DAY 6
Wow! What a day! We saw so much today, got on and off the bus more times than I can remember.... But it was great!
First visit was to the Rock Chapels 'Uchisar' with it's gorgeous panoramic view, complete with chair under an "evil eye" tree.
Then on to Pigeon Valley with yet another photo opportunity. These places are simply amazing to look at and the fact they have stood the test of time is incredible. I hope the photos do them justice.
Then we visited The 3 Graces - a fairy chimney rock formation depicting the shapes of a father, mother and child.
Next we visited The Valley Of The Fairy Chimneys 'Urgup'. Loads of visitors here, and cars going everywhere! A lovely rock formation in the shape of a camel was an interesting attraction. The next visit turned out to be an expensive one! We stopped at Venessa Seramik - a ceramic workshop with the most amazing ceramic plates, bowls, wine flasks etc I have ever seen. The quality of the workmanship is second to none. We watched a man craft a circular wine flask from scratch and within 5 minutes he had created a masterpiece! We were also lucky enough to watch the artists at work, drawing and painting their unique pieces. Each item is individually handcrafted and no two items are alike - a one of a kind collectors item. In awe of the workmanship, I bought several stunning pieces and have organized for them to be shipped home. Good news - if they arrive broken, they will replace them free of charge!!! I could have bought cheap plates from a street seller but, as with everything in life, you get what you pay for.
With a much lighter purse, we moved on to Monks Valley. Another group of rock formations, but this time we were able to explore inside them. That was a bit of fun. Watching a tourist trying to encourage a camel from his feed bowl was hilarious when it tried to bite him :)
Lunch time - a pancake house where they made pancakes in the traditional Turkish way. Ours were made with potato and other options included cheese, spinach & cheese, meat or mixed. A quick drink and ice cream and we're on the road again.
Next we arrive at Ozkaynak Underground City where whole cities were constructed underground. These settlements had living quarters, stables, wells, ventilation systems, churches & storage rooms. Crouching whilst walking through the tiny tunnels was fun and quite a challenge for the taller tourists. I've never felt so happy to be small :)
Last, but not least, we visited the Goreme Open Air Museum. Dating mainly from the 9th century onwards, the valley's 30 or more churches were built out of the soft volcanic tuff. Many of the churches feature superb Byzantine frescoes depicting scenes from the Old and New Testaments. Awesome views from this location also.
Aleisha and I have opted to do a hot air balloon tour tomorrow morning (me, somewhat reluctantly) to view the sunrise over Cappadocia. Pickup time is 5:10am..... Off to bed!