Turkiye Day 5 - Cappadocia Part 2

If you have not done so, read the previous related post here.

After visiting the open air museum and Carperdocia, we headed to a few other scenic spots before our lunch stop. First we went to Devrent Valley to see some really non-uniformed shaped fairy chimneys.

Look! A Camel


The camel is right by the road


Pyramids


It is a bird?


Mushrooms!


The dancers


Panaroma of Devrent Valley

Next we visited Monk's Valley. Apparently monks used to make use of this place. There are some really tall fairy chimneys here. Also, they are growing grapes. I unknowingly stepped on some of the vines before realizing that there was this lady on another plot working on it.

Now, these are more like chimneys!


I think the monks dug these


Slope landform


Lots of tall chimneys here


More of them


See the camel (the real one)? They charge a dollar for a picture with it.

Lunch time! Today's lunch is at a special place. It would be inside a cave! After lunch, we were going to visit a pottery merchant.

The entrance


Walking to the dining area


Inside. There are two musicians in the center. We sat in one of those blocks of seats. It is cool in here.


Grilled fish and butter rice


Dessert! Rice pudding


Lunch over. We were at the pottery factory. An artist paints the pottery. This is actually a ceremonial wine flask.


A demonstration of pottery making. Nothing really special.


This plate probably costs a few thousand USD


Vase painting


The vase in full view


Lots of pottery here

Next up is an underground city/town. These places were used since long ago as refugee camps during times of disaster: i.e. war, earthquake, etc. Later peoples came and further extended the place. Being a place for refuge it was full of low corridors. Bad for the knees but bearable. Without lighting it would be pitch black inside. This particular city was built with a loop. The loop entrance and exit of the loop can be sealed. On tactic would be to draw the pursuers into the loop, escape through the exit, and seal both the entrance and the exit. The "locks" used to seal the loop were smooth on one side. Hence once closed, there was no way of telling which wall of the cave is the one that is blocked. Furthermore, there are no handles on one side, making it impossible to move even if you know where it is. Most will turn insane once the lights go out. However, this place did not make for many good pictures.

Information


Map


Flour mill


A very long air shaft


Holes everywhere

After the underground city, we visited the Pigeon Valley, a precious stone merchant and Uçhisar Castle. Pigeons were used as messengers for a long time in these parts and pigeon droppings were useful for fertilizing crops. The pigeons in Cappadocia are aero-acrobats -- they can perform back somersaults in the air and they do so regularly. They will fly to a certain height and fall by performing multiple back somersaults before flapping their wings to gain altitude. Nobody knows why they do that.

Pigeon Valley


Uçhisar Castle in the background. The Seljuks dug the big rock and used it as a castle. The foreground is the town of Uçhisar.


Acrobatic Pigeons


Panaroma of Pigeon Valley. This involved 4 pictures, totally a nightmare to join.


Lets get out of here!


I quickly got back into the bus and a visitor came to scratch its paws.


The other side of Uçhisar Castle, previously seen at Pigeon Valley. This castle is a landmark in Cappadocia and can be seen from many places.


Many of these planes were flying around throughout the trip. I suspect they are trying to seed clouds as it never rained.


Uçhisar Castle closer up


Some nice formations opposite the castle

Finally after the whole day out, we were headed back to our hotel for a rest. This is where I decided to go for a Turkish bath. Bath is done in a few steps. Firstly, you could swim in the small pool and exercise. Since I was out the whole day I skipped that. Next you would bake yourself in the sauna. After baking myself for about 25 minutes, I took a quick shower and lay on the warm marble. The warm marble is supposed to open your pores. Then, the bath man will come with the scrub and practically all your dead skin will be scrubbed off. Next is shower and then a whole body shampoo with massage. Lastly, shower again and your are done feeling squeaky clean. Well I guess without my skin I can't get any cleaner.

A good dinner and rest awaited, which I thoroughly enjoyed with a 700ml glass of local Efes beer (Efes is actually a name for Ephesus). Tomorrow would be a very exciting day. We were going to wake up early and go for a hot air balloon trip!

Read the next related post here.

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