Beef ums Schwarze Meer

The Black Sea lies in such an oval shape between Europe and Asia that it whets the appetite for a grand tour - for example, from Istanbul clockwise, around the coast. With this idea in mind, Dres Balmer got on his bike. And the oval harmony soon turned out to be deceptive: The seven countries around the sea have different cultures and pursue their own political interests, sometimes rabidly. The Black Sea therefore divides countries more than it unites them.
The persistent cyclist has also seen how politics can thwart travel plans: From Russia the road leads to Georgia, but the breakaway region of Abkhazia is best avoided. The long detour leads to the equally uncertain Caucasus and only over a difficult pass back to the sea.
Such a capricious way of traveling, by bicycle through vulnerable terrain, produces surprising encounters, bizarre rope teams and insights of a completely different kind into foreign countries and cultures. The richly illustrated book is supplemented with practical tips, background information and a detailed service section - an invitation to readers to travel the route again.