Discovering Cappadocia: An aerial view from Goreme

As we drove into Goreme, we stopped at the panoramic view point and I looked down on a view that took my breath away.  This region is renowned for its ancient underground cities that have been carved out of the soft volcanic rock.  ‘Fairy chimneys’ dot the landscape which the inhabitants of these valleys have used to carve out their homes and places of worship.  Beautiful frescoed churches and decorated houses remind us of the ancient history of these parts and entice us to explore further. 

I knew I had to discover & experience this magic place in as many ways as possible.  I knew it was time for another hot air balloon ride.  Fortunately, during this time of year, we don’t have to get up at the crack of dawn - a six o’clock pickup I can handle! 

We have dressed warmly, as we were warned the temperature would be –5 degrees!  In fact, it is quite pleasant although none of us strip off any layers. 

The sun is just rising as we take off.  A number of other balloons are also rising as we lift off and the skyline turns a pinky orange.   We’ve just struck the jackpot today as we’ve been given an upgrade, a whole 30 minutes of free flying thrown in. 

I love the quietness of a balloon takeoff.  You hardly know you have lifted off till you look down and realise the ground is now far below you.  The pilot has just given us a safety briefing where he instructed very seriously that we must stay in the balloon at all times.  No bloody fear!  

We fly low, drifting very close to the rocky cliffs before we lift, giving us beautiful photographic opportunities.  

This must be one of the world’s best hot air balloon rides!

As we hover over the little villages I notice that every roof top has a little water heater, powered by solar power.  It is heartening to see that a community blessed with so much sunshine is harnessing it’s energy.  If every household in Goreme can afford to have a solar water heater, I wonder why it is so unaffordable in the relatively more affluent communities of Australia?

We come back down to earth for a glass of champagne and a chat with the pilot.  I will always remember this ride as one of the highlights of this journey!

 The greatest explorer on this earth never takes voyages as long as those of the man who descends to the depth of his heart.  ~Julien Green

The Journey to Cappadocia

We are on our way to Goreme, in the famous district of Cappadocia.  We make a few stops on the way to appreciate both the history and the landscape of this amazingly scenic part of Turkey.   

Our first stop is the Gumusler Monastery, a few kilometers out of Nigde.  We have the place to ourselves and our local guide explains the history of these underground caves that supported a large community of about 2000 monks.  The monks lived in small communities of about 20 people, each community sharing the duties of day to day living.  Their quarters consisted of a well for drinking, a large kitchen for communal cooking, store rooms for wine and oil and of course a church with beautiful frescoes originating from about the 7th century.  The underground caves also had burial areas and we see bones scattered in the burial holes reminding us that a bustling community  once inhabited this abandoned place. 

We stop for a walk through the Ihlara Valley.  It is a beautiful canyon with majestic cliffs and Byzantine churches.  Remnants of  beautiful frescoes cut into the rock remind us of their former glory. 

We follow the bubbling Melendiz Suyu River, as it winds its way down the bottom of the valley.  It is a beautiful winters day, with white clouds forming interesting pattern in the bright blue sky.  We can’t believe how fast the deserts of Jordan and Syria have been replaced by gorgeous mountain scenery.  The browns give way to greens and blue.  Absolutely gorgeous. It is an easy walk, mostly through the bottom of the valley which comes to an end almost too soon at the picturesque restaurant where we dine on freshly caught trout and green salads. 

Our next stop is to visit the Underground City of Derinkuyu, one of the largest underground complexes of Cappadocia.  Most of the complex consists of fairly small underground rooms connected by passageways that were often quite narrow and short.  This underground city was carved out of the rock on multiple levels and used as hiding places by the early Christians and possibly Greeks hiding from marauding Arabs. 

While about 20 levels have been discovered, only 8 can be visited today. We explore this underground city, marvelling at the big stone doors that were once rolled against entrances, providing some defence from intruders.  The underground city had all of the elements of a modern day city from a religious school to storage for wine.  It has been an interesting visit but it is time to head out to Goreme, and our cave home for the next 2 nights. 

 The moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now."

— Attributed to Goethe

Going Local: A Postcard from Nigde, Turkey

We have arrived in Nigde, Turkey after an over night stop over in Antakya.  It has been 2 full days of travelling, heated arguments with officials at border crossings and long bus journeys but we are finally here!  After travelling for 7 hours on a public bus, most people would just hit the wall!   

We hit the local farmers market in search of more photographic opportunities and a challenge.  Sarah, our Intrepid Leader, has asked we try and get the smallest fruit & vegetable for free at the market, and a photo of the guy who is happy to give it to us!  I love a good challenge, and set off for the markets with my friends, excited to explore another city.

Nigde is off the beaten path.  Except for Intrepid Travellers, this town sees very few foreigners.  It is certainly not on the well beaten tourist trail, hence we are a bit of a novelty here and exploring the markets a whole heap of fun. 

