cappadocia

The locals will tell you that Cappadocia is a special place for many reasons, not the least of all, because its stark lunar-like landscape was used in the movie Star Wars.  There is even a “Star Wars” lookout point on one of the local roads.  Behold, the view.

Contrary to local lore, however, Star Wars was not filmed in Cappadocia, at least not according to our research (Reportedly, George Lucas inititally wanted to shoot Star Wars Episode I in Cappadocia, but that film was actually shot in the Tunisian desert, among various other places).  Oh well, never mind.  It may not be the original Tatooine, but Cappadocia still has a lot going for it.  And, the fact that it very well could be mistaken for the place where Star Wars was filmed says a lot about its unique topography, the result of ancient volcanic eruptions that occurred millions of years ago.

Cappadocia is a region in central Turkey known for its surreal landscapes, cave-dwellings and churches carved into cliffs, ancient underground cities, and hot air balloons.  Aman and I flew there to spend three nights with good friends Brian and Leslie, having said good-bye to the other half of our Turkey road crew (a.k.a. Lindsay and Jodi) in Antalya earlier in the day.  Our group went the "cave-dweller" route by opting to stay in a tiny, sleepy village called Ortahisar at one of the several "cave hotels" that have become increasingly popular in the area.  It was perfect.  Half of the town of Ortahisar is deserted, so things were peacefully quiet.  One of the only and most distinct noises that we heard was the adhan calling out from the local mosque, which would echo all around us, five times a day.  Here is a view of "Ortahisar Castle" and the village from the outdoor terrace of our hotel where we spent our evenings lounging after long days of exploring the area and hiking.  Surreal, right?

Through our hotel, we arranged for a local guide to show us around during our first day in town.  Fascinating stuff to see in Cappadocia, which made for a very busy day of exploring.  The first stop was in Kaymakli, where we toured one of the underground cities.  Early Christians mainly used these cities as hiding places before Christianity was an accepted religion.  Impressive in size, each city consisted of a vast network of tunnels and multiple levels of rooms for sleeping, cooking, storing food, making wine, etc.  It was an interesting place to walk around and wonder what it might have been like to live there in ancient times (apparently, when claustrophobia was not an issue...).

Then, we stopped briefly in Uçhisar to check out another "castle" and some natural landscapes. 

Uçhisar Castle:

Unique landscapes:

Our guide also took us for a stop by the Goreme Open Air Museum, which was a significant monastic complex from the Byzantine times.  Much like everything else in Cappadocia, this settlement was carved into the soft rock of the cliff walls.  It contains monasteries and several different churches and chapels that, despite some vandalism over the years, still have beautiful frescoes dating from the 9th century to the 11th century.  

Aman, sitting at the head of the table where the monks dined:

There were a lot of monks, and it was a very long table:

After a stop in Avanos for lunch, we continued on to Pasabaglari (Monks' Valley) and Devrent (or Imagination) Valley for rock formations (known as "fairy chimneys") and more natural landscapes.  

Fairy Chimneys:

Camel Rock at Imagination Valley:

The second day in Cappadocia involved an early start for Brian and Leslie, who had signed up for a balloon ride.  Aman and I awoke early that morning to the very distinct sound of hot air balloons hissing overhead as they flew nearby our cave.  Brian and Leslie said that it was amazing.

After breakfast, we piled in the car and drove to the Ihlara Valley for a moderate hike.  There are loads of places with varying degrees of difficulty to go hiking in Cappadocia.  We picked a relatively easy one that we completed in a couple of hours, since it was my first long hike since the bicycle accident in Amsterdam.  Plus, there are good views as you walk the trails along the Ilhara valley floor and, equally as important, a place to rest and enjoy a cold Efes and a savory crepe along the way.   

The crepe lady:

Enjoying a break:

In the afternoon, we continued to drive around and enjoy the passing rural landscapes. The land in Cappadocia is quite fertile, with fields full of potatoes, pumpkins, apricots and sunflowers.  The region is also a big producer of wine.  And the locals raise plenty of livestock here.

On our way back to Ortahisar for the night, we stopped at the Agzikarahan Caravanserai, which is longhand for "caravan palace."  These buildings were important in former times for merchants traveling the Silk Road and in need of accommodations and a place to stable their animals for a few nights.  This particular one was in great condition, especially considering that its construction began in the 13th century.    

Our last day was filled with more hiking (for Aman and Brian, at least; the route was too advanced for my healing knee and, thankfully, Leslie hung back to keep me company), and afterwards, delicious local food.

Brian and Aman, at the summit of a difficult trek:

Best lunch that we had in Cappadocia, at the Center Cafe & Restaurant in Uçhisar:

Bottom line, Cappadocia is not just for Star Wars fans.  The entire region has a charm about it, a simple village way of life, the perfect contrast after a few days in the bustling metropolis of Istanbul or a busy week of exploring the coast.  Great for outdoorsy types who like good hikes in unique places, history buffs, foodies, wine-lovers, cave-dwellers, etc.  Basically, everyone.  One of the more interesting places we have seen this year, we are glad that we did not skip it!