So glad I diverted to Cappadocia....
When I returned to the Venus Hotel in Pamukkale at about 3pm to collect my pack, the manager asked me where I was off to. "I'll catch a dolmus into Denizli and buy a bus ticket to Goreme." "Why don't I book you a seat and then you can stay here until they pick you up. The bus doesn't leave Denizli until about 10pm." Perfect! I went for a walk in the hills near Pammukale and then went back to Pamukkale Park and watched the pedal boats on the lake, a couple of wedding photo shoots, people feeding ducks, and the trail of visitors making their way down by the travertine terraces. Had dinner at the hotel at 7pm and felt very comfortable and relaxed when I boarded the bus. (50TL) I was lucky to have the back seat to myself; so, was able to stretch out and sleep. Arrived in Nevsehir at about 6.30am and was wide awake for our arrival into Goreme, half an hour later.
What an interesting place - a real Fairyland! I spotted my hotel from the dolmus; so, had no trouble making my way there. I was so excited to find it was a cave hotel and my room was upstairs in the fairy chimney. I decided immediately that I wanted to spend more time in Goreme and amended my booking accordingly. ($58/night B&B)
I spent my first day exploring the town and the surrounding ridges:
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| My Airbnb accommodation |
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| Goreme, from the Sunset Cafe |
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| Many gorgeous fairy hotels |
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| The road to Rose Valley |
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| My favourite - the Anatolian Cave Hotel |
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| The Sunset Cafe |
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| The ridge beyond the Sunset Cafe |
The minor inconvenience of not being able to access wifi in the rooms, turned out to be a good thing because we all had to gather in the reception area/breakfast room to connect. There, I met Greg from the US and Bob from the UK, with whom I shared two pleasant evenings and a day exploring the hinterland in a hire car. They are both geo-physicists so I now know how this fairyland was created. Nice fellas and easy company. Together we visited the underground city of Kaymakli, the Ihlara Gorge, a state-managed fairy park and St Jean church.
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| Greg and Bob - we shared a hire car (100 TL) and explored beyond Goreme |
On my last morning I made the effort to walk up to the Sunset Cafe at 5am to watch the balloons take off from Kilclar Valley. What a sight! There are hundreds of them, rising from each of the valleys in all directions. According to Numan, my Airbnb host, there have been two fatal accidents in 23 years of operations. He said the numbers of balloons have been restricted this year, for the first time; the company next door can only operate 7 balloons now, compared to 14 previously - the mind boggles at how it must have looked last year, in the peak tourist months of August/September, with no restrictions.
Paid 50TL for a bus ticket to Ankara, from where I will fly to Genoa tomorrow at 8am. The Esenboga Airport in Ankara is about 25kms out of town, so I decided to stay nearby at the Buyuk Andalou Hotel (170TL). From the otogar (called the ASTI), I caught a HAVAS bus to the airport for 10TL, and then got a cab here (26TL). While at the airport, I sussed out what I need to do tomorrow morning. This time tomorrow, I'll be in Levanto!
I will take many good memories away with me from beautiful Turkey......
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