Looking out over Cappadochia by the castle

      What a delight to visit Cappadochia and Goreme!  It felt like going back in time, what with the trip down to the underground city, the castle sprouting out of the earth, hot air balloons suspended in the distance, and then to Pigeon Valley, where again, so many cave-like dwellings just populate the place providing a shelter for the pigeons that swoop about.

In front of the castle

Coming into Goreme with a hot air balloon in the background.

       Goreme, there are dozens of these cave-like stone hotels that hug the hillside and seem as if they've been there forever.  Goreme is a lovely little tourist town where most of the people speak English, and there are many wonderful shops selling gorgeous rugs, mosaic lamps, handpainted pottery, beautiful jewelry, etc.  We enjoyed the shopping, great Turkish food, and the hamam, of course.  I don't know how I lived before without getting scrubbed and soaped down! There's almost nothing better!

Our group in the underground city. The rock we're on was a door for one of the tunnels.

The Whirling Dervishes in Goreme. Six of them spun with their eyes closed during the performance....just amazing and very beautiful. One hand up to receive God, the other pointed to the earth for grounding.

One of the trees laden with protection from the evil eye in Pigeon Valley.

Kneeling on the rug that I finally bought from the Sultan's rug shop in Goreme after two plus hours trying to decide!