Magical Cappadocia.

And so, it was on to Cappadocia. I’d looked at the pictures and read a little about it and talked to some people who had said that Cappadocia was a wonderful place to visit, however, what I experienced and saw was far beyond my expectations. It is so different from anything I had seen before either in Turkey or elsewhere. Cappadocia is magical.


We arrived at night and, in the darkness, the weird shapes looked eerie while the landscape was a mystery. The next morning at breakfast, all became apparent. Absolutely breathtaking. It was a clear sunny morning and the view from our cave hotel on the mountain was spectacular with hot air balloons, deserted caves, strange geological formations and some cultivation.

We spent the next two days with tour groups led by Cihat and visited amazing places. There was Imagination Valley where the strange shapes of the pinnacles and volcanic fairy chimneys and valleys invite everyone to make something of the strange shapes in their imagination. Some shapes are fairly obvious, e.g. the camel.  But others are open to interpretation.

We also visited one of the underground cities, Kaymakli, built by the Christians during the Roman occupations. They constructed these cities to hide from the Romans and to avoid persecution. It was built on a number of levels with small, winding tunnels connecting levels and using keystone doors to cut off any invading soldiers who might discover the entrance. Sometimes they were underground for months and so they had caves for every purpose, even for making wine. Good to see they had their priorities right.

There was also the Goreme Open Air Museum which is a collection of Byzantine religious dwellings and chapels carved into the rocks. Living in these places must have been cramped and basic but provides tourists with fascinating stories and an introduction to a very different way of life.

It seems to me that a lot of people lived in caves in Cappadocia over the centuries and we got a taste of it too.  Only we didn't rough it......at all......not one little bit.  Have a look.

Our first cave hotel was the Argos and it was like a palace. Through its history, it has been a monastery and a stop for camel caravans and now it is a fabulous place to stay. We had a little suite with a courtyard, a huge bathroom, a sitting room and our office had a view to die for. Breakfast was an occasion to be extended as long as possible. It was simply beautiful. The dinners were also delicious local cuisine.

Our second cave hotel was the Garimasu Cave Hotel near a more isolated village of Urgup. It was a thousand year old Byzantine monastery and our room was, of all things, the Hittite Room. It had a keystone door and it is believed that our cave could have been 2500 years old.  I wonder who has lived there over the centuries and how they lived their lives.  The hotel has been set up as a retreat and what a place to take it easy. Lovely friendly service, magnificent, ancient surroundings and all your desires met.

My final adventure in Cappadocia was a hot air balloon flight. Many tourists do them but they are certainly worth whatever it takes. For me, early rising is always a cause for concern and this was no exception. I had been told to be at Reception at 4.45am and there would be no time to wait for straglers. At one point during the night, I woke up and looked across the room to see 458 in digital numbers. Oh no, I thought I had slept through my alarm, jumped out of bed, dragged on my clothes and shoes, grabbed the camera, bag etc and ran out the door. As I was rushing down the path towards Reception, I glanced at my watch as I put it on and the time was ………………………….. 12.10am and so I crept back to my bed very shame faced. 458 was the number of the international channel on the T.V.! Needless to say, it was a restless night but I wasn’t late.

The balloon flight was breathtaking. There were 60 balloons in the air at once which is amazing in itself but seeing the stunning landscape from high up and then down low and then up high again was remarkable. From the basket, we saw the enormity of the landscape as well as hidden valleys. It was very exciting. Our pilot is a Turkish Air Airbus pilot in his other life and landed the basket perfectly in the transporting trailer. What a thrill. We were treated to the traditional glass of champagne and then returned to the hotel. I was a very tired little bunny but it was worth it.

The very blue skies, the hot days and cool nights, the exotic landscape, the delicious food, the endless caves above and below ground, the local cuisine, the friendly people AND ....... the ceramics.  Oh come on!  You didn't think I'd get through a trip to Turkey without at least checking them out.  That's next.