After a big breakfast, I headed to the flatlands of Thrace. I regret forgetting to take a photo of Xanthi. Sorry. I passed by a port on the Aegean Sea. I haven’t been to the ocean since Croatia, about four weeks ago. I was getting thirsty, so I came to a village and saw a sign for a market and went down a side street. I passed the market because it looked like a house and the painted letters didn’t stand out. I stopped to get oriented, and a woman opened her gate right in front of me, as she was just going to get into her car. Instead, she first motioned with her thumb at her mouth and said “su”…. I subconsciously understood that to mean water and I accepted. she disappeared and came back with a small water bottle and offered me to sit on the adjacent bench. It was a refreshing and after she drove off with a beep, I found the nearby market and bought water, cherry soda, and halva. The cashier spoke English with me, but then she spoke Turkish with another customer. After he left I asked her if everyone in the town spoke Turkish and she said yes. That surprised me, then I remembered that in Turkish, “su” does mean water! Duh! How did I not make that connection? Anyway, the point is that I’m not even in Turkey yet and the Turks are already showing their kindness. I was trying to camp with Lothar from Switzerland, but we miscommunicated. I tried to find a hotel in this city, but it’s summer and slammed with tourists (mostly Turks?). I asked at three places, but they’re all full. So I’m camping in the cemetery; I heard that it’s a good strategy for bike tourers, and so far so good.