Cappadocia, Konya and Pamukkale: Chapter Two
DAY THREE of our trip began with a visit to Devrent Valley, also called Imaginations Valley. The strange creations of the tufa rock abound. One looks like a camel. Another resembles the Virgin Mary praying. Elsewhere, you may perceive a dolphin, seals, Napoleon's hat, kissing birds, and reptiles. Devrent Valley lies on the direct (east) road between Avanos and Ürgüp. There's no public transport. There is also no need to pay. The views are free.
Camel?
Mary?
Your blogger
A few minutes' drive away we reached another site which this time required a museum card or payment of 150TL. This was the Zelve-Pasabalar archeological site. One of Cappadocia's largest communities made its home here. There is even a fairy chimney used as a police station. You can learn more about the area here.
Police station
Near the entrance were the usual array of souvenir stalls, interspersed with junk/antique flea market stalls, including all kinds of metal paraphernalia from keys to guns.
We headed towards Uchisar but stopped for tea and a rest at a small settlement, where camel rides and various photo opportunities were on offer. In the midst of it all was the archetypal Turkish ice cream seller, with all his salesman's tricks. When you finally got your cone it was 50TL. Here's a film of him in action. Click here or paste the following URL into your browser.
Next stop was Uchisar, seven kilometres east of Nevsehir. The rock castle is stunning and there are beautiful cafes with panoramic views all along the road to the summit.
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Uchisar
There were plenty of conversations about the cost of the proposed balloon ride, the following morning. The current price is 240 Euros per person for an hour's flight. The many companies operating these flights have a common agreement on the price so nobody can undercut the going rate. Many of our group of 14 baulked at the price. A cheaper option (for only three Euros) was to go on a fake ride in a static balloon. Two of our group splashed out and you can see their experience here.
Or cut and paste the following URL into your browser. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/voyyLHTtbPc
The last stop of the day was Sinasos, also called Mustafapasa. In the 19th century its Turkish population lived alongside a large Greek community, many of whom were Christians. Since it was hard to make a living in Anatolia, many of the Greeks later moved to Istanbul, finding success as traders of sea food, notably caviar. They sent money back to their relatives in Sinassos.
In 1924, however, under the Treaty of Lausanne, the Greeks in Sinasos were forced to move to Greece and were replaced by Macedonian Muslims.
In five years' time I am sure this place will be as busy as Urgup. But for now, it was strangely calm, except for work on a huge new hotel, built into the rock side.
New hotel entrance
Work in progress
Work in progress
Some of our group dropped into the Jerveni hotel for tea and a chat with the owner, who had written a book.
Horse saddles in Sinasos
Dolls on sale in Sinasos
Back in Urgup, Volkan led us to dinner in a small and unexceptional-looking restaurant, which proved to have an excellent menu. Three couples opted for the famous testi kebab, a tasty stew cooked in a clay pot. The owner invited one member of each couple to knock the head off the pot with a butcher's cleaver so the stew could be poured onto their plates. Two women volunteers completed the task admirably. But third in line, Alan Kennedy, struck his pot so forcefully it smashed into smithereens, to much mirth from the group. His dinner looked like an archeological find. Fortunately, the restaurant owner quickly provided a replacement pot.
Successful Susan
Alan …not so much
Alan’s dinner
And so to what most in the group would later regard as the highlight of the trip: the balloon ride. As luck would have it, one tourist group had cancelled the evening before the flight. So their balloon firm contacted Volkan and asked if any of our group wanted to fly at a reduced price of 160 Euros. Seven duly volunteered. Three more, including your blogger, arose early to watch the take off of around 150 balloons.
The balloonatics all agreed the once-in-a-lifetime experience was well worth it...and even for those whose feet never left terra firma, it was certainly awesome to witness the airborne armada.
Check out this link….https://www.facebook.com/reel/237726262240042?fs=e&s=TIeQ9V&mibextid=ri3uYA
In the third and final account of our trip, we'll visit Konya, Mevlana's home, a butterfly museum, Laodikeia, Pamukkale, and Aphrodisias. We'll also meet a famous dancing parrot. I hope you will join me.
If you would like to know more about Turkish culture, history, food and living in Turkey....please check out my book Twelve Camels for Your Wife (on Amazon) which has sold more than one thousand copies and has more than 110 five-star reviews on Amazon. Check it out here or cut and paste the URL
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