Sunday, September 15, 2013

CAPPADOCIA


Cappadocia was one of the big reasons for taking this trip.  We had visited Turkey about 15 years ago, but we were only able to visit Istanbul, Bursa and Kushadesi (Ephesus).  The sheer size of the country prevented us from seeing the interior.  And who could miss the famous fairy chimneys of Cappadocia?  

Our first full day began with a sunrise balloon ride, followed by a photo op of Pigeon Valley.  This post is photos of various parts of the valley, some from our overlook stop, others from the bus. 





Our first day in Cappadocia started with a photo op of Pigeon Valley.  The fairy chimneys were once the homes of the local people, but now are largely uninhabited.  In some cases people moved to modern houses.  In others, as in the case of our lunch hosts, they were forced to move from their family homes.  We also learned that in some cases the towers are still being used for storage, or for pigeon houses – openings are left for the pigeons to roost inside, and whose droppings are collected and used for fertilizer.  There was no end to the variety of forms of the chimneys, eroded from eons of wind and perhaps water. 











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