A Trip to Kapadokya

[Colwyn]

Rindaloo
I believe the frescoes of saints are 9th century. I can find no information on the iconoclastic (at least I assume they are) abstracts and grape & pomegranate ceiling paintings that I think are exceptionally beautiful. I would be pleased to hear from anyone who knows more.

[JacM]

This is one of the most fascinating things I've read (and seen) in ages. Thank you for sharing it with us all; it's really inspirational.

Look forward to the next installment and enjoying looking back over your trip so far. I'd love to make this trip myself so thanks again for all the useful info.

Best wishes

Jac

[Colwyn]

Day 7: Part Two

From the monastery we travelled south passing some (tufa) fairy chimneys sheltered under (hard basalt) rocks and came to Yesilhisar - the "hisar" bit indicating that this is the location of another rock castle. Turning north we travelled with Mount Erciyes (3917m/12,850ft) but, for our first time in Turkey, we had to wait for a train to clear a level crossing before we could photograph the volcano. Then, back to Ürgüp.

CHIMNEYS




TRAIN






MOUNT ERCIYES




In the evening we went for a hike in Red Valley - also known as one of the Sunset Valleys (due to their running towards the north west). On the way we passed the three most famous fairy chimneys in Turkey - the Father, Mother and Child group - that appear on the reverse of the current 50 YTL note. I spent some time trying to photograph these in precisely the same view as they appear on the currency. This is not possible unless you have some means of hovering about 30 ft off the ground. They are the product of the artist's imagined viewpoint. The other image on the banknote is, of course, the ubiquitous Uçhisar castle - that is several miles away. Then we searched for a long time for the route to Aktepe at the head of the Sunset Valleys. We finally found that the track there was in the middle of some horrendous roadworks hidden behind huge mounds of road gravel. We arrived too late for a decent walk but still managed a pleasant trek towards the setting sun and then back to the top of the hill.

THE FAMOUS STONES . . .



. . . ON THE BAKNOTE . . .


. . . AND IN REALITY



SUNSET IN RED ALLEY





Back in Ürgüp we went for dinner. We had not had any memorable food in Göreme, but both meals in Ürgüp were interesting. The first night we went to the biggest place in town - the Sömine. I had the Kapadokya speciality - testi kebab. This is cooked in a sealed clay pot which is broken open at your table. I had eaten this before one winter in Side. Then, in an almost empty restaurant, the waiter, watched by his chums, carefully tapped the pot all-round and then gave the big hit - which smashed the top of it into a dozen pieces. He had to pour the contents into a bowl and then remove the broken bits. His chums sniggered in a most unseemly way. At the Sömine the service was highly polished. One sharp tap to the pot and it came apart in a neat line. As we were in the heart of the Turkish wine-growing area we decided to splash out on a decent red wine. Some £24 (50YTL) bought us a bottle of stuff that, unlike most Turkish red wine, was drinkable without causing you to wince. Not as good as the Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon I bought at a Bristol supermarket this week for £2.99, but drinkable. When is somebody (probably an Australian) going to start producing bottles of nice Turkish red wine that cost less than a day's pay? I won't hold my breath.

On our way to the Sömine on the first night we had been "highjacked" on the road down the hill by a restaurateur who insisted on showing us his place. It was called the Panorama Cafe - due to its view over Urgup. It was described as a "Manti Restaurant". Manti is a kind of very small Turkish ravioli (I have included a photo of manti preparation from elsewhere on our travels). We were surprised that an entire restaurant should be dedicated to just one dish, although there were other things on the menu, but we went there on our second night to try it. We were the only ones there but the owner assured us that his place was recommended by Lonely Planet and TripAdvisor. And we will add our own recommendation. It was fun.


WOMEN MAKING MANTI (Photograph by permission of the subjects)

[buddy]

Colwyn, this is such a fascinating story of your trip, it would be wonderful to emulate it, but we must wait until the children are off on their own, then maybe.
Please keep the diary going, it makes such interesting reading and the photographs are fantastic. Such a great insight into the real Turkey that we hope to discover in the future.
Buddy

[jo b]

I remember one holiday in Kalkan we used to go to a lovely famly run restaurant called Ali Babas most days for lunch the food was just lovely...my favourite was sauted lamb with smoked aubergine (never found it on the menu anywhere else).

Anyway one day we arrived and the old lady and her daughters in law were sat just as in Colwyn's photo making manti. Hubbie asked what they were making and was told turkish ravioli and he thought it would arrive simlar to Italian ravioli with a tomato sauce. Well hs face when it arrived it was in a bowl of yoghurt with melted butter on top!

He doesn't "do" yoghurt at the best of time but not wanting to offend Mustafa and his family he proceeded to cover it wth the herb mix and chilli flakes that were on the table to see if it was more manageable. I think he got about half way through  before Mustafa came and rescued him by bringing him is usual koftas!

I know a couple of people who tell me that manti is wonderful...but 'll take there word for it there are plenty of other delicious Turkish dishes that I do enjoy.

Colwyn how did you enjoy the manti? Loving your story by the way.

Jo.

[Colwyn]

Hi Jo
As you say we had manti in yogurt sauce. Difficult to tell whether it was stuffed with anything really; it just tasted of pasta. Quite nice though.

[Colwyn]

Day 8: Part One

We had nothing booked for this day but before leaving the UK we had thought of staying in Selime to walk in the canyon. Our visit on the
day trip confirmed this and we decided to drive there and see if we could find a pansiyon for the night and walk down the rest of the Ihlara valley. The journey through Nevsehir and nearly to Aksaray was uneventful and around noon we turned off the main road and into Selime. We drove past a few shops and down to the river, pulling up outside a restaurant where a young chap ran out to greet us and introduced himself as Ahmet. We had a laconic conversation.

