Cappadocia : Land Of White Horses And Fairy Chimneys

The Land Of Fairy Chimneys

Kapadokya, anglicized and referred to hereafter as Cappadocia, is located in central Turkey, and is one of the most striking places on the planet to travel to. It is often referred to as Instagram's favourite location. In the vast Anatolian desert, the monotony of continuous sands is interrupted by steep, tall rocks - numbered in thousands, which have held countless events of history within their hollow insides and given rise to thousands of stories, all unique. People often fail to realise how big the area known as Cappadocia really is. The region encircles not only the province and city of Nevsehir, where the actual fairy chimneys are located, but also nearby Kayseri, whose airport brings in half the number of visitors arriving in Cappadocia. There are two airports that serve the touristic area in and around Goreme. These are the Kayseri Erkilet Airport, and the

The flight from Antalya arrived on time

Nevsehir Kapadokya Airport. Both are served by direct flights from several destinations and see seasonal international traffic. When I visited this region, I flew into Kayseri from Antalya with Pegasus Airlines. Even if one has not planned or availed the services of a professional tour agent, it is no difficult task to get from the airports to the areas where the hotels are located. Shuttles offer door to door connections, while other methods of commute, like taxis and travel agents, can be booked from the airport itself. 

I remember my visit very clearly. Normally, people spend three days in Cappadocia, but since I was short on time and had other places to visit in Turkey, I had no option but to allow only two days here. Early in the morning in Antalya, I arrived at the airport. Pegasus's flight to Kayseri landed on time and without any glitches in the journey, though the food sold was cold and tasteless. Upon arrival, the guide I had booked was waiting to take me down to Goreme. On the way, we passed the massive Anatolian flats while the guide explained the history of Cappadocia. Mt. Argaeus (also called Mt. Erciyes), a now dormant volcano, erupted thousands of years ago, filling the desert with its thick, sticky lava, which cooled to form soft rock. Over time, people have used this rock, which was hollow on the inside, to carve out homes, statues, churches, monasteries, and other structures that could help them live better. Cappadocia has served several people in several ways. 

When merchants trekked across from the east to the west, carrying exotic cargo of priceless value, their routes took them across the Anatolian vastness. Here, they came to Cappadocia, where they rested their animals in karavanserais and slept the night. When Christians began to be persecuted by the Pagan Romans in Jerusalem, they ventured out of home soil and came to Cappadocia, whose hidden cave homes protected them from the prying eyes of the enemy soldiers. They lived there for a thousand years from wars that burnt in the desert sun, building churches and monasteries for their Almighty. Today, one can find most of these in the Goreme National Park. The Hittites found this area interesting too, and they attempted to grow their crops in the desert soil. Using pigeon feces as a fertiliser, they turned the desert yellow into mud and green. Pigeon houses were carved out of the volcanic rock, each holding up to thousands of pigeons who were fed, cared for and brought up in them.

Fairy chimneys

We drove on the Turkish highway for an hour, crossing over from the province of Kayseri to the province of Nevsehir. On both sides, uninterrupted desert sands, littered with loose stones dotted the picture perfect image of the Anatolian flats. Then, as the hour drew to a close, the unmistakable silhouette of the distant fairy chimneys appeared on the horizon. The road sloped gently down into a shallow valley, and the mild morning sun shone in a hue of ochre on the rising rock structures. The guide informed that we would be stopping at a couple of points before arriving in our hotel at Avanos, a small village in the region. Both points were stunning viewing sites, and were worth the visit we paid to them. One could easily spot the fantastically shaped fairy chimneys, long columns of rock with a cap on top. Imagination ran wild - some rocks looked like a caravan of merchants hurrying across the desert, while others, more royal in appearance, resembled kings and queens who had embarked on journeys that took them through bare Anatolia. The stone caps appear to have been placed by humans, but they are a remnant of one of nature's greatest creations. Lunch was a delightful platter of Turkish kebaps and shortbread.

In the evening, when the sun had moved from scorching yellow to pretty scarlet, I decided to explore some other regions of Cappadocia. I found my way to the pigeon homes, beyond which, among the soft rocky caves, lay hidden churches. Delicate images of Christ from the last supper and Resurrection adorned the walls. Once, persecuted Christians prayed from within these walls to their Saviour. Moving on beyond the holy confinements, one could not help but admire the changing colour of the rocks as the Sun moved across the sky towards a beautiful sunset. And then, as if with no warning whatsoever, a brilliant navy purple sky gave way to darkness.

