After about 1,5
hour ride in heavy Istanbul traffic, we arrived to their hotel at the Taksim
Square.
This
first night, we went out together for dinner to "Gelik Fish & Meat
Restaurant". The atmosphere was beautiful, we were trying to know and understand
each others more and obtained that we have many many things same with our
Greek friends mutually. Levent made a nice speech for the meaning of this
important day and I added some words, my Greek brother Vangelis told that
he will make his speech next day.
Saturday
morning, (9/10/1999), we met with them at their hotel, had a small
tour in Istanbul, and visited Topkapi Palace (Topkapı Sarayı) ,
St. Sofia
Museum (Ayasofya) , Grand Bazaar (Kapali Carsi) and finally "Fanari Patriarchate".
Fanari
Patriarcate is the top holy place of the Orthodox people
all over the world.
Spiritual
leader of the Orthodox World "Patriarch" lives there. We had
been honored by Patriarch's kind, deep, sincere and warm welcome.
By this
occasion, we would like to convey our deepest thanks to his excellency
Patriarch I. Barthalomeo. By the way, the Greek journalists were also in
the Patriarchate because of a religious ceremony which was made in
order to honor a Greek Professor by his excellancy Patriarch. Therefore
the Greek journalists also interested with our visit and took many photos
in order to publish in Greek media. During all the day, our Greek friends
have been shown the deep and warm welcome by Turkish people which
proves us that both countries are in fact very close to each other. After
Fanari, we visited Levent's bike shop than went to a typical Turkish Kebap
restaurant named "Hacidan " for dinner and watched together Turkey - German
national football match at the TV.
Vangelise
gave his promised speech that night and we also celebrated birthday of
our Greek sister Efi.
Sunday
was the final day of their visit, the weather was sunny, we had a delicious
typical Turkish breakfast at Capa
restaurant. We passed both suspended bridges on the Bosporus to show to
our friends Asia side of Istanbul and headed to motor way. We escorted
to our friends till the Kinali exit of the motor way.
We took
many photographs over there, the good-bye ceremony was very very sentimental
!!! They invited us to Greece and we promised that we will visit them within
a couple weeks. About 20.00 o'clock I received a phone call from
Vangelis, they were in Kavala and everybody was OK.
We would
like to thank them once again for their kind visit to our country which
contributed too much to develop the relations, friendship between to neighbor
countries. We always welcome them in Turkey.
I personally
would like to thank once again to my Greek brother Vangelis for his kind
efforts to realize this trip, we all know and are happy that we have
many good friends, brothers & sisters in Greece now...
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