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Our much anticipated balloon ride over Cappadocia was scheduled for 4:30 am on Friday, July 13th. We had to be up and ready half an hour earlier to be picked up from our cave hotel to which our arrival the previous night from Ankara was delayed. Already tired from an eight hour bus ride, although the ride itself was extremely comfortable with service that surpassed those on Transatlantic jets, and hyped up with the most anticipated part of our agenda, my son questioned if it was worth sleeping at all just for three hours.
I reminded him that immediately after the balloon adventure, we were scheduled for a 9-5 excursion taking in Nevsehir, Göreme, and the Avanos Valley; eight ancient cave churches, a ceramic factory, and a carpet making factory. We needed some rest! I knew they had been looking at this part of our travel for months and it would be the highlight of their summer, if not their lives so far. Inspite of his anticipation and restlessness, E. set his travel alarm and we abandoned our tired bodies on the comfortable beds in our cozy coves.
Seeing Cappadocia spread out below you with all its magnificent canyons, valleys, fairy chimneys, and cave dwellings is an experience that challenges translation into words. Especially at sixty-seven hundred feet above the earth, before the sun has risen, and the fresh air has a nip that will be devoured shortly when the intense dry heat will start licking one's skin. At our point of departure, our multilingual Portuguese-born pilot briefed us on a few safety tips and we, along with the other 21 passengers hopped into the basket. The excitement was palpable as we were airborne.
Within minutes of our lift off, Cappadocia skies were dotted with dozens of colorful hot hair balloons, rising freely at dusk towards a new dawn.
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The view below was mesmerizing, surreal – nothing like it exists anywhere else in the world! What powerful hand or ingenuous mind could design something so spectacular? I'm certain questions like this and the like were flooding the others' minds while they kept on taking photo after photo of each magnificent scene as if everyone, in a desperate effort, was racing to capture as much of this treasure as possible in the rush of our collective, airborne high.
I know I did.
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The only sound was the occasional release of fire to maintain hot air keep us afloat. Pilot Santos wanted to practice his Turkish with me but then we reverted to French and joined in conversation with a couple from Provence. My daughter was pointing something to her brother and he immediately responded by focusing his lens on it.
The area known today as Kapadokya, is made up of the towns of Aksaray, Kayseri, Kirsehir, Nevsehir, and Nigde ; and takes up about 300 square kilometres. Kapadokya Valley was formed 10,000 years ago following the latest eruption of three volcanoes: Argeus, Göllüdag, and Hasan Dagi. The ash and lava from these volcanoes covered hundreds of other mountains before they started cooling and formed into soft tufa (too-fah) layer. Over hundreds of years erosion of the tufa layer, which at certain points reached as high as 150 metres, started exposing layers of the harder basal rocks. It is these formations which we know today as Fairy Chimneys or Peri Bacalari.
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I often wondered about the nomenclature, but having seen them so many times, I finally accept that perhaps only fairies with super human powers could have built such spectacular marvels.
Cappadocia, The Land of beautiful Horses, is considered to be a work in progress, because the area is geologically still evolving ever since 60,000,000 years ago. A sad note is that there will come a day in far, far future when the beautiful Fairy Chimneys, that we gaze upon so fondly today, will be no more. Winds and Mother Nature's other naughty children will have eaten them away and left only a few crumbs.
It is beyond difficult to conceptualize such a time, but viewed within the context of a larger plan, the idea is just one more reminder of our insignificance in the middle of this vast universe.
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All words and images are the intellectual property of Füsun Atalay© 2012
Location: Cappadocia, TURKEY
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Füsun Atalay ~ Author of Will of my Own - 2009
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Comments
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Boanerges: Thank you for the link you sent me. The hotels are very unique all decorated individually with kilims and carpets woven in the area, and ceramics produced there as well.
Donegal: You picked the right words to describe it. I'm happy to introduce you to a place you'd not heard of before.
j.h. robbins, Trudie: Thanks.
Excellent account of a most fascinating travel.
andrew boyd: I guess you must be a horse lover. Today there are more camels in Cappadocia than horses, though.
