Cappadocia Archives - Wandering North

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Photos from Turkey

As I am sure you all know, I did return from Turkey, somewhat reluctantly. My last night was spent on the roof of a hostel, smoking nargile, sitting on cushions and listening to this amazing French/Turkish band until about midnight. The trip home was looooonngg. For those of you who don’t know, there is a leather bondage gear store at the Munich airport. You’ve got to love the Germans.

Anyway, I have uploaded some photos here, mostly so that far away people (like my sister) can see them.
Thanks for following along.

Asia Europe Turkey

Volare

Why Volare? Because everyone on my balloon thıs mornıng was Italıan.

I was pıcked up at 5:30 thıs mornıng and drıven to a a bıg fıeld where 5 hot aırballoons were beıng ınflated. It was really somethıng to see – ı had no ıdea they were so huge! Whıle the balloon were readıed, we all had tea and buscuıts. We clımbed ınto the heavy wıcker basket (there were about 12 of us) and slowly the balloon ascended. It was so gentle, you can scarcely notıce that you have left the ground.

At our hıghest we were about 1000 feet, whıch provıded breath-takıng vıews of the valley and of the other balloons – I counted 19 ın the sky, all drıftıng about. I dıdn,t realıze thıs but there ıs no way to steer the balloon, the pılots can only move ıt up and down, so were were entırely at the mercy of the wınds.

We flew for about an hour and then gently descended ınto a fıeld of squash. Once were were on terra fırma, were each had a glass of champagne and were presented wıth our flıght certfıcates (apparently these are balloonıng tradıtıons).

Now ı am back at the hotel, about to have tea and breakfast on the terrace.

Asia Europe Turkey

Wandering Underground

Today was my last full day in Cappadocia. Today i visited Agikarahan, which is a 13th century caravansary (a place where the caravan would stop for the night on their way along the silk road between Istanbul and China). It had walls and sleeping quarters, stables for the camels and a tiny mosque in the centre, which is accessible by a narrow strip of jagged stone stairs on the outside of the mosque.This structure is still basically in the middle of nowhere and it is easy to imagine seeking refuge there.

After that, we went on a hike through Ihlara canyon, along a stream, between high cliffs. I saw some lizards and a rather shabby looking donkey. After an hour or so we stopped at a village and had a delicious lunch on a low platform on stilts over the water, where we sat on cushions and enjoyed the breeze. (The weather here really is lovely. It is very very hot, but as it is a desert, it is wonderfully cool in the mornings and evenings and there is not the oppressive humidity of the coast.)
We then went to Derinkuyu, one of 35 underground cities in the region. These cities – originally built for protection from invaders – were begun about 5,000 years ago. They are incredible! The one we visited had 8 levels and goes down 80 meters. There are air shafts so deep that one cannot see the bottom, there are kitchens and living quarters, wine-making rooms, churches and endless tunnels and staircases. Most of the passageways are very narrow and tiny, such that when walking through them, even the shortest people must stoop over. We could not see the whole thing of course, but spent about an hour exploring with flashlights. How these things were built is incomprehensible.

I then returned to my room (of which i have quickly become very fond, as it is so cozy) and had a sleep, after which i went for a walk. I had dinner at the same place i went to yesterday. It is a delightful little restaurant. I ate and then sat and smoked and chatted with the family that runs it. Two of the men sat with me and played Sufi music, one on the saz and the other baglama (sort of long-necked lutes). It was a perfect evening.

Now i shall go home and sleep, as i must get up very early. I am being picked up at 5:30am for my hot air balloon ride. After that i shall eat breakfast on the terrace of my hotel and then head to the airport, as i return to Istanbul tomorrow – from a town of 2,000 to a city of at least 12,000,000.
Good night.

Asia Europe Turkey

The Caves and The Turtle

This morning i woke up just after 5am to the loudest call to prayer ever. I couldn’t fall back asleep. Just as the sun came up i looked out my window and saw nine hot air balloons floating above the valley! It was quite lovely. I will be on one of those balloons on Friday morning.

