Stares and whispers … I feel like an alien; out of 100’s of cyclists, I’m the only one with a helmet ...

We took to the streets today, first to see the Mesi Bridge.  Riding on the road, it was semi busy in parts, merging with cars and other bikes. There are no traffic lights, a few roundabouts.  Bikes seem to rule as they randomly push their way into traffic. No helmets, lots of very mature men and  women owning the road.  Some roundabouts there are police on the lookout, it looked like random licence checks.

The bridge is only 7km, we get into the country a bit with the mountains as a backdrop.  Returning we go off in another direction and come across streets with shops flowing onto the footpath, used clothing just dumped on the pavement like a bargain bin, no order at all. Just like a continuous garage sale, with random item, from clothing to electrical and household items.

After that we venture to the lake, the largest lake in southern Europe. Crossing the bridge across the river, a shanty town, young kids running barefooted through the streets, coming from makeshift dwellings built on a hill, a lady cutting up vegetables seated on the side of the road. I’m in a time warp. The road leads us along the lake with the mountains as a backdrop. This is home for migatory bird life, plants and fish. Back across the bridge, John has puncture number 5 …

Returning to the centre, it is around 1pm the traffic is building.  It seems that school is out.  I follow a mature lady as we ride on the road, wow, she just plows through the traffic, particularly the double parked cars everywhere.  Not to mention dinking on the bikes … side saddle with all ages.

On our travels today we have come across lots of different modes of transport, a very well dressed old man on a 3 wheeler with a 2 stroke motor putt putting down the road very slowly. Good on him …  he had his independence!!

We sit in a park, it’s tough to find a bench, bikes everywhere. There are rows of square tables with 4 seats, squares of cardboard on the seats and on the tables.  Men sitting under the shade playing cards, chess, and dominos in groups of 4, no money changing hands, no alcohol, no electronic devices. What a sight to see … . Something we could learn from.