The third
in the travel interview series, we explore the ravisher
Cappadocia in Turkey. Mary Nolan, an Ireland resident reveals her sojourn...
A little bit about the traveler:
Mary Nolan, fifty something mother of four, is a primary school teacher and has lived and worked in a small village in the south east of Ireland. She loves to travel and usually combines this with her passion for photography.
Her favorite holiday destination:
In recent years she has traveled
to Turkey three or four times a year. Its rich and varied culture made every trip
an adventure for her. Turkey provides the best of everything – history, sun, sea
and a wonderful cuisine to compliment all that, because the country is so vast they
say that you can find all four seasons here at any given time. While she usually
bases herself on the west coast she likes to explore the rest of the country and
Cappadocia is the most interesting place she visited here.
Cappadocia is an area of natural wonder,
steeped in history.
Its lunar-like landscape was formed by tufa
from volcanic eruptions which has become eroded over the years into “fairy chimneys”
caves, clefts and folds in the rock. It is this landscape that initially attracted
her to the area and as she recalls, "Every corner you turn there is a new vista
waiting and all you want to do is to nudge the person beside you and say “Wow!”".
The Stay and the experience:
They
stayed in the Kelebek Hotel in
Goreme. This is a cave hotel and offers rooms for every budget, from luxury
suites to rooms with shared bathroom. She mocks "Our bedroom was a cave room in
what was originally the stables".
"We
had three full days to explore the area. As we sat eating our breakfast on
the first morning, we watched the hot air balloons drift by" she says. This is not
a cheap activity, but if you plan to visit Cappadocia, you should build the cost
of the balloon ride into your budget. It is a must do. "I’m scared of heights,
my husband suffers from motion sickness, but it was the most unforgettable experience
of our trip, a wonderful way to view this magical landscape", she smiles excitedly.
"We visited the Goreme Outdoor Museum"
she said, it was one of a kind museum she ever visited. The natural rock formations
are hollowed out by Christians, many centuries before, to form churches. The original
frescoes are still to be seen on the walls.
Moving on, they visit the
underground city of Kaymakli that has 7 different levels, 4 of which
are open to the public. It was used by the Christians in times of persecution. It
was never meant for continuous occupation but was only used in times of danger.
There are 14 known underground cities in the region.
If you have had enough of the history and culture you can get out and explore the
many valleys, Rose Valley, Pigeon Valley, Love Valley (so called for its phallic
like rock formations) or the beautiful green Ihlara Valley, a gorge carved
by a small stream.
"We spent our evenings in the restaurants in downtown Goreme, sitting on the floor
to eat testi kebab,
a dish that must be ordered at least 10 hours in advance as it is slow cooked in
a sealed clay pot and then opened and served at your table", she advised. Another
evening, they spent listening to traditional music in one of the pavement restaurants
where we shared our table with a Libyan couple and their six month old baby.
Let’s talk Money:
One of the major advantages of Cappadocia is that it is affordable on any budget. Once you arrive in Turkey, there is an excellent intercity bus service; internal flights if booked in advance are not expensive. Accommodation in the area ranges from budget to luxury. Restaurants are inexpensive.
Best time to be there:
May/June and September /October are the best times to visit as the weather is not too hot and you can avoid the summer crowds.
Image Courtesy: Mary Nolan, Google Images.
