Cappadocia, October 2008

Bondi Tram
Peter Colquhoun and Sandra Colquhoun
Sun 23 Nov 2008 02:44
After we docked in Yacht Marine Marmaris, we went off on a 5 day tour to Cappadocia, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Turkey.
 
On the way we went up a 2,000 metre mountain...claimed to be the tallest mountain "closest to the sea" in the world.
 
 
The newly built cable, with the sea at the top of the picture
 
 
Antalya harbour
 
 
Hadrian's Gate, Antalya.  The Roman road can be clearly seen
 
 
Cappadocia.  This hill is honeycombed with tunnels and rooms and has
variously be a monastry, fortress, store rooms
 
 
The famous "fairy chimneys".  The caps are hard volcanic rock, the chimneys are
soft and formed by erosion.
 
 
Eventually, erosion causes the caps to fall off.  This one looks precarious, but
may last thousands of years yet.
 
 
Demonstration by the master potter in an underground
pottery
 
 
Job applicant being tested
 
 
Fair result, but no job offer
 
 
Dwellings in the rocks - in use as recently as 20 years ago
 
 
Interior of a cave church
 
 
Sandra sitting at the monks rock dining table
 
 
In the underground city, which goes down 8 levels below ground.  This was
a school room
 
 
Early morning start for the balloon flight
 
 
 
 
Up and away
 
 
Above the clouds
 
 
Caravanserai - fortified hotel for trading caravans
 
 
In the courtyard of the caravanserai
 
 
Donkey power