Posts

Showing posts with the label Cappadocia

love valley

Image
Love valley in Cappadocia.  I was not quite sure why it was called love valley.  The guide was talking about the rock formations with the columns being protected by a basalt layer.  Then I saw the rock formations and the obsession with hearts and love.  Look at the tips of those rods.  That would be the way to communicate it well in English.

Underground City

Image
Inside the underground city.  I have wanted to visit the underground city for a long time after hearing about them.  People must have been a lot shorter when they built these places.  I had to crawl on my hands and knees several places.  I had wondered about what happened to smoke from fires.  According to the guide the smoke would be absorbed by the rocks. When the rocks where black with soot they inhabitants would dig more of the soil out and remove it.  The guide said many of the underground cites are connected even 12 Kilometers away.  The air vents were small narrow wells going straight up and down but I am sure the very interconnectedness of the tunnels and rooms help air circulation. It appears the use of the cities was both for storage but also for defense from invaders.  

Inside a cave home

Image
I got to go inside a cave home which has been occupied for generations.  The man was born in this house house as part of a very big family.  Now his wife and live there making money by showings their house serving tea and coffee, and selling small items. The heated area was quite warm.  I assume in summer there is no need for air-conditioning  This their living room. Their bedroom. Outside  looking in. The toilet.  There was also a shower The heat source.  It was quite warm inside. A little terrace.  Nice little view.

So what is Cappadocia

Image
I saw this nice short summary of the history of Cappadocia.  There are a lot it there but this seems nice. I really didn't know to much about this part of the world. This is definitely the off season. There were five total people on the tour yesterday. I was the only one staying the hotel last night. I gave a tip to the breakfast guy and he let me stay in the room until my shuttle leaves tonight.  Of course I will not be here I will be out.

What did I eat ..

Image
When I get back from a trip fumiko always asks what I ate.  Here is so turkish food. Fresh baked wood fired oven bread Grilled chicken  Grilled eggplant, which I could eat all so I too it to go.  Eating it cold was also delicious. Vegetarian burrito

awake my darling

Image
Awake awake my darling, and open your blue eyes, for faintly in the eastern sky the early light of dawn is breaking. I am in the shuttle taking us to morning hot air balloon.  The idea is to be aloft when the sun comes up.  The last couple to be picked up were late.  As we are driving to the balloon take off area, I saw a little light in the eastern sky.  For some reason I thought of this song I sang in choir while at Seattle University.  I always thought it was beautiful.  When I had a blue eyed girl friend who had a hard time waking in the morning I could sing it.  It would make me smile.  I had not thought of this song for along time.  At first only the words awake awake my darling came to mind, and not the tune,but eventually it all came back, together with other memories of that time.  One of the people who was late coming to their pick up time is concerned that we will miss the sunrise in the balloon. Hey thanks buddy. ...

to Cappadocia

Image
Nothing like leaving at 430 am to catch a 7 am sunrise flight.  I am off to Cappadocia.  So far the tour company has been spot on travel arrangents. I got a picture of sunrise from the plane.  Tomorrow I will see sunrise in a hot air balloon. I think you know you are in the country side when the airport toilet is a squat toilet. After checking into the cave hotel, which has a really nice toilet and shower. I hiked up to sunset point to look at the city  The cave houses are just amazing. I hiked up into pigeon valley after lunch.  It was getting really cold and my bones where frozen.  On the return to town I stopped at one of the fancy resorts to go to the Turkish bath.  Sauna, steam bath, soap scrub and massage, facial and facial massage, and finish with an oil massage that was probably the best massages I have ever had. I stopped and got a vegetarian plate of food, and went back t...