Today we decide to stretch out and let someone else do the work! We have booked a tour to some hard to get to places. Minivan duly arrives and we're off southwards along the road slightly less travelled.
First up is Mustafapasa village, originally a greek village, but when Turkey and Greece exchanged populations in 1924 this was one that switched sides (apparently something like a million people were displaced in each country and had no choice but to change). Mustafapasa was a really interesting mix of old, new, cave, not-cave buildings in various states of disrepair. Like a big jumble of stone all built up on top of itself and dressed in drab. some notable exceptions were some of the decorations and colourful doors on the greek houses. The town square was a circle and a great place to hang out for a while.
From there we head down a large valley with mesas either side - roadrunner territory as one guide put it - very impressive, big landscape, not unlike the grand canyon, except not as grand and not a canyon (strictly speaking).
We're heading for Soganli Valley, along the road less travelled. Suddenly the sides of the valley narrow. Either side are the rock formations we've been seeing, most of which have had rooms cut into them, higher up on the hillsides are larger places - monasteries and communal buildings. Windows look at you as you whizz past in the van. First up is the Snake Church with some seriously graffiti-ied frescoes, then on to the two-storeyed Dome Church carved out of a rock pillar. Holes go from floor to floor in these places - ventilation? quick escape? lighting? The whole place like a once-inhabited wilderness and we are amazed that people would go to the effort of constructing dwellings and making a life in such an inhospitable setting, although that was what the early Christian experience was like before they became the state religion I guess.
And so to lunch. Lots of it. Most memorable - thick 'greek-style' yoghurt and honey.
After lunch we go to one of the more than 100 underground cities. This one called Derinkuyu, and once was home to 10,000 people. We went down 8 (of 11) levels, through narrow passageways. The idea of a place like this was probably more impressive than the place itself to be honest. No decoration, just lots and lots of empty rooms, the occasional ventilation shaft and passageways and stairs connecting it all. There were stables, a school, communal kitchens, winepresses etc but you had to use your imagination to think what it would have been like to live there. The whole place was accessed through one small hole in the ground and a cunning system of rolling concrete doors made the place virtually impregnable to any roman army that decided it wanted a fight.
Back home and tonight's meal is a home-cooked one from the family where we are staying - soup, mixed salad and pickles for starters, mary's main is a lamb caserole done in a clay pot which has its lid broken at your table and contents emptied onto your plate; david's main was chargrilled chicken with spices. all this comes with rice and then rice pudding to finish. absolutely yum, and a real experience.
First up is Mustafapasa village, originally a greek village, but when Turkey and Greece exchanged populations in 1924 this was one that switched sides (apparently something like a million people were displaced in each country and had no choice but to change). Mustafapasa was a really interesting mix of old, new, cave, not-cave buildings in various states of disrepair. Like a big jumble of stone all built up on top of itself and dressed in drab. some notable exceptions were some of the decorations and colourful doors on the greek houses. The town square was a circle and a great place to hang out for a while.
From there we head down a large valley with mesas either side - roadrunner territory as one guide put it - very impressive, big landscape, not unlike the grand canyon, except not as grand and not a canyon (strictly speaking).
We're heading for Soganli Valley, along the road less travelled. Suddenly the sides of the valley narrow. Either side are the rock formations we've been seeing, most of which have had rooms cut into them, higher up on the hillsides are larger places - monasteries and communal buildings. Windows look at you as you whizz past in the van. First up is the Snake Church with some seriously graffiti-ied frescoes, then on to the two-storeyed Dome Church carved out of a rock pillar. Holes go from floor to floor in these places - ventilation? quick escape? lighting? The whole place like a once-inhabited wilderness and we are amazed that people would go to the effort of constructing dwellings and making a life in such an inhospitable setting, although that was what the early Christian experience was like before they became the state religion I guess.
And so to lunch. Lots of it. Most memorable - thick 'greek-style' yoghurt and honey.
After lunch we go to one of the more than 100 underground cities. This one called Derinkuyu, and once was home to 10,000 people. We went down 8 (of 11) levels, through narrow passageways. The idea of a place like this was probably more impressive than the place itself to be honest. No decoration, just lots and lots of empty rooms, the occasional ventilation shaft and passageways and stairs connecting it all. There were stables, a school, communal kitchens, winepresses etc but you had to use your imagination to think what it would have been like to live there. The whole place was accessed through one small hole in the ground and a cunning system of rolling concrete doors made the place virtually impregnable to any roman army that decided it wanted a fight.
Back home and tonight's meal is a home-cooked one from the family where we are staying - soup, mixed salad and pickles for starters, mary's main is a lamb caserole done in a clay pot which has its lid broken at your table and contents emptied onto your plate; david's main was chargrilled chicken with spices. all this comes with rice and then rice pudding to finish. absolutely yum, and a real experience.
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