The Beaten Path

So there are places that are touristy because they’re convenient and people are lazy: Las Vegas, Tijuana, Niagara.  Then there are places that are touristy because they must be:  Yellowstone, Everest, Cappadocia.  How can you hear this place exists and not want to see it?  When we were getting ready to go to Turkey, most of our American acquaintances seemed to think of it as somewhere between Afghanistan and Moldova travel destinations go.  It is, however, well on the beaten path for European travelers.  Going to Istanbul is like going to New Orleans or Miami, going to Antalya is like going to Cancun, and going to Göreme is like going to Moab or Durango.  What I’m saying is that a big part of a visit here is avoiding the feeling that you’re just part of a herd being processed, and I think we’ve done a fine job of that, so far.

First things first: We went to the Göreme Open Air Museum.  This is a UNESCO site that preserves the largest rock-cut (cave) monastery complex in the area and its frescos, which are the finest of their kind, which is 900-1000 year old Byzantine.  The frescos are stunning.  I have never seen anything like them.  They are clearly medieval, and clearly related to both Roman-type liturgical art and Russian style iconography.  What is most remarkable, though, is that (to my untrained eye, admittedly, and kind of in the dark) they seem to use quite sophisticated perspective techniques, and also have a naturalistic approach to depicting people’s expressions.  You are not, unfortunately, allowed to take pictures of them.  Here are some pictures of things we did and saw around Goreme:

Some of the so-called "Fairy Chimneys" of Goreme.  Katy calls them "Cappadokes."  I promised I'd explain the name.  When people were hiding in them, they would still light fires, and light and smoke would sometimes be visible to people who lived nearby.  I'm sure these people were smart enough to realize it was actually people living in them, not fairies, but it makes for a nice name.

The entrance to the Dark Church in the open air museum.  One of the most impressive things ever, it has to be seen to be believed.  Sorry, no pictures allowed.

We were allowed to take pictures of these simple proto-frescoes, which were made before the monks here were rich enough to engage professional artists from far away.  This is the dome of a rock-cut church.

More Cappadokes.  When you can see the big open rooms from the side like this, that is because part of the fairy chimney has collapsed, exposing the ant farm inside.  Otherwise, they would have elaborate and often hidden entrances.  This is also why most (but not all!) people have moved out of these things.  Not pictured, people carved special rooms for raising pigeons, which they used for their eggs and poop (for fertilizer).  We told our guide that Mike Tyson raises pigeons, and she thought this was absolutely crazy, but would mention it in future tours.

Ballooning is one of "the things" you do in Cappadocia.  It turns out to be totally worth it.

I never get bored of this sort of scene.  Unfortunately, the day we ballooned was pretty overcast, so the pictures aren't great.  We went through deep canyons, over mountains, landed in the remains of an abandoned rock-cut village, etc.

View straight down from above.  Note the arch.

Katy and our guide in Kaymakli, the underground city we visited.

I chickened out on a horse ride because, honestly, I was terrified.  Katy carried on.  To regain some lost pride, I rented a mountain bike and set off up some random canyon and mesa.  At the top I was confronted by this awesome view (yes, I had to go a little further to avoid a picture of powerlines, but whatever.) this is Mt. Erciyes, highest of the three volcanoes that made this place what it is.

Picture Katy took while riding amongst the Cappadokes on her FIREBREATHING TERROR STEED.

Proof that I had a bike and rode on a trail in Turkey.

The old village of Cavusin, near Goreme.  Lots of these caves are still used for storage, it turns out.  I saw a few people using them as garages, as well.  Many are, of course, tourist attractions as well.

Crazy fancy pigeon that Katy saw.  It has feathery feet!

Night picture of Goreme village from our hotel.  We have so many pictures it is ridiculous.  I don't even know what to include.