Waking Up
I woke up about an hour before before arriving at the final destination. The scenery was surreal, something out of a fairy tail. Throughout the landscape were these strange rock formations that looked like the had of a gnome. The landscape is something you'd expect to see in a theme park. About 20 minutes after I woke up the bus made the first of two stops in Goreme. I checked Google Maps and realized we were on the outskirts of the town, so I stayed on the bus. Goreme is one of the towns that makes up the Cappadocia region of Turkey. Cappadocia is far from Istanbul, about 450 miles. The drive isn't easy since there are numerous hills, mountains, etc. Most people get here by bus or fly in to a nearby town.
Heading to the Hotel
The hotel manager who made the arrangements for me mentioned the hotel was about half a kilometer from the bus depot, so it was very close. The bus stop was surrounded by a bunch of merchants selling their goods out of kiosks, there were also a number of shops in the background. I started to walk towards what I thought was town and loaded up Google Maps. It was around 9am, so I knew I had a couple of hours before I could check in to the hotel. I didn't feel as grubby as I thought I would feel after riding a bus for 10+ hours. In terms of weather, I wasn't sure what to expect in these parts of Turkey. It was chilly outside, but with my fleece and long sleeved shirt I was comfortable. I'd be very glad the sleeves on my fleece remove, because as lunchtime came around it got warmer (around low 70s).
Checking In
After arriving in Goreme I went straight to the hotel to check my bags. I figured I'd wander the town and the baggage would just weight me down. The hotel is like none I've ever been. Entry to all rooms is from outside. Some of the rooms are caves, others are made of stone. Entrance to the hotel is through a very large door which leads to an open courtyard. After wandering the hotel grounds for a minute I found reception.
The woman working reception spoke English extremely well. I had figured since I was in the sticks of Turkey communication might be an issue. The woman let me know it might be an hour or so before my room was ready. I was very surprised. It was around 9 o'clock, I figured the earliest I'd have a room would be noon. The receptionist mentioned I should go to the restaurant for breakfast. Breakfast was included in the rate, but since I was checking in early I confirmed it was complimentary. The restaurant has an indoor and outdoor portion, since people were smoking outside I opted to dine inside. Breakfast was buffet style, but they also made hot items to order (for free). I was happy with corn flakes and orange juice, but a man who was working in the restaurant insisted I at least try the cheese pancakes. I'm not sure what kind of cheese they used, but it smelled gross. I like different kinds of cheese, but I didn't like the pancakes all. The cereal and milk was great though, as was the orange juice. There were several cartons of orange juice and the man had no problem with me taking one to my table. So far, the place and trip was off to a great start! I was preparing myself for disappointment because nothing is perfect.
After breakfast I went back to reception. The WiFi in the restaurant didn't work well, so I figured I'd give the lobby a shot. Internet in the lobby was fine, but the woman working reception asked if I was interested in hearing the tour options. I only had two nights in town, so hearing the options would be a good first start. There weren't many options, 2 types of tours and a hot air balloon experience. Tours were around $50 USD day and went all day. A hot air balloon ride is an early, early morning experience and expensive, anywhere from $140-$200 USD. Price depends on the reputation of the operator I'm told. I told the woman I was fine with an outfit that cut corners to save a few dollars - safety is overrated. She thought the comment was funny, but when I didn't laugh I think she became concerned. Shortly thereafter the room was ready. I knew I'd be sleeping in a cave, but I was shocked.
The hotel room was awesome. I figured WiFi would suck noting I was in a cave, but they had an access point in the room. This place was incredible.