Birazdan Iftar açacaz. Karinlarimiz aç ama gözlerimize mükemmel bir ziyafet çektik sayenizde. Sagolun. Saygilarimla.
Ayhan
A stunning pictorial! The photography is so beautifully composed--particularly the one that shows the other balloon below yours. I would also love to go to that hotel!
The photography and the wonderful written account would make a lovely book.
Sharon: Very nice seeing you after a long pause. I believe many OSers are putting this in their buckets as a wish. Hope you'll make it come true soon.
Booklover: I was wondering how long it would take for someone to catch my reference to one of my favorite Bards. Thank you for noticing.
Translation: Blessed fasting and heartfelt thanks for your comments.
Mary S: What a nice way to put it, thank you.
Procopious: You're welcome. When you go one day, you'll see the pictures did not justice to the real.
Bellwether: You're not far off. I made some contacts and have offers already.
R
We may be insignificant but what good is the beauty of a fairy chimney without someone to enjoy it. Thank you for sharing more of your trip with us.
David: I couldn't have better company than those here on this virtual trip, andknowing you like history, I'm glad you dropped in and enjoyed this post. Thank you, my friend.
Tink: Thank you, you dear pussy cat!
i applaud your gallant ballon journey
Stim: Must. Behave. In. Cave Hotel. Very. Nice.
Ted : Most welcome. Glad you enjoyed.
Christine: Thank you for coming along.
Perhaps tonight in a dream. :)
Daniel Rigney: There's much fascinating information on Cappadocia, its history, geology, and archaeology. My piece doesn't even brush the surface.
swallowtail: Yes, the thick cave walls keep the inside cool, although the rooms have air conditioning as well if guests prefer.
Blinddream: Ah, settling down from a vacation. . . That can be painful. :o)
Thoth: Welcome, mon Ami. Thank you for your visit.
~R~
Jay Richer: Thank you, twice.
As you talk about Nature's naughty children causing erosion, etc., I thought of mankind's insane adults causing such suffering and mayhem and destruction to humankind and nature. The Middle East and now Africa have been targeted by such avaricious monsters as war-addicted anti-human leaders of my own country. I am heartsick by what is going on.
Thank you for renewing my spirit with what is right with the world! best, libby xxx
What an adventure! The aerial shots are just amazing and so, too, are those amazing caves! I have never heard of them before. Wow. I can imagine just how mesmerising and surreal they are!
Cheshyre: It was. Thanks for coming along.
Emmrose: I lose comments sometimes too, or cannot paste them at all as it happened with my response to someone yesterday. Not to worry. What you wrote is fine. Thanks.
GiGi
d white: Why, thank you!
Abrawang: I just remembered that I suffer from occasional vertigo also. It never occurred to me when I planned the balloon ride, and it was such a smooth ride that I wasn't bothered at all. Now rolleer coasters I'm wiped out. There are also walking tours of most fascinating valleys and churches too.
clay ball: Land formations and the structures are very breathtaking indeed, yes. You're welcome.
GiGi: Salut à toi. Thanks, but aren't you supposed to be working at work? :o)
Shanghai Baby: Then I hope your wish comes true soon.
Grif : You are very welcome, sir. This was an act of love for me. Thank you for your visit.
Road Runner: Thank you for your compliment. A longer piece is due out in September in a glossy magazine based in Phoeniz, AZ. so it doesn't matter if this is not on the cover.
Tolgaakr: I couldn't agree more. Thank you for sharing your views on Cappadocia which support mine.
Buffy: You'd love it. Definitely recommended.
Roger: Thank you for your visit and comments. Sharing is a pleasure.
sarah brennan: No, I n ever visited Bryce Canyon. Cappadocia is a natural formation, it's not carved out by men, but men have settled in some parts of the caves turning them into fascinating dwellings. It's a must see for a photo buff like you.
Mary Ann: Thank you dear lady. I hope you get to see all these beautiful places.
Christine: My thanks to you for making time to come here.