Colorful scenes were experienced at the 'Cleopatra Bicycle Festival', which was organized for the first time this year with the slogan 'Pedals to History, Our Faces to the Future' by Mersin Metropolitan Municipality. Hundreds of cyclists from many cities of Turkey attend the festival, which is organized with the cooperation of Mersin Metropolitan Municipality, Tarsus City Council and Tarsus City Council Cycling Community and started by the President Vahap Seçer.
Cyclists, who pedal together on the routes that include the historical, touristic and natural beauties of Tarsus, stay in the Tarsus Youth Camp, which is affiliated to the Metropolitan Municipality Women and Family Services Department, in the evenings. Cyclists also visited the park where the historical Nusrat Minelayer is located.
Enjoying the camp with live music
Cycling community members, who toured the center and surrounding neighborhoods of Tarsus during the day, opened their tents and had unforgettable moments accompanied by live music played after dinner at the Tarsus Youth Camp where they stayed. Young artist Cem Otsekin and his orchestra, performing in the natural environment of the camp, sang beautiful pieces to the members of the cycling ensemble.
“We would like to thank our President Vahap Bey for his support for bicycle transportation”
Rahime Çelen, a member of Eskişehir Bicycle Association, said, “We would like to thank Mr. Vahap, our Mayor of Mersin Metropolitan Municipality, for his support for bicycle transportation. In the opening program, he promised to make Mersin and Tarsus bicycle cities; made us happy. Supporting such organizations by institutions also contributes to the spread of cycling culture to the grassroots.”
“We really admired this place”
Sinan Baldır, who attended the festival with his family from Kahramanmaraş, stated that he took part in a festival for the first time after the pandemic and said, “This place has been very good for us. We're already here as a family. The campground is very well chosen. We are truly amazed here. I've participated before, but this is the first time I've seen such a campground. In that sense, I thank you. The organization is very good anyway, we never expected this much," he said.
Husband and wife pedaling together
Turgut Eren, who participated in the Cleopatra Bicycle Festival from Konya with his wife and child, said, “It is a very good thing that municipalities take part in such organizations. There was something different and better that Vahap Bey had done; He personally came and attended. This made us very happy.”
Emphasizing that she likes Tarsus, Nihan Eren said, “Tarsus is a very different geography. A geography dominated by the Mediterranean. It's been very enjoyable. The cycling route was also very enjoyable. We got to know a culture,” he said.
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