TURKEY'S MAGICAL HIDEAWAYS
May 22 - June 7, 2009
Page Nine
Cappadocia Area - Central Turkey
We did a few hikes in the Cappadocia region. Here's one of the volanic spire formations seen on a hike.
The landscape was created around 30 million years ago when erupting volcanoes covered the area with
ash. The ash solidified into an easily eroded material called tuff, overlain in places with layers of hard
volcanic rock. Capped cone formations caused by erosion are called fairy chimneys because
early inhabitants of Cappadocia though that they were the chimneys of fairies who lived under the ground.
View of ancient cave homes and the surrounding landscape
A woman walking in a field
Tour of a carpet factory. The Turks are the only people that
use a double knot in their carpets. A number of people in our group bought carpets to be mailed
to their homes. The ancient skill of weaving rugs has been handed down from generation to generation
in Turkey. Rugs were originally made for warmth and decoration in the home, as dowry items for
brides, or as donations to mosques.
Group shot - Bob, Mary, Jerry, Bobbie, Fred, Lynn, Paul, Dottie, Pat, Heather, Meredith, Nancy, Karen,
and Carole. Dottie and Paul organized a group of people they know to go on this tour with Overseas
Adventure Travel. Bobbie, Fred, Lynne, and Carole are from Michigan (Detroit and Flint areas). The others,
except for Heather (from Alberta) and me (Colorado), live in California. I originally met Dottie and Paul
on an Overseas Adventure Travel trip to Cambodia and Thailand in 2005.
We walked through an area called Monk's Valley that has spires
and formations caused by volcanic eruptions and erosion, like
other parts of Cappadocia.
Church of St Simon that was built in the 10th century AD.
Christian cave dwellers worshipped at this chuch.
Another one of the several groups of school kids that we saw touring historic sites and other places.
Link to Page 10 - Cappadocia continued
Link to Page One of Turkey- Istanbul
Pat's Home Page
