Eva Beton returns to childhood town of Ankawa by bike after 4,500 km journey from Germany

ERBIL — Eva Beton and her husband have arrived in Ankawa, Erbil, after cycling 4,500 kilometers from Germany, completing a 37-day journey inspired by childhood memories and a desire to reconnect with her hometown.

Eva, who migrated to Germany in the early 1990s, said the trip was a deeply personal one.

“[Ankawa] is the mother city, the place where I spent my childhood and teenage years,” she told 964media.

The couple began their journey on June 26, passing through the Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, and Turkey before crossing into the Kurdistan Region. They averaged 120 kilometers per day.

“A place that leaves a gap in your life. I can’t describe this feeling. I still can’t believe I’ve arrived,” she said of her return.

Their first stop was the Akkad Club in Ankawa, where Eva once played table tennis and volleyball. She said she plans to spend 10 days visiting places tied to her youth, including her old school, church, and the streets she grew up on.

“We’ve done a lot of bike trips to Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Belgium, but this trip… this one is indescribable,” she said.