Everything started very early next morning. Arriving at the lobby when it was still dark, I discovered an unusually large number of tourists waiting. Every now and then, someone would enter through the revolving doors and call out a name, and a group would hurriedly gather their items and leave. After sometime, I found someone struggling to read out my name and briskly walked over. A minivan was waiting outside, full of smiling and cordial Chinese tourists. Climbing into a seat, we drove off onto the main road and towards Goreme. My wristwatch read 5.00 AM. The sky was an

Dozens of balloons rise into the morning sky

indistinguishable deep navy blue. The distant light of dawn was approaching. As the drive continued, we observed mammoth shapes towering over the bus on both sides. "Fairy chimneys", I realised. The minivan swerved off the road and onto an empty field. Then halted. Walking out onto the barren soil, I could see what appeared to be hundreds of deflated balloons. As the sky lightened another shade, we heard a gushing noise from an engine, emitting a flame of burning gas to heat the air at the mouth of a balloon. In the darkness of the early morning, the flames from across the field looked like a dance of flashes. As the sky slowly turned pale, the balloons inflated and streamlined themselves for takeoff. On the pilots instructions, we hopped into the basket. Then, in the middle of the scarlet sunrise, we lifted from the barren earth. As we watched, scores of balloons around us lifted too - advancing towards the sky together in a stunning sight. Here, I captured some of the most amazing moments of my trip.

After liftoff, the pilot steered us high into the sky, allowing a perfect view of the entire landscape of Cappadocia. The fairy chimneys, which otherwise seemed enormous, now appeared to be simple crevices and shadows far below. Goreme was nearest in the line of sight, but Avanos was identifiable in the distance. By now, the sky had acquired its azure blue shade, and the hundreds of balloons made it look surreal. We floated in silence - which was interrupted only by the soft chattering on board and the sound of cameras clicking away. Forty five minutes of bliss, and then the balloon began to descend, arriving gently back onto firm ground. We were greeted with some lovely champagne - an international custom after ballooning flights. The drive back to the hotel was followed by breakfast. 

Mehmet arrived at ten, with his large toothy smile. We drove to a

Entrance to the Goreme Open Air Museum

local carpet weaving factory, and the designs this time were unique and unlike those I had seen near Izmir. This was followed by a visit to the Goreme Open Air Museum.

Listed as a world heritage site, the Goreme Open Air Museum is a protected area containing churches, monasteries and burial houses - all built out of solid volcanic rock by the inhabitants of ancient Cappadocia. Photography was prohibited inside these areas. Inside the hollow caves, wall paintings of Christ, tombs and other interesting structures echoed the stories of a bygone era. Scattered across the area, the museum was a delightful visit.

On the way, Mehmet introduced me to some local tidbits, of which I carried home a box of lovely apricot chocolates. The next stop was a local pottery and ceramic workshop known as Kapadokya Seramik. Here, I tried my hand at some lovely pottery, while

Regional Turkish delights

exploring a vast collection of designs and shades to savour. Driving to Uchisar, I explored the Uchisar Castle, imagining the fairytale myths that are associated with it. Finally, we stopped at Pigeon Valley, overlooking the ravine and several pigeon houses across it. Following a very late lunch, I decided to take a walk through one of the local towns - Ürgüp. The centre of the region's wine production, this small, yet rewarding stop came with a lovely view. It was here that I clicked my best picture from Turkey.

As night approached, I attended a light dinner at the hotel. I realised that my Cappadocian adventure would end late next morning, when I took the bus to Ankara, the last stop on my itinerary. Constrained by time, I was unable to do the quad trip through the valley, or a jeep safari, which I'd heard, is

Ceramics made of Cappadocian clay

recommended in this region. For visitors staying longer, the Derinkuyu underground city is a must visit. A personal regret from this journey was my decision of lodging. I would prefer to stay in one of Cappadocia's traditional cave suites - rooms carved out of and into caves, echoing the perfect spirit of the region.

Nevertheless, I did have to take the long distance bus to Ankara, operated by Kamilkoch, the next day. The ride was great, and they even offered free snacks on the way, all contained in the 60 TL ticket. My Cappadocian experience has been beyond dreams. I saw before my own eyes, and in the light of my imagination, wars and stories of romance. Within the brittle coves and aesthetic formations, one can read tales from thousands of years ago. Words do not exist here, but in this part of Turkey, imagination is everything.