September 4, 1996

We saw a lot more of Goreme than most tourists see and all because we followed a burrow. The picture was too perfect; we couldn't let it get away. The woman was wearing a white head scarf, sitting side saddle as her ride took her up along the cobbled village streets. From the top of those streets we could see all across the kingdom of Cappadocia.

Cappadocia could very well be one of the top ten places to see in the world. What Mother Nature had perfected in ten million years has been made even more incredible by the ancient Hittites. Volcanos, earthquakes, rain, snow and wind created a fantasy land of rock formations. Then the Hittites took those chimneys, needles, cones, pyramids, mushrooms and pillars and carved them into churches and homes more than 2600 years ago. It all suddenly appeared as we pulled past the city of Gulsehir in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey. The first rock churches were impressive; what appeared as we descended 19 kilometers into Nevsehir was awesome.

The yellow fairy chimney rocks in Uchisar brought us to an immediate stop; an entire landscape rose like peaks of meringue. In front of that scape were camels. We hadn't seen those animal yet in our travels. The camera shutter was open more than it was closed. Fargo was captivated. He smiled at the camels but I think he got more of a kick out of the local women who had set up booths selling hand embroidery. And the local women got quite a kick out of Fargo. One even wrote down her address so that we could send her a photo of Fargo beside her. Make that five. She held up five fingers and pointed to all her friends.

While we were browsing, trying on Turkish hats and photographing the Frog, we were joined by Hana and Craig from New Zealand. We'd met them and two Australians while in Ankara and, since we were all moving along the same route, had planned to meet up with them again in Goreme.

Goreme was equally fascinating. More fairy chimneys, more pillars, more cave houses pulling from the valley floor. Windows in the rock peaked from under ledges, over stone awnings onto a landscape of yellow and white whipped cream. Some of the dwellings are still in use today and that is where we were led when we followed the burrow, into an area that appeared lost in time. Every child on every street ran to greet us and hold our hands. We learned their names, where they lived. We saw their houses half buried in the sides of hills and the views that extended from their windows. And interestingly, I didn't notice it until I looked through the view finder of my camera, we also saw solar panels perched on their rock roofs.

The village homes were almost entirely void of color save for three kilims hanging to air and two stone slabs covered in drying grapes and apricots.The downtown area in contrast was filled with reds, yellows, oranges and blues. Carpets, kilims and sumaks hung from doorways, covered tables and awnings. Every other store seemed to sell them. At one store we saw old rugs being repaired, at another wool being dyed. The earth pots of natural colors and skeins of wool were everywhere. A woman weaving a kilim insisted I give it a try. I sat beside her and produced five lines of green. We couldn't escape the shop without being shown an array of camel bags, kilims and sumaks and learning the difference between them. We sipped our apple tea and listened.

Our day ended with Hana and Craig and a dinner in town; in itself worthy of an entire journal entry. Every proprietor came rushing toward us. "We offer free wine, free garlic bread and free coffee and tea," one told us. "Just come inside; if you'd don't like, you don't pay," another said. "We can make you anything. Come look." We had expected the hard sell in the carpet shop but not from the restaurants. The one we chose was excellent and by time we were served the complimentary fruit at the end we were stuffed. We were joined later by the Australians, Amee and Jason and at 10 pm we finally retired to the campground. We all climbed into our respective VW vans and, stars twinkling above a giant cone of rock next to us, went to sleep.