After the markets we’ve travelled through in Egypt, Syria and Jordan, it is strange to be in a market where no one speaks English!!   So, how do we try and explain we are after free stuff to fulfil a challenge??  Sign language of course.  I spot some olives, and walk up to the guy to ask if I can get one for free.  The guy appears delighted to see me and tries to give me a handful.  “I just need one”, I explain.  He gestures madly, points to his mouth, indicating one would usually eat an olive.  He can’t seem to understand that all I want is a photo of him giving me an olive.  We get there in the end and we are both happy. 

Then, Yvonne spots the corn and says, “Hey Nil, what you need is some free corn”.  She’s right.  The corn is by far much smaller than an olive.  I pick up one piece of corn and the guy is now convinced I am crazy.  “I want a photo of you and me and this free bit of corn”, I say smiling.  He doesn’t understand a word I say but walks away and returns with a huge bag of free pop corn.  I can’t believe this!  I am usually quite good at bargaining and occasionally getting free stuff thrown in thanks to my Sri Lankan roots but this is just delightful.  If I lived in Turkey, I could eat for free everyday!  I must be doing something right here.  Keep smiling…

We take more photos and walk away.  By now, the rest of the group have wandered away, and Yvonne and I are left alone in the market.  We are both in heaven.  We love farmers markets and keep wandering, chatting to the locals, taking photos and being warmly welcomed by everyone.  The guy in the banana shop wants his photo taken and gives us a banana each.  I don’t even like bananas but I eat it anyway.  It is so fresh and yummy, just like all the fruits and vegies here.  We are a little bummed we can’t just go shopping and take home some fresh produce that we can cook up for dinner.  We get more free stuff.  From scoops of raisins to mandarins, these farmers are just dying to give away their stuff.  I am sure we’ve nailed this challenge hands down :)! 

Everyone we meet appears to be incredibly happy to see us, and unlike in the rest of the Middle East, wants their photo taken and even give us an address where we are meant to mail photos back!  While the women wear head dresses, they are colourful and appear (in general) to be far less conservative than the many of the women we have met previously in other cities. 

Our next invitation is by the carpet guy.  He knows we have no intention of buying a carpet but he invites us to take a seat and treats us to cups of Turkish tea.  His entire family gathers around for photos and we feel like celebrities! 

We are like the kid in the candy store when we end up at the Turkish delight shop.  I think I’ve mentioned the Middle Eastern sweets but Turkey out shines them all.  Given our skills at this taste testing business,we indicate in our finest sign language that we must try before we buy!  A few Turkish delights later, we leave having both acquired a bagful of goodies :)

After our evening briefing, Sarah invites us for a cheap and cheerful local dinner.  The bread or pide and salad are complimentary and we feast on Turkish pizza.  Yummy.  I am already having fun in Turkey and it is fast becoming my favourite country in this region.  The thing is..I’ve been feeling guilty because I haven’t been able to get used to Turkish coffee and have on occasion asked for some milk to dilute it!  (Considered sacrilege in these parts).  Anyway…I’ve stopped feeling guilty after I discovered what  Mark Twain had to say about it!  If you’ve tried Turkish coffee you might understand what he meant…

"Of all the unchristian beverages that ever passed my lips, Turkish coffee is the worst. The cup is small, it is smeared with grounds; the coffee is black, thick, unsavoury of smell, and execrable in taste. The bottom of the cup has a muddy sediment in it half an inch deep. This goes down your throat, and portions of it lodge by the way, and produce a tickling aggravation that keeps you barking and coughing for an hour."
Mark Twain, 'The Innocents Abroad'

Walking through Historic Aleppo

We arrive at one of the historic gates of Aleppo and walk through the souk (market) to our guest house in Bab Antakya.  The souk is one of the largest we have ever seen and stretches for 1.5km.  It appears to be a bit of a maze to me as we lug our gear through the winding alleyways.

 

It is easy to get lost in here and it is just what we did during our time in Aleppo.  I’ve read that Aleppo was inhabited continuously for over 8,000 years and in the souks life seems to go on, much as it must have done thousands of years ago.  It has been subject to much upheaval, both from natural disasters such as earthquakes to raids from the Mongols and Crusaders.  In the early 1800 it suffered one of its worse disasters, when the earthquake killed over 60% of its inhabitants and destroyed many buildings.

We wake up early the next morning for a guided walk and a quirky local tour, with Ahmed, a man who knows and loves his city.  With a background in agriculture and meteorology, he has travelled the world while working in his profession but now spends his time, sharing his knowledge of Aleppo with travellers. 

We start our tour through the old souk and stop to watch a vendor make shllap.  It is a starchy mix of hot milk, sugar and crushed pistachio nuts, the perfect drink for a winter’s day and a local favourite in this part of the world.  It tastes a lot better than it looks :).

