Karakaya et al

It was simply the most wonderful day.  Again. Our itinery included a stroll around the little town of Mustafapasa, talking to folk, buying scarves and taking photographs of cave houses; followed a bit of a hike through 'Love Valley' (Aşıklar Vadi) where unlikely sights included a professional team of photographers taking snaps of a happy bride and groom amongst the rocks but also took too many photos of the rocks on this super sunshine blue sky day; and then a road trip where we kept taking the next right which took us through some incredibly rural villages full of chickens and tractors.  The last village we drove up to, called Karakaya, (Black Rock) was a slice of yesterday - full of chickens, old and mostly derelict buildings, and the two old ladies pictured.   Talking to them wasn't easy as their Turkish was Anatolian Village Turkish and mine is Istanbul-flavoured,  but we managed well enough and I learnt the following:
The lady in the brown scarf is 75.  Her house is two doors down. She has been a widow for more than 30 years. The lady in the white scarf is 76.  Her house is at the end of the 'street'.  She has four children. One also lives in Karakaya, one in the nearby metropolis (!) of Kayseri, one in Holland and one in Germany.  She has been a widow these fourteen years.  When asked how many people now live in Karakaya, she told me not many - all the young folk have flown.  This explains the derelict houses used as storage for straw and the rampant chickens.  As we drove away a few minutes later the two women and I exchanged the Turkish farewell of 'allahaısmarladık' (said by the one who is leaving) and the response  'gule gule' (said by those  who are left behind) and I felt extraordinarily fulfilled.   Moving along, the next place we stopped at was the tourist attraction Paşa Bağ  where by now, after several days of this, we are completely interesting-rock-ed out but nevertheless wandered about, took photos and admired the truly extraordinary view.  Never, ever, have I seen terrain, rock formations like the Cappadocia region of Turkey.   Finally we found the fast road that took us ever closer to the volcano Erciyes (last erupted 253 b.c.) - see extra - before finally turning around and heading back on the highway in the evening sunset to Ürgüp and our hotel at the end of a stunningly wonderful day.  Dinner (mezes and soup) at next door restaurant and an elongated night cap in the lounge chatting with hotel manager.  Home to Istanbul tomorrow.  

What an amazing experience Cappadocia has been.  Unforgettable.

Today's photo was taken by Robin as I chatted away to the two ladies in Karakaya.  I wasn't aware that she had taken the pic but I am using this photo for my journal, even though I didn't take the photo, because this conversation was very, very special to me and I am so glad that Robin captured it.   I will upload some extras (pics of places mentioned) as soon as I have gone back through my journal to delete old extras to make room.  


The weather today was brilliant sunshine and very warm in the sun and really rather chilly in the shade.