"Where are you going?"
"We don't know".
"You don't know?".
"Perhaps we are going here. If we can find a pansiyon".
"Ah, we have pansion*. 50 Lira".
"We want to walk down the Ihlara valley if we can get to Belisirma".
"Ah. I have car. I can drive you. Cheaper than taxi. 20 Lira".

Although Belisirma was not far away there was a long steep road down from the canyon rim to the river and he would have to return the same way, so we thought this a reasonable price - especially when you consider the horrendous price of petrol in Turkey - 3.33YTL/£1.58 per litre when we were there.

After a little more negotiating the three of us set off for the pansiyon which was about a mile up the road. The hotel, like the restaurant, was called the Çtlak. It was rather a grand place; an imposing exterior, interior decoration modelled on fancily iced cakes, with a trinket cluttered reception and pleasant large bedrooms. It enjoyed a fine view of Mount Hasan. We decided it was just right. We put our cases in the room, Ahmet arranged for a friend to come to collect us all, and we returned to the restaurant to take an Efes on a pontoon in the middle of the river.

ÇTLAK PANSION*




RECEPTION




OUR ROOM



MOUNT HASAN




Selime is a very small place nested between the cliffs and the river with lots of poplar trees. But ... what is that on the ridge overlooking the village. Ahmet told us it was a new 500 room hotel being built and that it would wreck all the tourist trade enjoyed by the local families. 500 rooms was clearly a Turkish exaggeration, but it was certainly going to be a big place when finished and - we suspected - a horrid eyesore right on the skyline overlooking the river.

SELIME PANORAMA




PHOTO DETAIL - THE NEW HOTEL




* My dictionary tells me that the spelling is pansiyon; but that is not the way the Çtlak spelled itself.

[Colwyn]

Day 8: Part Two

When Ahmet said he had a car and could drive us to Belisirma this wasn't strictly true. He didn't have a car, and he couldn't drive. But he had a friend who did and could and who took us back up the valley. After nearly picking the wrong track, but being put right by the village women, we set off along the river. It was one of the most beautiful walks we have taken. Crystal water running between high cliffs. Along the side of the river women worked in little irrigated gardens growing corn and pumpkins. We startled three herons who flew some metres in front of us for quite a way. There was another rock-cut church. We passed a herd of cattle grazing on the river banks, and a large mixed flock of sheep and goats raising dust in the trees across the water, before coming to an old stone bridge just before Selime. The walk took two and a quarter hours with frequent stops for photographs. There is conflicting advice on the web about walking the Ihlara valley all the way from Ihlara village to Selime. Some say it is a full day's march; others that it is a four hour stroll. We think the latter is probably nearer to it but, of course, it depends on just how many churches you want to visit along the way.

TRACK BY THE CLIFF




ALONG THE RIVERSIDE




WORKING IN A GARDEN
Photo with permission of the subject . . . . . . . . . . .  . . .                  . . Photo with permission of subject's owner

. .


MORE FAIRY CHIMNEYS




HERDING COWS




BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO TAKE A REST




DRAMATIC CLIFFS




ROCK CHURCH




SHEEP AND GOATS




OLD BRIDGE





Back in Selime we returned to the riverside restaurant for another beer. We found that we were not the only visitors to the village. A film crew was scouting the area looking for locations for a paragliding shoot. This was a joint Turkish-British venture with an English camera man, a representative of the Turkish company, a Turkish guide, and various other people whose roles were difficult to ascertain; seven or eight in all. They too were taking a drink at the Çtlak Restaurant and they too were staying at the Çtlak Pansion - well they were the only places catering to tourists really. Ahmet's friend took us back to the hotel and picked us up later in the evening to go back to the river for dinner where, of course, the film crew were eating. At the end of the evening we went back to the pansiyon and were invited to join the crew drinking raki on the terrace. We chatted with the Turkish film guy, Cem. He asked about our trip and when we said we were starting and finishing in Akyaka he asked where we stayed there. "The Okaliptus". "Oh yes" he said "Staying with Muammer". Well there are only 70 million people living in Turkey so we were bound to meet someone who knew someone we knew - even several hundred miles away! Cem had met Muammer as a rep for Simply Turkey. We promised to pass on his greetings when we returned to Akyaka. Then we said goodbye and went up to our room. We were rather surprised that all the staff at the hotel lined up at the foot of the stairs to wish us "Goodnight". We felt like royalty.

[Colwyn]

Day 8: Addendum

After dinner at the restaurant on the river we went inside (evenings were getting a little chilly in mid-September in the hills) and had some Turkish coffee. We chatted with young Ahmet. He told us how he wanted to go to work in a city but he couldn't because he didn't have any secondary schooling. His older brothers had gone to school but, when it came to his turn, the family didn't have enough money, and he had to stay home and help out on the family land. We protested that he surely must have had some schooling; how else would he have acquired his very good English (no flattery here, his English was very good). He said he had taught himself. He was clearly an intelligent young man. But, without education, without qualification, he would not get a well-paid city job in Turkey. We comforted him with the notion that at least he was able to make a living in his home village in one of the most beautiful parts of the Turkey - hey, one of the most beautiful parts of the entire world. But this didn't cheer him much.

We wish him well in his life; he is a lovely lad and made our stay the more enjoyable.

[hubblebubbles]

Colwyn thank you so much for this absolutely fascinating account of your trip.The photo's are superb and you have made such interesting reading that I have been through it twice !!! Really enjoyed it that much.Best thing on the forum for ages.