Out And About With Ibrahim

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Gollu Dag Mountain

Ibrahim is an interesting man, we enjoyed his company very much.  He chatted to us to get an idea of the types of places we would like to see, then we left him to decide where we went and he delivered on hispromise of a great day out

Tending the fire, rural living in Anatolia                                     

 

 Gollu Dag Lake

 Atop  Gollu Dag Mountain at a height of 2172 meters sits Ibrahim's first choice on our two day itinerary, the heart shaped Gollu Dag  geothermal volcanic lake,  although you would need to be viewing from the air to appreciate it's unusual shape 

When we arrived there was only one other visitor.   Determined to soak his bones in the 60 degree naturally hot sulphurous water he was scooping out the yellow deposit which accumulates around the edge with an old tin can.   He invited us to join him in his natural hot tub but unfortunately we hadn't brought our swim suits and not wanting to frighten the beautiful Cappadocian horses we declined.   Despite the merry bubbles it did not seem very inviting

I would call a lake located on mountain a 'Tarn' but I must admit,  I have never seen one quite like this

 Kaymakli Underground City

Kaymakli is a small farming community where an unpretentious cave leads to an incredible underground city.  Locals with easy access to tunnels from their courtyards still use them as as cellars and stables, it is thought there are 100's of unexplored underground cities.  The upper levels of troglodyte cave-cities may have been excavated by Hittites who inhabited Ancient Anatolia almost 2000 year before Christ

Christian monks fleeing Arab persecution centuries later burrowed even further below ground 

Of the 36 explored underground cities Kaymakli is the widest, with only four of eight storeys opened up, it is also one of the biggest.  Based on the number of storage rooms archaeologists think the city could have supported a population of around 3500-5000 people 

Many hidden entrances lead to a labyrinth, designed to foil a mass invasion.  These in turn lead to the living  quarters where many thousands of people and their animals could wait out trouble and religious persecution.  Air shafts served  dual ventilation and communication functions.  Wells and chimneys were constructed to provide the necessities of life but it must have been grim   

Whomever they were, the underground communities were built for shelter in times of prolonged danger rather than permanent living quarters.   Massive circular stones could be use to block the narrow passages in the event of discovery.  The upper levels housed the animals and people.  Below were storage and wine making areas, soot blackened kitchens and chapels.   It is possible the cities were connected underground.  Once again our $10 investment in a local guide was money well spent, 'Small' Mustafa spoke excellent English and had a passion for history - ours as well as his, making our visit much more fascinating than these photos might suggest

Large rooms such as this one are supported on pillars,   All this achieved without modern engineering knowledge, hand tools, or electricity

Ihlara Valley Gorge

The valley with it's river and fertile land was ideal for settlement by Greek Christians escaping Roman legions.   The soft rock provided caves  for shelter which they could expand into dwellings, of which there are thought to be over 4000.   It is estimated that 80,000 or so people once lived here.  These Cappadocian Greeks were forced out in a population exchange between the two countries in 1923

We entered the gorge down a steep flight of 382 steps, The valley has it's own microclimate and is lush and green,  quite unlike any we had seen elsewhere in Cappadocia

 

We spent a most enjoyable afternoon hiking along the Ihlara Valley,   It's about 14 km long and we did a 3.7km stretch.  We were accompanied by these women descending to tend their crops in the Melendiz river valley.  Further along  some women and children taking a break in a shady spot by the river invited us to join them.  Their donkey was enjoying his break too.  Again the lack of a common language was not a problem,  children are great icebreakers.   Further along a woman was  doing her laundry Ihlara style and a man was fishing

Nothing says 'spring like a field of wild flowers and lambs

Most of the murals are in poor condition but it is still possible to make out biblical scenes

I can see the last supper and the flight into Egypt, on another the crucifixion
             I think this is the Snaked church and a recent search showed signs of restoration

There are more than a hundred cave churches in the valley, many with highly improbable  names including  the eponymously named 'Smelly' Church

Update 2019.  Vandalism to murals from visitors has become a major problem recently.  Gates have been added to some churches and video surveillance to detect damage while it is in progress.   It's sad to read, but I look at images taken more recently and see signs of restoration of frescoes in some churches,  they have their work cut out for them
 

The valley now hosts half a million local and foreign visitors in the Fall and Winter months  but in the Spring of 2001 there was only us and one other couple

We exited at Belisrma where the ever patient Ibrahim was waiting in the accessible car park
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