Long drive to Capadocia

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From Allepo we drove for 14 hours, passing out of Syria (with no problems, no inspections, no hassle at all), into Turkey, up the mediterranian coast and the north inland to Goreme in Capidocia.

Capidocia is famous for its strange caves cut into the soft rock, or tufa, which is capped with a harder volcanic stone. the harder stone prevents erosion from eating away the tufa and has resulted in the cone like formations. Over the centuries many people have carved out houses, stables, and even cities in the rock. Currently there are restaurants, bars, motels and so forth using these stone formations as part or all of the structure.

We are staying at the "Flintstone Pansion", a motel with rooms carved partially from the rock, and we partied last night at a "turkish night" party in a cave bar completely inside the rock formation. Im sure the neighbors could not hear a sound from the blaring rock music!!

We also toured an underground city which was discovered in 1953 by a shepherd who's sheep fell down a 200 foot well. I guess he climbed down and discovered this 8 story city, complete with wells, secret entrances, stables and living quarters which was originally built by the Hittites in maybe 1000 AD and then used by Christians to hide out from their enemies. It had little evidence of its occupants apparently because it was abandoned purposefully, not because of earthquake or other disaster.

It is a long way down to the bottom of an 8 story tunnel.

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Photos

Dervishes dancing
Turkish Nights--all you can eat and drink in an underground cave, with belly dancers, knife throwers, and other cultural events

Down into the underground city
cold, damp, short tunnels; wondering what would happen if the lights went out.

Syrian Border
Trucks backed up for 1 mile

Comments

[cuz Beth]

How the heck did you get down the tunnel?!
Hi Bill! How on earth did you get down that narrow, long tunnel?!! The formations look neat. I sure am enjoying your trip b/c there are definitely parts of this world that I'm relying upon seeing via you, b/c I'll never go some of the places you've been, nor travel quite in the same fashion! You're definitely lower maintenance than me! :) Love, Beth