Today i was on a tour of the rock valley. It is a little group of people – about six. I usually don’t do tours, but as with Ephesus, it would be difficult for me to see all of the things any other way. Here, all of these locations are spread out in the countryside, so a tour was the best option.
We visited a number of valleys where the paths were lined by the sorts of towering rock formations that i described in yesterday’s entry. We also visited the actual cave houses, cave churches, and cave monasteries. They are amazing! They were built/carved beginning in the 10th Century and were inhabited until 1952, when the Turkish government moved them into houses after earthquakes destabilized many of the rocks. The dwellings they built are mind boggling – there are houses with every sort of room conceivable, churches with columns and frescoes, elaborate staircases and winding tunnels that go deep inside the mountains. Some of the dwellings are part way up the side of cliffs; now there are stairs constructed, but back “in the day” the residents would have scaled the wall using handholds. It is truly unlike anything i have ever seen. We had lunch and visited more of the same – rocks and rock dwellings.

I had two animal encounters today. At one point i got too close to a camel and when i turned my back on it, it tried to bite me. The other occurred when we were driving and there was a large-ish turtle crossing the busy street. I expressed concern for the turtle – not wanting to see it get squashed. Our driver stopped the van, ran into the street, picked up the turtle, brought it back to the vehicle and handed it to me. I held this turtle for about 20 minutes until we reached a good place to deposit it. The creature was quite adorable, but he did (understandably) get frustrated with being held for so long and began kicking his little legs. It was at this point that he urinated on me. I was able to clean up right away, but as i have only one pair of trousers for this trip (and they, like the rest of my clothes are beginning to smell), i was not delighted at having this occur. My displeasure was outweighed by knowing that we saved the turtle from a certain fate in the road. The last i saw of him, he was moving slowly but with great determination into a patch of yellow squash.

My favorite quote from today came when i was listening to a carpet seller explain how the colors in the carpets are made. He explained that they use only natural dyes, using onion skins for yellow, lice blood for red and tobacco for the browns. He said, “You can see that tobacco is not only good for the lungs, but it also make good color.”
On that note, i think i shall go smoke.
d

Asia Europe Turkey

Cappadocia

Today i flew from Izmir to Kayseri (via Istanbul) and took an hour bus ride to Göreme, in Cappadocia, where i will be for about 3 days. The drive here was incredible – nothing but farmland and dry hills, patches of yellow melons, sunflowers and corn. I saw horses and donkeys, goats and cows. As we approached Göreme, the landscape became dryer and weirder.

I can’t really describe it except to say that it looks like it is from another planet. The rocks jut out from the earth in a variety of shapes: cones, jagged shards, shitake mushroom and white asparagus. Into the large conical ones are carved rooms and windows. There are caves carved into every rock face that will support it. I honestly sat open mouthed in sheer wonder as we drove into the town. I have never seen anything like it. The town is very small: about two streets with restaurants and shops (obviously catering to tourists) and the rest is just residential and farmland. If it weren’t for the extraordinary landscape that brings the travellers, this town would be a ghost town. As it is, many of the houses in the town are very shabby, with rough stones for walls and roofs of sticks and tin. Men drive through the streets on tractors and donkeys and carts with their produce on display. I LOVE it here.

I am staying at the Sato Cave Hotel and my room is carved out of the rock – that said, it is not entirely rustic, as it has plumbing and electricity (but no AC). They gave me a room for three people, so ıt ıs huge and ı have an enormous bed. The rooftop of my hotel has a terrace with a fabulous view. This is where they serve breakfast in the morning. The hotel also has a pigeon coop. I am not sure why.

I will spend the next two days visiting the rock valley and the underground cities.
It is so amazing here. I cannot wait for tomorrow.

Tag: Cappadocia