We were up before the sun on our first full day in Cappadocia in order to get to the hot air balloon meeting point. We met our pilot and were shuttled off to the balloon launching point. As the light began to creep over the hills, we watched as the crew very efficiently blew up our balloon.
We were up in the air with what seemed like hundreds of other hot air balloons minutes later. Cappadocia is apparently the number one place on earth to go hot air ballooning.
The ride lasted about an hour and a half and we enjoyed some spectacular views, as well as a gorgeous sunrise. After we landed we had a glass of champagne, which is the customary way to end a successful ballooning trip. We were returned to our hotel where we had breakfast, and then were off on foot for a walk through town and out into the canyon to have a view from the ground of some of the formations we had viewed from above just a few hours prior. The formations are created by hundreds of thousands of years of erosion by wind and water. In the past two thousand years, some of them have been dug out to create living quarters. The landscape is truly like something out of a Dr. Suess or Star Wars landscape.
We then continued on foot to the Open Air Museum, which was a collection of churches and monasteries dug out of the natural formations, the insides of which were painted with gorgeous frescos. In order to protect the frescos, pictures were not allowed inside; however, I was able to take photos of the outsides.
We walked back to town to have a bite to eat for lunch at a local restaurant, then hopped into the van and drove about thirty minutes to an underground city. This UNESCO World Heritage site was beyond our imaginations. The city stretched over nine kilometers of tunnels and rooms and had over six different levels. They even had rolling doors to help keep out unwanted guests!
After visiting the underground city, we hopped back in the van and headed back to Goreme, stopping at two panoramic viewpoints in the way back to the hotel.
We had a bit of free time once we got back to town, and a few of is went to check out a ceramics store in town. The pottery here is colorful and has some incredible patterns. After shopping, it was time for dinner, and we went to a local woman's house for a traditional Turkish dinner. Fatima had prepared meze (traditional appetizers), soup, a main dish and watermelon for dessert. Since it was Ramadan, we waited for Ishtar (the breaking of the daily fast) to eat. After our meal, we went to a local bar called Fat Boys for a few drinks, and then retired for the evening.
The following morning, we had breakfast, packed up, and checked out of our hotel. We piled into the van and drove for about three hours until we reached Konya. Konya is the most traditional city we have visited thus far. It is apparently the home of the whirling dervish. We immediately noticed all the bedsheets hanging from the balconies, and when we asked our guide, Bruce, about them, he told us it was so the women could go out on their balconies without being seen. In this way, they wouldn't have to cover up while on their balconies. We had a quick bite to eat (which was difficult because most of the restaurants were closed during the day for Ramadan, and the one we did find had a very reduced menu). After lunch, we headed to a museum where several religious leaders were entombed. Also in the museum were several old books, robes, prayer carpets, and some of the largest prayer beads you can imagine...
After we concluded our visit to the museum, we had a little free time and wandered the shops nearby. We then piled back into the van for the remainder of our trip to Antalya. The ride was gorgeous, as we passed through mountains and enjoyed some breath-taking scenery!
We eventually arrived in Antalya, a bustling coastal city, with a population of over one million. We got checked into our hotel, which is located in the old, quieter part of town. We noticed a change in temperature, as the heat and humidity really became apparent... We had dinner outside on a balcony with a gorgeous view of the bay and the lights of the city. After dinner, we had a few drinks and then called it a night!
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