I love the old world charm of the alleyways we wander through.  Men still ride donkeys with their wares and share this space with the fashionably dressed men and women of today.    The souk seems to house everything, from gold jewellery & wedding outfits to your meat, nuts and local produce.  There are large tubs of Vaseline and really old soap, which they claim is over eight years old!  The older your soap, the longer it will last and the more expensive to buy.  Soap making has an ancient history here and is still produced in the traditional way with olive & laurel oil.  It looks quite rough and doesn’t smell like anything you would buy at Body Shop but it is reputed to have amazing qualities.  Yvonne and I reflect that the smell reminds us of the bar soap once used back in our birth countries for washing and we can’t quite bring ourselves to purchase any.  Ahmed takes us for a tour of the soap factory and demonstrates how it’s made. 

Our next stop is the 14th century building that was converted from a house to an insane asylum.  It is an amazing building with areas for water, music and light therapy for its mentally disturbed residents.  No electric shock therapy here, Ahmed explains!  What a beautiful place it must have been to reside in, despite your predicament! 

If you have a sweet tooth, the Middle East is a must on your travel destinations.  The varieties of baklava blow us away, as do the lollies and  chocolates on offer.  We wonder how people here avoid diabetes and bad teeth when faced with such temptation everyday!  If you have never heard of baklava, it is a pastry that is drenched in honey and combined with nuts such as pistachios.  Yummy..go out and get some :)

We stop for a break on a cobbled street to pour over a map, as Ahmed explains more history and we realise that the River Euphrates winds itself through this region.  I still remember my history lesson from decades ago and being enthralled by the fact civilisation started on the banks of ancient rivers such as the Euphrates and Tigris.  Never did I dream as a school girl back in the seventies, that I would have the privilege to travel to these historic places one day.  But here I am.  History comes alive as I stand in a place, inhabited for thousands of years with still so many traces of what life must have been like in the days when camel trains plied the silk road with goods for trade.  It is what I love about cities such as Aleppo.  Modernisation has happened without losing a sense of that historic past. 

We stop to admire more historic remnants of this ancient civilisation.  Aleppo was served by a complex canalisation system and the outlets that helped regulate the water flow and dispense water to the neighbourhood can still be seen on the walls of the souk.

One of the interesting aspects of housing in the Middle East is that it always appears to be unfinished.  The landscape is very grey and brown and devoid of colour.  When I first arrived in Cairo, I looked around and wondered why all of the apartment blocks looked as if they were part of a work in progress.  I have since learnt that Council rates here are determined on how complete the outside of your house looks.  You pay much lower rates, if your house is in a state of disrepair on the outside, hence the lack of any visual appeal!  Ha! Try pulling that one in OZ!  We also notice the little windows that project out from the buildings.  Ahmed explains they are ‘jealousy boxes’!  Women can look out and not be seen, and men can be secure in the knowledge, no other man is admiring his wife! 

The other interesting feature of these residences is the proud display on the exterior of the symbol informing the world someone inside has made the pilgrimage to Mecca.

We escape the bustling souk, for a rest and a chat in one of the local hamams.  As I’ve mentioned before, getting a scrub and a massage in a public bath house is a big part of the culture here and a hot favourite with weary travellers.  The one we visit is ornate and beautiful and has obviously been operational for a very long time.  If only these walls could talk…  We finish our tour opposite the citadel.  It is closed on Tuesdays but we will have time to explore it tomorrow, before we leave town for Turkey.  

The citadel served as the power base for the Muslims during the time of the Crusades.  Built on the top  of a hill, surrounded by a dry moat with a fortified gate and twisting entrances it would have stood its ground well against invaders.  The 360 view from the walls is quite spectacular but much of the inside is in ruins.

After the tour, we get lost in the souk, explore the many stalls and chat to the locals selling their wares.  I am presented with a few more marriage proposals.  One from an old man who stops me to enquire if I’d be his fourth wife in exchange for 20 camels!  Ah…that must be my going price..because no one has made a better offer yet :).  That is till we meet a Syrian Australian who lives in Lakemba and is spending a bit of time in his dad’s scarf shop.  He promises to wake me up everyday with a cappuccino in one hand and flowers in the other.  His brother who is gay has taken a fancy to one of the guys in our group.  They have us in fits of laughter and we stay for awhile to chat and drink the tea they offer us, before walking away.  Where do these Syrian men get their pick up lines from anyway??

We end a great day in Aleppo with an Italian dinner in the Christian quarter.  A beautiful labyrinth of limestone walls and cobblestone paving, it is another wonderful part of town to explore.  We pass up going local tonight in exchange for Italian!  Occasionally, when one has been on the road for awhile, a western fix is just what you need! 

