Friday, February 5, 2010

Turkey Trip—fairy castles and underground cities in Cappadocia—1/19/2010


Today we saw sights totally different from the rest of the trip—no Greco-Roman ruins, no museums with statues or pottery, jewelry or bottles recovered from the ruins, no temples to Greek (or Roman) gods or goddesses. Today we saw rock formations that look like fairy castles growing out of the desert-y land. Today we toured cities dug in the rocks and underground. Today we saw many churches.

Our first stop was Kaymakli Underground city. When we first entered the dark, rocky cave, it was cold. We looked at the large room with various indentations in the rock and learned it had been a stable, the indentations were the hay was laid for the
animals to eat.

Following the arrows, we made our way through various tunnels and rooms—living rooms, a winepress room, kitchens, and even a church—that made up the city.
People had lived here many years ago, safe from attack and at a relatively comfortable (68 degrees Farenheit) temperature. Some of our group did not like the sometimes steep and tight passages.

I loved it. I felt like a human Fiver or Hazelnut in our own Watership Down—finding a making an new home/warren.

We then drove into Cappadocia where we could enjoy views of the famous fairy towers. We stopped for photo ops and 2 of our group took a short camel ride.
Seeing a shepherd with his flock with the abandoned rock houses in the fairy towers as a backdrop, I had to take some pictures.


When first one and then 2 black sheep appeared with the flock, I had take another picture—especially for Adam.



We drove a little further and gazed at yet another view of the fairy castles.

We learned that due to concerns about rock slides, most of these homes chipped out of the rock are now abandoned. But we were welcomed by a couple who still live in their rock home and who invited us to tour their home.

We learned that one of the beautiful Turkish rugs on their walls was made by the woman—over 50 years ago as part of her dowry.

Since one of the couples on our trip are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary this year, we got a picture of the two 50-year couples.

As we were leaving, I noticed some tatting and knitting on the couch by the door. It turns out the woman and her daughters had made these items to sell. I bought some colorful, warm hand-knit socks (with a different kind of heel) for MM to wear in cold Indiana.

We ate lunch at a new restaurant, built to resemble a caravanserai. Of course the meal was delicious. Our next stop was Zelve Avanos—an area of now uninhabited fairy tower dwellings.

People lived here in community until 1950 when the Turkish government relocated them—out of concern for rock slides. Not because the structures look the same, but because the people have done the same thing—carved homes for themselves from the rock—I thought of my favorite place in the US, Mesa Verde in southwest Colorado where native Americans built homes in the cliffs. In Zelve Avanos, we saw homes, olive presses, and a church.

Next we visited Goreme Open Air Museum. This was a monastic community built into the rocks and fairy tower castles. We visited 4 churches here (and a 5th across the highway). Each of the first 4 churches had frescoes painted on the ceilings.


In one, red was the only color used.


In the other 3, red was the predominant color, but blues and some greens were also used.

These all date back to the early 12th century—after Muslim Turks had taken over Anatolia.


The Muslims did not destroy the churches, but allowed the people to continue to worship as Christians.




The last church we saw—the one across the highway—looked different. First, blues and greens dominated the paintings.

Second, the faces were more stylized and detailed.

Third, the layout of the church was different—with a long entrance that fit with the altar area to form a visible cross space.

Fourth, instead of curves and semi-circles, there were angles and rectangles.

I was so amazed at the beautiful frescoes here that I spent most of the time just standing and staring, mouth agape. Teri pointed out various scenes and reminded me which Biblical stories they represented. She has such a good eye! My favorite fresco here had Mary looking with deep love at baby Jesus.

If only my little old camera could have done justice to this fresco with no flash.

We left Goreme and headed back to Urgup. Some of the group chose to stop and shop in downtown Urgup while others of us rode on back to the hotel to rest, re-pack (tomorrow we fly), and freshen up for our evening encounter with the mystic Rumi.

Here are all my pictures from our day touring Cappadocia.

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