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!

the turquoise coast (cont'd)

After surviving the “scenic shortcut” from Ölüdeniz to the Yediburunlar Lighthouse and having a fun one-night stay high up in the remote mountaintops, we spent an additional four nights on the Turquoise Coast continuing to bounce from place to place - namely, the towns of Kaş, Çirali and Antalya - as we traveled along the shore.  (Make no mistake – apart from our “scenic shortcut,” the roads in Turkey are generally very good so renting a car to tour the coast is a great choice.)  No offense to Çirali or Antalya, but our clear favorite among these towns was Kaş, a coastal fishing and yachting town that spills down a hill and into the deep blue sea (population: 7,000).  On our way there from the Yediburunlar Lighthouse (a one-hour drive), we made a stop mid-way to check out Patara Beach, a twelve-kilometer expanse of golden sand and one of the longest stretches of unbroken beach in the region.  It was a perfect day for the beach, not a cloud in the sky.

Under such conditions, however, it was also an incredibly hot day and the sand beneath our feet was fire blazing hot.  As such, after a few runs in and out of the water, where we moved lazily with the current, letting it carry us in and out, we sought refuge in the comfortable shade of the nearby beach bar.  Our oasis was an open-air establishment with long picnic tables and a high-pitched, thatched roof where we shared a few cold beers, enjoyed the relaxed vibe and snacked on some local food.  This woman was churning out these delicious looking stuffed crepes.

Back on the road, we were in awe of the beautiful coast as we approached Kaş.

We checked into our hotel - conveniently located on the water - and quickly hit the shore ... after all, it had been hours since our last dip in the sea.  Interesting beach though, it consisted of pebbles and was not very big (at least the spot that we visited).  But, several platforms of decking – outfitted with lounge chairs, beach umbrellas and a string of cafes – had been constructed along the neighboring rocks providing additional access to the sea.  It was something different, and the scene worked just fine for us.

After a couple of hours, Brian, Lindsay and Aman decided to go scour the nearby marina for a boat that we could rent the following day for a sea excursion.  Such day trips are popular in Kaş with loads of leisure boats going out each morning during the busy season.  The itineraries vary, but most trips feature stops at nearby ruins and small offshore islands.  We knew that if our idyll on the coast was going to include a boat excursion, Kaş was the best place for it.  We did not have anything booked in advance, but hoped to get a good last minute deal by dealing directly with the boat owners at the marina (instead of making arrangements with some overpriced tour operator in town).  It turned out to be a good strategy (one that we would recommend to others), as shortly before dinner, we were confirmed to spend the next day on the Ilayda Yatcilik, a fine-looking 19-meter sailboat.  Traditional in design, it had two masts and was made of wood.

Our group arrived at the port the next morning at 9:30 a.m., as agreed with Nihat, the Captain of the Ilayda.  Most boats left at 10:00 a.m., he explained, and by leaving a half-hour before the rush, we would avoid the crowds at some of the more popular spots where everyone was heading.  We piled onboard, greeted our crew of four and proceeded to get settled in the forward of the boat, which had a large deck equipped with bright blue full-length cushions for our lounging comfort.  This works, we remarked happily to each other, taking in our digs for the day.  As we rummaged around for our sunblock, books and other necessities, the crew raised the anchor and we were soon off, cruising (in the lead) through the perfectly serene, impossibly blue waters of the Mediterranean, gazing at the tiny green islands that dotted the horizon.  It was going to be a good day.

Not more than thirty minutes later, we dropped anchor again in a small, quiet cove.  

Our first mate (the Captain's son):

Okay, said the Captain.  Time for swimming.  We grabbed the colorful, styrofoam "noodles" that we had procured during a pit-stop on our way to Patara Beach the day earlier and jumped in. 

The water felt as nice as it looked, and we bobbed around for a good while before the Captain called that it was time to go.  More day-trippers, incoming.

We climbed aboard and made way to the next stop.  More swimming, followed by a visit from this little old lady, who appeared out of nowhere when she saw our boat coming, armed with scarves and handmade jewelry for sale.  She had decent stuff.  Plus, you had to admire her go-get-em sales approach.  We gladly gave her some business.

As the boat continued to the next and next and next location, the day went on in this lazy fashion:  lunch, nap ... swim, beer, nap ... swim, beer, nap.  During our final swim of the day, the boat's chef (who incidentally had been doing an outstanding job all day long) jumped in the water as well.  He had a platter of fresh cut fruit that he laid carefully in a life preserver and floated over to us.  What service!  Stellar ending to an amazing day.

Back on land, we stopped at a rooftop bar overlooking the marina to watch the sunset.  

And at night, we meandered through the narrow, crooked streets of town, which were only wide enough to accommodate foot traffic.  Town center was a busy yet quaint cluster of restaurants, bars, and cafes, in addition to countless shops catering to tourists with impressive displays of jewelry, ceramics, backgammon (tavla) boards and colorful lamps.  

Here we are, last night in town, enjoying some delicious street food (i.e., "jacketed potatoes"):

Çirali and Antalya were great as well.  While Çirali was an agricultural village with a rustic, bohemian charm, Antalya was a proper city with an urban feel.  

Çirali:

Antalya:

In all, the Turquoise Coast was a cool mix of places, each of which had something different to offer and presented plenty of opportunities for great fun and good laughs.  In fact, we are still chuckling about the one morning in Çirali when Aman and Brian decided to go for a drive and, before Brian could even get in the car, Aman spotted some woman running frantically down the road and trying to flag him down.  She thought he was her airport transfer…

Last day together on the coast, the Turkey road crew and our trusted Caravelle.  Good times guys!