Cappadocia!

View from the plane window

Getting the balloon ready

I arrived in Kayseri on October 28 after 2 flights from Izmir and was picked up by the airport shuttle service.  By the time we reached the Nomad Cave Hostel it was dark out – 5pm.  I met Tanya from Colorado at the hostel – we went out to a local restaurant for dinner.  I had lamb shish kebab – very tasty.  Went to bed early as I knew it was going to be an early morning for the hot air balloon at sunrise. 

we have liftoff

Tuesday October 29^th – woke up at 4:40am for a 5am pickup.  Had a lovely breakfast before heading to the field where our balloon would launch from.  From 0615 til 0715 we were airborne with amazing views of many types of rock formations around the town of Goreme in Cappadocia.  Fabulous experience.  Tonnes of balloons were in the air that morning.  I was surprised that none of the balloons ever came close to colliding as there were so many.  The driver we had was excellent.  I would recommend Turkiye Balloon Tours to anyone going to Cappadocia.  It was a relaxing ride. 

Pigeon holes

our driver

Sunrise over Cappadocia

Tanya and I

I will never forget this amazing experience

Room at the Nomad Cave Hotel

starting my hike

remnants of paintings in one of the caves

Got back to the hostel before 8am, after which I proceeded to have second breakfast.  At 10am I started my walk through the surrounding hills on paths and  trails that started just outside the town of Goreme.  It was very easy to navigate – lots of signs along the way.  I toured through the Rose/Red Valley and up to a panoramic view from Kizilcukur.  There were a few drink stands along the way – enjoyed some fresh pomegranate and orange juice.  Had a lovely picnic lunch at an abandoned juice stand with a table and umbrella.  Met some nice people through the course of the day – a couple guys from France, a girl from Canada travelling with an Aussie guy, and a family from Russia.

 

I walked for 5 hours through the rock formations

Inside one of the cave dwellings

Looking out

It was a beautiful day

The dog that followed me for a couple hours

Evidence of people living in the caves

View from the top

The path to the top

Bathroom in the rock - cost $1 Euro

Marker on the trail

I learned later that the holes were made for pigeons

Where I stopped for a break - table down below

Pigeon holes

8th century church in the rock - no restorations done

8th Century church from the front

Goreme open air museum church

After leaving the valley and getting back to the main road I discovered a church.  Met a lovely Turkish couple there from Istanbul – their first time in Cappadocia.  The church was from the 8^th century and it was the original – no restoration work had been done.  The man at the church informed me that the small holes carved into many of the rock faces were made for pigeons.  From the first level of the church I went through a small low passage upward to the second level where there was a room filled with pigeon holes.  Pretty neat to see how they moved through the different levels of the caves.  After exploring the church the Turkish couple gave me a ride down the road to the Goreme Open Air Museum.  Here is a bit of detail from their website about the churches:

The town of Goreme

Nomad Cave Hotel where I stayed

It contains the finest of the rock-cut churches, with beautiful frescoes (wall paintings) whose colors still retain all their original freshness. It also presents unique examples of rock hewn architecture and fresco technique. The Goreme Open Air Museum has been a member of UNESCO World Heritage List since 1984, and was one of the first two UNESCO sites in Turkey. The area covered by this Open Air Museum forms a coherent geographical entity and represents historical unity. There are eleven refectories within the Museum, with rock-cut churches tables and benches. Each is associated with a church. Most of the churches in Goreme Open Air Museum belong to the 10th, 11th and 12th centuries.

 

That night I enjoyed a hot clay pot – baked in the oven – filled with kebab meat and vegetables and some rice.  Great dinner.  Wednesday October 30^th I flew back to Istanbul – 2 hour delay in the flight from 10:20 until 12:20pm.  Met a girl from Brazil  - Fernanda - while waiting for the flight to takeoff.