“The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of……Cappadocia, Turkey”
Wednesday, August 13th, 2008Cappadocia (Goreme)
Cappadocia, Goreme is a place that seduces you with the people and the dream like backdrop. Many people arrive in Goreme with the intention of staying two days, which is a realistic amount of time……after all it is a small village with a population of 2100 people. However, I like many before me and I’m sure long after me get caught up in the ‘fairytale’ village that is Goreme.
Cappadocia is surrounded by ‘ Peribacaları’ (fairy chimneys) and mushroom type shapes that were formed by ‘consolidated volcanic rich ash’. And within these conical rock formations the “Troglodytes” (which means cave goers) cut through the rocks and created churches, chapels and monasteries…and inside these churches, chapels and monasteries are byzantine fresco’s.
Many of the accommodation options in Goreme are ’cave’ rooms…..which are just what they sound like, you basically sleep in one of the many rock-cut formation. I suggest staying in one for the ‘experience’ but anything longer than one night, might be a bit much. As, they are very dusty, which makes it difficult to breath…and if you have asthma, I would definitely not recommend lodging in one.
My first two days in Cappadocia I took a tour of Zelve Valley, Pigeon Valley, The underground cities and Derinkuyu. Once I finished my two day excursion I THOUGHT i would be ready to move on…..however this was not the case. On day two of my stay in Goreme I extended my bus ticket to include four more days in Goreme. I won’t even mention how many times a few other people changed their ticket…..let’s just say ‘you know who you are…..Aniek and Anna’!
Once the sightseeing was done I really got to know the people of Goreme, which was not difficult to to do given the small population and the very friendly people. During my extended stay two Canadian ladies I met a week prior in Istanbul came on an overnight bus to Goreme, which made it a ‘reunion’ of sorts. It felt like I was home again hanging out with old friends, but these were new friends made just over a week ago……So, it was me, the two Candian ladies and The dutch lady (Aniek) I met in Olympos three days prior. And together we spent the next four days and nights wandering the ten streets of Goreme and hanging out with the locals at the bars (where Aniek and I played dj for the first night). We lingered in and out of shops, cafes and restaurants. We chatted with the locals over cay (chai tea), nargilie (water pipe) and Efes beer (the worst local beer I have had thus far).
Overall my time in Goreme, Turkey was relaxing and enjoyable. It was nice to stay in a place longer than three day with new found friends.