Exploring the Town
After dropping off my bags and taking a quick shower I hit the down. I stopped by a few tour outfits to compare prices on tours. It seems like most operators offer the same two types of tours - green and red. Prices were similar, too. Hot air balloon rides were a different story, prices varied widely. The lowest I could get an operator down to was 120 euros ($155 USD). It seemed all balloon vendors quoted prices in euros. I'd later determine the price offered by the hotel was better than anything I could negotiate. I also passed by a Turkish Hamam, or bathhouse-spa. I had wanted to check one out while in Istanbul but never got around to it - this would be my chance. The basic service included a body scrub, dry sauna, pool swim, and short massage. I added on a 20 minute sport massage. I tried to negotiate with the guy and he seemed shocked. After promising not to tell other patrons, I got him to knock off 20 percent. He'd give me a certificate I could use at any time for the services. The place closed at 10pm, so I figured I'd return around 8pm to allow time for all the services.
Quad bikes are popular out in these parts, too. I was quoted a tour price of around $40 USD and was just about sold. I anticipated grabbing some lunch and heading back to do the tour. After doing lunch though I started to walk around and discovered hiking trails.
Hiking Around Goreme
Landscape of Goreme / Cappadocia
As I mentioned before, the topography of this town is unreal. The rock formations were created by a combination of volcanic activity and earthquakes. If I understand the history correct, the village was formed several hundred years BC. Villagers realized the rock is easy to carve and hallow out, so houses, churches, shops, and underground cities were created out of the rock which remains to present day. I did visit an old church, but photography was not allowed. When I began the hike I started climbing a random hill. I didn't know what to make of the makeshift rail in the above photo and skirted around it. After hiking I realized the area was under construction. Than I realized a dog was guarding the premises - and he was angry. Lucky for me he was on a chain - enough of a warning to get the heck out of there. I'd notice a single sign further down warning about the dog. I liked the place and some of the pictures I took, so I hope you enjoy the numerous pictures.
View from the hike
Experiencing a Turkish Hamam
After hiking I head back to the hotel to clean up. The sun had set and I was ready to head over to the hamam. I first struggled to find the sales slip but eventually found it in my bag. After arriving there was some confusion about what services I was to receive - the attendant couldn't make sense over what I paid and what I was to receive. I guess discounts really aren't given at this place. I brought a pair of swim trunks, but was given a pair of disposable boxers to put on. After that mud is applied to the face and 15 minutes is spent in a dry sauna. After about 10 minutes a group kids I'd guess were around 13 entered and ruined the peaceful silence. Afterwards, the scrubbing starts with a loofah followed by a massage. I was impressed with the massage - I thought it was the massage I added on. He asked at first if the amount of pressure he was applying was okay - I said pain was okay. Than as he massaged my hand he hit a pressure point between my thumb and index finger. I think he was getting me back for saying pain was okay. I yelped like a little girl. After that it's time for a shower and than whirlpool. The water in the whirlpool is not warm, it's not really cold either after acclimation. After that another shower than the massage. The massage was pretty intense and painful at times. But than again, isn't pain weakness leaving the body?
Dinner
After the massage I planned to head to the hotel, but stopped for dinner. I stopped at one of the numerous pottery kebab places. Basically, your food is prepared in a pottery shell that you, the customer, break open. Here's a stranger's youtube video that shows how a pottery shell is opened. The server asked if I wanted him to do it - I wanted the honors. He stopped me after I started axing the pottery shell. I wouldn't give up the axe though and eventually got the thing open. The server was from New Jersey, he moved to Turkey a few years ago. His family originates from Turkey, so it's not that far of a stretch.
After arriving back at the hotel I made plans to do the Green Tour. The tour bus would arrive at 9:30am. I set a wake call for 8:45am and was off to bed. Sleeping in the cave isn't much different than a hotel room. The only thing worth noting is that the room has a single window at the front, by the door. The ventilation in the room was not good and the room had no air conditioning. It did have a heater, I think a boiler. The room was warmer than I would have cared for, which was the only complaint I could have. I asked the front desk if they had a fan, unfortunately they did not. He recommended I open the window, but that meant someone could crawl in and bring me harm, or worse, steal my stuff. He insisted that it was impossible for either of those two things to happen, so I slept with the window open. Since it was chilly outside, keeping the window open did help a bit. Aside from being warm the accommodations were top notch. My time in Cappadocia was off to a great store!
