Bob and Ann in Turkey 2008

Please visit April 19 slideshow

Stream Crossing


Fairy Chimney Abodes

We awoke at 6:30 to overcast skies and cool temperatures. Breakfast at The Old Greek House was the same as yesterday. We loaded the bus and left at 9:00. The bus dropped a majority of us off on a narrow dirt road for a 5-mile hike in the countryside. We meandered on a trail in a narrow canyon. There were fairy chimneys on both sides of us. Flowers were beginning to bloom and birds were singing. There was high brush and low trees along the way. The trail was fairly easy to navigate except for the many creek crossings. Nobody fell in but a few got their feet wet and their backsides dirty. The weather got warm enough to strip down to a T-shirt and shorts.

Dennis and John at our Restaurant

We met the bus and the rest of the people on the tour at the end of the hike. After cleaning mud from our shoes, we took off for lunch. Lunch was in a restaurant in a town near the Red River. We had a cold yogurt-based soup with cucumber, parsley, etc. Then we had the typical salad based on tomatoes, onions and lots of chopped green vegetables. A beef stew came next and baklava for dessert. This was all chased down by some Turkish beer.

Master Potter

Our next stop was a ceramics workshop. We had demonstrations of plate making and pot throwing by a master potter who made a sugar bowl with cover all out of the same hunk of clay. Our host asked for a volunteer to throw a pot and, of course, I (Bob) volunteered. The bowl that I created was like the first one I did in college - thick, heavy and ugly. After the demonstrations, we were shown all of the grades of ceramics that they had in their salesroom. There was some pressure to buy and those that did got some very special ceramics.

Ann in the Underground City

We then rode the bus to to visit the underground city of Kaymakli. This was a series of underground tunnels and rooms that were carved in the stone. Their purpose was for local villagers to hide and live in them during wars which were fairly common in this area. This particular underground city could hold up to 2,000 people. Our tour went through many of the tunnels and rooms. Some were a tight fit and very uncomfortable for those with claustrophobia. I was one of those, but I made it without panicking.

Our Hotel in Guzelyurt

Our last stop, in Guzelyurt was Otel Karballa. It is a converted monastery. Our room has a spiral staircase leading up to the bedroom which contains four beds. It is fairly primitive but it has hot water and heat. (We are at 5,000 feet). We walked one block to the town center and bought some beer and some raki - the Turkey national liquor which tastes like licorice. Dinner was a buffet in the monastery's dining hall.

The map of our route is below. To see it in Google Earth, follow this link.