Cappadocia

We arrived in Cappadocia at 7:30 on an overnight bus just in time to witness an explosion of hot air balloons over Goreme. Given the spectacular landscape, it is no wonder that a large sightseeing balloon industry has developed here flying thousands of passengers daily on sunrise tours over the town and through the rocky valleys.

Here in the famed cave city of Goreme, we are in the heart of Cappadocia, an area well known for geologically unique rock formations including monumental spires, and the famous conical “fairy chimneys”. These formations technically called hoodoos, were formed as a result of erosion over millions of years. The forms consist of soft rock encased in a harder rock less vulnerable to erosion. Since the interior stone is relatively soft, many ancient tombs and cave dwellings were hollowed out of the rock face. At the nearby Open Air Museum, there is a cluster of 15 medieval monastic sanctuaries and chapels, some with fresco interiors, open to view.