The next morning, we browse the citadel and board a public bus for the border and a new country.  Turkey…here we come!

 “Some of the best travel experiences cost nothing” Lonely Planet

Crac des Chevaliers

We’ve hired a private bus to bring us to Crac des Chevaliers.  The drive is uneventful but on the way we pass the turn off to Iraq and we contemplate hitching a ride to Baghdad.  In the end we decide it might be better to stay on the trip we’ve already signed up for and pile back into the bus :)

(Just kidding mum)!

We get here in time to see the sunset and rest up a bit before enjoying a delightful dinner at our hotel.  I have a room with a view and what a magnificent view it is.

I thoroughly enjoy exploring the castle the next morning.  We’ve come armed with torches and have great fun creeping through secret passageways and learning the history of the Crusader knights who built and expanded this magnificent place.  I can see why Lawrence of Arabia called this the finest castle in the world.  It is in a spectacular setting and is a stunning castle. The Knights being monks were celibate and hence the castle was very much a man’s world.  One solitary tower was reserved in the event visitors arrived with their wives. 

The castle was like a small city, completely self sufficient with enough supplies to last 45 days if under siege.   There is a church, baths, a huge kitchen that fed the hundreds of Knights that lived here, stables that housed their horses and of course a round table where they sat to discuss their future plans.  An aqueduct supplied water to the moats around the castle and rain water was harvested for drinking.   The level of sophistication shown in the construction of these castles is quite amazing for the times! 

We have a local guide who tells us his family lived in the castle till about the 1930’s when they together with the other 19 families who had also made this place their home were relocated.  As he shows us around, he takes us to the section his dad called home for quite some time.  Fascinating!

Our visit is over and we enjoy a Turkish coffee in the scenic cafe outside before boarding our bus for Aleppo, our last destination in Syria!

 There is a great deal of unmapped country within us which would have to be taken into account in an explanation of our gusts and storms.  ~George Eliot

Palmrya

We take public transport and arrive in Palmrya in time for dinner.  Dinner is at a local restaurant a couple of doors down the road.  We sit around a table in a restaurant decorated brightly with middle eastern carpets and tuck into the local delicacy, chicken mensaf.  It reminds me of chicken buriyani, a local favourite in Sri Lanka.  It is a tasty, spicy rice dish cooked in  chicken broth  which is served with pieces of chicken and garnished with herbs and nuts.  We are tired and hungry after a long bus ride getting here and tuck in happily to another great meal in the middle east.

After dinner we browse the little shops and one of the shop owners enquires if he can buy me as his wife for 20 camels!  I am not sure if I should be flattered or insulted (I mean..what’s a decent bride price around here??) but smile sweetly and escape quickly, declining his offer to stay and chat. 

We wake up early to go back to the restaurant for pancakes with date syrup, before we explore the ruins of Palmrya.  The local Syrian boys follow us around, hawking their wares and posing for pictures.

Palmyra was a city along the old camel caravan route linking Africa, Asia and Europe and served as an important staging post in days gone by.  It came into its own after  Petra’s downfall and became one of the most important cities in the region.

Palmrya was also an important link along the Silk Route and thrived from the taxes levied on the caravans that passed through here.

The ruins are extensive and hint at what life must have been like in Palmrya’s heyday.  From the forum where many discussions took place, to the  place of sacrifice where many animals were slaughtered in exchange for various requests, to the theatre where people were entertained, we see the ruins of a sophisticated society.  I am impressed by the olive press.  Food must also have played an important part in the life of this city. 

Bilingual inscriptions on the pillars indicate they were also a very educated society.  I am intrigued by the separate drainage systems for disposing waste water & rain water and for the distribution of clean water for drinking.

We wander around taking photos and enjoying the views of this magnificent ruin before heading back for lunch. 

We go back to our favourite restaurant for one last meal. The chef is a good cook and by now has made friends with us.  My fellow travellers joke around and tell him I am a Sri Lankan Princess.  She isn’t a Princess, he replies, she is a Queen!  I think I have a fan :)

My friend Emily jokes that he probably thinks I am too old to be a princess but I have the last laugh when he invites me for a motor bike ride to the castle for a panoramic view of his city.  I agree, but we have limited time and I ask if we can be back in 20 minutes so I am not late back for my next bus ride.

We ride up the hill.  The wind is in my hair and the city of Palmyra spreads out before me.  It is a great feeling to be on a bike again.  We stop before we reach the castle so I can admire the view.  It is quite a different perspective to look down on the old city and see the more recent dwellings spread out in the distance.  Amori lights up a cigarette and tells me a little about his life in Palmyra but my time is limited and I have to go.

I snap a few last minute photos and say goodbye to Palmyra. ‘the beautiful wonder’, before we head back down and I catch a bus out of town. 

 

Just when I think I have learned the way to live, life changes.  ~Hugh Prather