Goreme
Trip Start
Oct 31, 2008
1
10
19
Trip End
Dec 14, 2008
Goreme,
Cappadocia,
Turkey
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Goreme is so different from anything else we have ever seen, fairy chimney houses dotted around with homes and shops built into them and the surrounding valleys are just breathtaking!
Our first night we tried out the local Hamman (Turkish Bath house), which involded a mud face mask and then a sauna,many showers and dips in a cool salt water pool in between before being exfoliated and massaged with soapy bubbles, until our skin gleamed. We chose an extra 10 minute oil massage each which really put the icing on the cake, and we walked out feeling shiny and new.
WE did a walking tour with Suleyman, from shoestring, through Pidgeon Valley (named for all of the pidgeon roosting holes carved into all of the cave houses), honey valley (named for the honey coloured rocks), white Valley (named for the white coloured rocks, it looks like show, but its old volcanic ash) and Love valley (named for the very phallic rocks, altough I thought they looked like tall mushroom houses :). We found ourselves stooping down and at times crawling through dark tunnels in the rocks and walking over, under and around some pretty out of this world scenery.
On another day we did a tour which took us to a panoramic view over Goreme, which took in most of the surrounding valleys,and the castle. It was like being on another planet. Next was one of the larger underground cites which was pretty freaky, loads on small tunnels to rooms for storing food and wine, animals, churches and living quarters, apparently it was used by local people as a place to hide when their area was threatened by raiding parties, or war. they had a huge air shaft that went from the surface deep down to the floors on the 70 metres deep level, so there was always fresh air.
We took a walk for about 4km through the Ilhara Valley which doesnt have the conical shaped houses, but is like a mini grand canyon with a river flowing through the middle. At this time of year the leaves are falling off the trees like rain, onto the water and covering the ground in autumnal hues. We saw an old cave style church at one end all painted in the natural plant dye hues. We had lunch at the other end of the valley sitting on tables which sat on a built up platform over the river.
We were supposed to visit an underground monastary too, but ended up only looking at it from up on a hill, which bummed us out a bit as it was supposed to be on the tour so who knows what happened there. We went to an onyx facory too which wasnt really my thing, and seemed a bit touristy if you ask me.
That night we went to a turkish night which turned out to be a very touristy affair also, a huge cave filled with busloads of tourists. we saw a pretty average if not gorgeous belly dancer and a whole lot of Turkish folk dancing, but again were disappointed to hear the whirling dervishes were a no show :( I think we have learnt our lesson about tours,and from now on are staying away from them.
Avanos,a nearby village is famous for it pottery, and there was a time in Avanos when a man could not get married unless he knew how to make pottery, the skill was so valued. We went to a factory there and had a demonstration of how they make the pottery and I was even allowed to have a go and making a pot on the hitite style kick wheel, it was hillarious, they gave me a pair of sexy MC Hammer pants gome wrong to put over my jeans and off I went with some direction from one of the family potters, my pot was truely awful but the feeling of the clay spinning under you hands, seeing the pressure changing the shape before your eyes in mesmerising and I think I definately want to have a go at pottery now :). We also were taken into the design room where half a dozen people were painting the plates, and pots all in different styles, it was really interesting to see the process. By the time we got to the show toom I was in love with their original family design, but when I aske dhow much a particular plate I liked was I nearly fell over when he said 1500 turkish Lira! man do I have expensive taste, we backpeddaled out of that room very fast and I ended up buying a wee cup and saucer for my collection which was more suited to a travellers budget.
On our last day in Goreme we it rained, but we managed to see the open air museum before the heavens opened. It had some amazing byzantine painted churches carved into the rock, and a castle and many interesting rooms, some were banquet halls with the long tables and bench seating carved out of the rock. We sat down for an apple tea when we were finished and got chatting to the tea house owner 'ahmed' we sheltered from the rain and made use of the heat from his fire for almost 2 hours in his shop before we got up the courage to brave the walk in the cold rain back to Goreme Village, but Ahmed, bless him gave us a ride in his car, such great hospitality in Turkey!
Cappadocia is a truely fantastical place, and we were well and truely under its spell. All i can say is go if you ever have the chance :)
