Istanbul and up to the Carpathians

Day 56 - Kavala, Greece to Istanbul, Turkey - 5 hours, 275 miles. I had been spoiled by warm temps in Greece. It got quite chilly when rolling into Istanbul after dark. Had to bust out the electric vest for the second time this trip. Also of note...Istanbul is HUGE. Yes, we're talking about 20-million people...but the city actually sprawls waaaaay beyond the metro area. Most visitors don't drive in and don't witness the "Inception"-like apartment buildings blocking out the sun for almost an hour's drive outside the city center.

Day 57-59 - Istanbul. Typical tourist stuff, of course. Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and museums. Also, had a beer with Sir William Gloege and Tan. Great talks of adventure motorcycling.

Day 60 - Istanbul to Nesebar, Bulgaria - 5 hours, 230 miles. Turkish countryside is pleasant enough. Green and I were in search of "Sunny Beach," considered the "Cancún" of Bulgaria. I mean...who couldn't go for a little Señor Frog's this time of year? Chilly temps and overcast skies made us pivot to Nesebar, a quaint little fisherman's island and UNESCO heritage site.

Day 61 - Nessebar to Pitești, Romania - 6 hours, 260 miles. Apparently my debit cards don't work in Bulgaria. And most places don't take credit cards. Makes for an awkward situation when you realize these two facts after destroying a massive meal at a rural restaurant. My motorcycle can do lots of tricks, but it can't do dishes, unfortunately. But, Green and I made some friends out of the ordeal.

Day 62 - Pitești to Transfăgărășan - 2 hours, 60 miles. Yes, just 60 miles for Green and me on this day...but it was raining and temps were dropping...uphill...both ways. Joking aside, it was a beautiful ride to the base of Top Gear's "Best Road in the World." Too bad it's April and the pass isn't open until July.

Day 63 - Transfăgărășan to Câmpulung - 2 hours, 60 miles. Not really cranking too many miles...but the Romanian countryside is so beautiful. After failing to cross the pass, Green and I decided to head toward some mountain roads at lower elevation. We headed toward Bran Castle, the home of Count Dracula (later turned out to be false advertising) but were stopped short due to snow storms moving into the area.

Day 64-65 - Câmpulung. Snowed in...but can't complain. The cabin was warm and had all the comforts needed for a relaxing stay. Rodica, the host, continued to bring little treats on occasion, from local plum wine to home-made cheese and pork fat. Furthermore...I decided it was time to watch a movie..the first in months. The anticipation had been building, so I deliberated for hours on what to watch. Finally, I watched four movies instead of landing on one. Note...because this is Transylvania, only scary movies would do.

- The Invitation - Awesome! Must see thriller that stays true to itself.

- The Babadook - Considered a top horror flick on RT, and well-deserved.

- Split - James Mcavoy is great, but the film drags on without a real climax.

- Nosferatu (1979) - If you want long, drawn out cross-country travel scenes that really aren't shot in Transylvania, this is a great choice.