I woke up about an hour before before arriving at the final destination. The scenery was surreal, something out of a fairy tail. Throughout the landscape were these strange rock formations that looked like the had of a gnome. The landscape is something you'd expect to see in a theme park. About 20 minutes after I woke up the bus made the first of two stops in Goreme. I checked Google Maps and realized we were on the outskirts of the town, so I stayed on the bus. Goreme is one of the towns that makes up the Cappadocia region of Turkey. Cappadocia is far from Istanbul, about 450 miles. The drive isn't easy since there are numerous hills, mountains, etc. Most people get here by bus or fly in to a nearby town.
Disembarking the bus in a strange place
The hotel manager who made the arrangements for me mentioned the hotel was about half a kilometer from the bus depot, so it was very close. The bus stop was surrounded by a bunch of merchants selling their goods out of kiosks, there were also a number of shops in the background. I started to walk towards what I thought was town and loaded up Google Maps. It was around 9am, so I knew I had a couple of hours before I could check in to the hotel. I didn't feel as grubby as I thought I would feel after riding a bus for 10+ hours. In terms of weather, I wasn't sure what to expect in these parts of Turkey. It was chilly outside, but with my fleece and long sleeved shirt I was comfortable. I'd be very glad the sleeves on my fleece remove, because as lunchtime came around it got warmer (around low 70s).
Checking In
After arriving in Goreme I went straight to the hotel to check my bags. I figured I'd wander the town and the baggage would just weight me down. The hotel is like none I've ever been. Entry to all rooms is from outside. Some of the rooms are caves, others are made of stone. Entrance to the hotel is through a very large door which leads to an open courtyard. After wandering the hotel grounds for a minute I found reception.
Hotel Entrance
The woman working reception spoke English extremely well. I had figured since I was in the sticks of Turkey communication might be an issue. The woman let me know it might be an hour or so before my room was ready. I was very surprised. It was around 9 o'clock, I figured the earliest I'd have a room would be noon. The receptionist mentioned I should go to the restaurant for breakfast. Breakfast was included in the rate, but since I was checking in early I confirmed it was complimentary. The restaurant has an indoor and outdoor portion, since people were smoking outside I opted to dine inside. Breakfast was buffet style, but they also made hot items to order (for free). I was happy with corn flakes and orange juice, but a man who was working in the restaurant insisted I at least try the cheese pancakes. I'm not sure what kind of cheese they used, but it smelled gross. I like different kinds of cheese, but I didn't like the pancakes all. The cereal and milk was great though, as was the orange juice. There were several cartons of orange juice and the man had no problem with me taking one to my table. So far, the place and trip was off to a great start! I was preparing myself for disappointment because nothing is perfect.
After breakfast I went back to reception. The WiFi in the restaurant didn't work well, so I figured I'd give the lobby a shot. Internet in the lobby was fine, but the woman working reception asked if I was interested in hearing the tour options. I only had two nights in town, so hearing the options would be a good first start. There weren't many options, 2 types of tours and a hot air balloon experience. Tours were around $50 USD day and went all day. A hot air balloon ride is an early, early morning experience and expensive, anywhere from $140-$200 USD. Price depends on the reputation of the operator I'm told. I told the woman I was fine with an outfit that cut corners to save a few dollars - safety is overrated. She thought the comment was funny, but when I didn't laugh I think she became concerned. Shortly thereafter the room was ready. I knew I'd be sleeping in a cave, but I was shocked.
Exploring the Town
After dropping off my bags and taking a quick shower I hit the down. I stopped by a few tour outfits to compare prices on tours. It seems like most operators offer the same two types of tours - green and red. Prices were similar, too. Hot air balloon rides were a different story, prices varied widely. The lowest I could get an operator down to was 120 euros ($155 USD). It seemed all balloon vendors quoted prices in euros. I'd later determine the price offered by the hotel was better than anything I could negotiate. I also passed by a Turkish Hamam, or bathhouse-spa. I had wanted to check one out while in Istanbul but never got around to it - this would be my chance. The basic service included a body scrub, dry sauna, pool swim, and short massage. I added on a 20 minute sport massage. I tried to negotiate with the guy and he seemed shocked. After promising not to tell other patrons, I got him to knock off 20 percent. He'd give me a certificate I could use at any time for the services. The place closed at 10pm, so I figured I'd return around 8pm to allow time for all the services.
