Cappadocia days 2 &3
Pipedream
Mon 4 Apr 2011 10:13
Through some quirk of nature during the area's active volcanic phase the lava cooled and froze in large cone shaped formations some 8-10 stores tall. Bryan did some research on them and there is apparently a layer of hard rock inside that gives them structural integrity. The interior 'rock' is very soft and easily carved. During the early Christian period they were forced to live hidden, carving out rooms in the soft rock, first under ground and then in the caves created in the lava chimneys.
Our first stop was a hike in the Ihlara valley. 400 steps to the bottom where a stream had cut through the soft rock. A little like yellow stone canyon. There were a series of maybe 40 'churches' at the bottom along the stream. They were more like monk's cells. Most of the interiors were covered with ornate frescoes that were in the style of Greek Orthodox icons.
The next stop was the underground city of Derinkuyu. Supposedly there were 10,000 people living there but I can't see where. The part we saw went down for 8 stories. They said there was another 8 stories below us but it looked like the water table was just below the 8th story. Lots of communal living facilities. Dinning areas that seated maybe 50, church, and store rooms. Very narrow passages between rooms. Doug is about 6 ft. and was doubled over going through. Claustrophobia plus... It was lit by candles then and I can only imagine what it must have smelled like with all that unwashed humanity in there and no running water?. Every so often you would come to a door... which was an Indiana Jones style rolling rock door to prevent the bad guys from getting any further. There was an old church above ground which was falling down and a new mosque next to it. Sign of the times. In 1922 there was a change of ownership and all the Greeks left turning it all over to the Turks.
Our 'Panoramic View' cave hotel was as advertised. Carved into one of the rock chimneys on the side of a major cliff. There was even a platform overlooking the city to view the sun set circa Key West. Good internet and TV in the lobby common room. Chinese cable has an English language news show on all over Turkey. Not a thing from Voice of America or NPR. Looks like a no brainier to me, English is already the second language in most of these places and they love our music and movies. Instead we have the Chinese telling us that Obama has authorized covert military action to support the Libyan rebels and not to worry about the build up of the Chinese People's army. It is for peacefully furthering Chinese policy. (dah...) Lots of pictures of the good work the Chinese are doing in Africa. We met a couple from Iran at breakfast. Very fit looking 40/50 ish business man and his secretary/daughter?. Very good English skills. We also saw at least two cars with Iranian plates as well.
Call to prayers came very loud as we were at the same altitude as the speakers of the local mosque. It was loud even under two pillows with my arm over my head. Complementary breakfast. We went to the 'open air' museum... a city composed of cave dwelling in the carved out lava mounds. Churches, convent, monastery, communal dining etc. There was a court yard/orchard and all. Doug and Shanna went hiking in love valley and Katie and I took to the car for some photo ops (see Katiesailing.blogspot.com ) We found a cheese burger in paradise and a beer after asking a guy in a New York Yankees ball cap for recommendations. On the way back to the hotel for our afternoon siesta we ran into the winery listed in Fodor's. Stopped for the tour, biggest in Turkey, tasted three or four different wines. The top of the line was comparable to a good California red. After the tour I went out back with the guy who gave us the tour for a smoke. I asked how the winery went over in a Muslim country. He told me he did not drink alcohol, they had a wine maker on staff from France and that they exported most of their product to Cyprus and Greece.
We picked up Dough and Shanna after their hike and dropped them back at the hotel and then after some miss-steps met my sister and her tour for dinner in Nevshir about 10 clicks away. She was in a large modern hotel complex booked as part of a very reasonable two week tour of Turkey. We ate with them at the hotel - super buffet of Turkish foods. My favorite was the turkey wrapped in spinach leaves in a light lemon sauce. That night we followed the bus at speeds of over 110 KPH to the show. 'Mario Andretti would have sure been proud.."we saw the whirling dervishes at a restored rest stop on the former silk highway. Major building complete with built in mosque, sleeping and eating rooms, and a large stable for the camels. Apparently these were built every 12 miles along the route like our pony express agencies in the old west. We stopped at another one on the way back to Kemer.
The show - actually a religious ceremony, took place in the stable area and lasted about an hour. I was surprised how slow it went - like watching paint dry, good experience but just different that what I expected. Doug and Shanna went to Turkish night - a Turkish burlesque type show and dinner.
The next day we hauled 8 hours back to Antlya where we tried to make the Friday night symphony - Mozart's Requiem - fitting for the start of a long sea voyage. Some how it had been rescheduled for two nights earlier. We ended up going to the Megos ( large Wal-Mart) and started our re-provisioning shopping a day early. Back to the marina and turned the car in the next morning. Total trip cost us about 320 TL per couple.