Göreme
Goreme
August 14, 2005
We got a nice hostel in Göreme and it was worth the extra cost, seeing as how the
views were great, being one of the tallest places in the town and our room was carved
out of rock as many of the buildings of the city are.
Entering Göreme is incredible, like the pictures, first there is one, then another
and soon nearly every building in sight is of a strange rock formation with windows
carved out, a front door and little porches.
The buses are also something to be written about, more like an airplane than a bus.
There was a host or steward that came around and gave us water and tea or coffee
along with a little snack, unfortunately this snack was a fruit cake.
I also couldn’t help but notice the huge number of barber shops, open at every road
side stop and nearly all open 24 hours a day. Next time I’m in Turkey I’ll have
to sit in one of those places for a few hours, get a cut and chill with the people.
I liked it here already, but after only a short while I decided it was time for
bed with an early day tomorrow and a long day today.
Goreme
August 15, 2005
After waking I grabbed breakfast on the balcony overlooking the region and viewed
about a dozen hot air balloons coming up over the horizon. The morning was beautiful
and with no one out, the city felt like it belonged to me and the hot air balloons.
We went to Kaymakli, the closest and supposedly one of the best cave cities. We
got a good guide and he knew everything, but we ran through the whole thing and
never actually appreciated many parts of the caves. The knowledge was great, but
I wish we could have just sat in there for another hour to enjoy it. We finished
though and soon realized that our guide had an ulterior motive, he owned a carpet
shop. I wanted to go see his carpets, believing I would receive free tea. I did
get free tea, two glasses, the first apple tea and the second home made tea, both
were excellent and I enjoyed the time.
Elizabeth got tea and a carpet; it was impressive, but not my style. She had it
shipped to the states and so we headed back to Göreme to see the town.
Back in town, I got lost in the desert heat, but soon found the church I was seeking,
Yusuf Koç Kilisesi (Full of Frescoes Church). It is kind of tucked around the back
of one of the rock pillars near the edge of town. It only took trudging through
the desert heat and being chased by a dog before I found it. The interior was less
than spectacular, but it was full of frescoes as the name implies. There is a national
park similar to this, however it contains more churches. I had little interest in
seeing a dozen churches or spending a lot of money so I settled on this one, and
how fortunate it was.
As I exited a woman roped me into her house to show me the place, talk, and to feed
me. She picked grapes from her garden for me and showed me all of her projects.
I soon realized that she was also selling goods, nothing great, but they took talent
to make none-the-less. There was also a tea porch outside covered in Turkish couches
and carpets on a little balcony over-looking the town.
Back inside, what truly impressed me was the carpet half made near the wall. I asked
if she was making it and how one goes about making a carpet. Not only did she explain,
but she showed me. It’s really a strange process, first the actual set up must take
a couple days to finish, and then each piece is put in. The double knot never made
sense until I watched her make it. First she decides what color to use then winds
the yarn around one string, then creating a knot of sorts and cutting it with a
knife. She then evens it all out with a strange pair of scissors.
I told her that I was extremely impressed and asked if she sold any. Her response
was (of course) that her son has a carpet shop and that her husband was going into
town so he’d drop me off there. I did truly want a carpet though, so I agreed and
got a lift into town. I also figured I would get more free drinks and I was quite
thirsty. The carpet shop was nice and had a great selection. I said that I was looking
for a present for my parents and that I wanted either a kilim or carpet. I found
one of each that I loved, but the carpet won by price, $80. I think I also like
the design better and the more I look at it the more I like it.
I also got some good conversation out of the Australian woman who was co-owner.
She told me about how she settled here, how the Turks like Americans because the
only Americans that go to Turkey are educated on the region and have more of an
interest in culture than to sit on a Mexican beach. She was nice and we talked about
the difficulties of living abroad and how it is impossible to ever be truly accepted.
I returned to the hotel with the carpet and after relaxing for a bit headed to town
to catch our night bus. I had another kebab here, also good, but how can a kebab
be bad?