Quad bikes are popular out in these parts, too. I was quoted a tour price of around $40 USD and was just about sold. I anticipated grabbing some lunch and heading back to do the tour. After doing lunch though I started to walk around and discovered hiking trails.
Hiking Around Goreme
Landscape of Goreme / Cappadocia As I mentioned before, the topography of this town is unreal. The rock formations were created by a combination of volcanic activity and earthquakes. If I understand the history correct, the village was formed several hundred years BC. Villagers realized the rock is easy to carve and hallow out, so houses, churches, shops, and underground cities were created out of the rock which remains to present day. I did visit an old church, but photography was not allowed. When I began the hike I started climbing a random hill. I didn't know what to make of the makeshift rail in the above photo and skirted around it. After hiking I realized the area was under construction. Than I realized a dog was guarding the premises - and he was angry. Lucky for me he was on a chain - enough of a warning to get the heck out of there. I'd notice a single sign further down warning about the dog. I liked the place and some of the pictures I took, so I hope you enjoy the numerous pictures.
View from the hike
Downtown
After hiking I head back to the hotel to clean up. The sun had set and I was ready to head over to the hamam. I first struggled to find the sales slip but eventually found it in my bag. After arriving there was some confusion about what services I was to receive - the attendant couldn't make sense over what I paid and what I was to receive. I guess discounts really aren't given at this place. I brought a pair of swim trunks, but was given a pair of disposable boxers to put on. After that mud is applied to the face and 15 minutes is spent in a dry sauna. After about 10 minutes a group kids I'd guess were around 13 entered and ruined the peaceful silence. Afterwards, the scrubbing starts with a loofah followed by a massage. I was impressed with the massage - I thought it was the massage I added on. He asked at first if the amount of pressure he was applying was okay - I said pain was okay. Than as he massaged my hand he hit a pressure point between my thumb and index finger. I think he was getting me back for saying pain was okay. I yelped like a little girl. After that it's time for a shower and than whirlpool. The water in the whirlpool is not warm, it's not really cold either after acclimation. After that another shower than the massage. The massage was pretty intense and painful at times. But than again, isn't pain weakness leaving the body?
Dinner
After the massage I planned to head to the hotel, but stopped for dinner. I stopped at one of the numerous pottery kebab places. Basically, your food is prepared in a pottery shell that you, the customer, break open. Here's a stranger's youtube video that shows how a pottery shell is opened. The server asked if I wanted him to do it - I wanted the honors. He stopped me after I started axing the pottery shell. I wouldn't give up the axe though and eventually got the thing open. The server was from New Jersey, he moved to Turkey a few years ago. His family originates from Turkey, so it's not that far of a stretch.
Pottery Kebab
After arriving back at the hotel I made plans to do the Green Tour. The tour bus would arrive at 9:30am. I set a wake call for 8:45am and was off to bed. Sleeping in the cave isn't much different than a hotel room. The only thing worth noting is that the room has a single window at the front, by the door. The ventilation in the room was not good and the room had no air conditioning. It did have a heater, I think a boiler. The room was warmer than I would have cared for, which was the only complaint I could have. I asked the front desk if they had a fan, unfortunately they did not. He recommended I open the window, but that meant someone could crawl in and bring me harm, or worse, steal my stuff. He insisted that it was impossible for either of those two things to happen, so I slept with the window open. Since it was chilly outside, keeping the window open did help a bit. Aside from being warm the accommodations were top notch. My time in Cappadocia was off to a great store!
The photos of Goreme are incredible !
ReplyDeleteI am amazed at all you have seen. Learning through your eyes
ReplyDelete