Day 5: Cappadocia

We arrived at our hotel, and killed some time before check-in researching things to do in Göreme (the main town, within the Cappadocian region, where we were staying).

The cool common area.

We decided to wander around town, checking out a few stores before heading to Pigeon Valley.

This store was very interesting, so many different textiles! It made it very tempting to buy a rug.

"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood..." We realised when we got to this junction, that the local who had given us directions to Pigeon Valley, had instead led us to Rose Valley.

We wandered further on with a basic idea of which direction we were heading.

The pointy rock figures are nicknamed "Fairy Chimneys".

The landscape reminded me of Georgia O'Keefe's Mexican Desert series that I studied for the HSC.

Pia trying to figure out where we were.

We eventually found the main road leading back to Göreme.

On the way back, we stopped by this small "church" carved into the mountain rock.

We paid 5TL and got a flashlight and a personal tour from a Turkish man who led us (we were the only two people there) through the dark caves, explaining things along the way. At the end of the tour, he gave us some tea (a common tradition here) and told us he lived in a small room in the cave 8 months of the year, giving tours.

This was where the pigeons used to rest, and the Christians (who used to live inside these caves), would collect the droppings for fertiliser.

There are over 100 underground cities throughout Cappadocia that were used during early times for Christians to seek hiding from the Romans (who believed in Paganism).

They decorated the churches that they had dug, where they could worship without fear of being killed.

Pia outside the church, overlooking the rocky landscape.

Next, we stopped at the Gorëme Open Air Museum.

Similar to the church we'd seen just moment before, however the Open Air Museum was a lot bigger, with living quarters, dining halls and worship areas.

This was a dining room (long table and chairs). It fit about 40 people seated.

Details of the church roof.

We headed back to the hostel, stopping via a few sights.

Like this tree decorated with clay pots.

And another tree decorated in 'evil eyes' to ward off evil and bring good luck.

We got back to the hostel, rested from our very long walk in the 30+ heat, then went out to dinner at a small cafe restaurant with really delicious food.