Cappadocia
Hattis, Hittites, Phrygians, Cimmerians, Persians, Galatians, Greeks, Armenians, Romans, Goths, Byzantines and Ottomans – all have shaped the multicultural face of modern Turkey.
Away from the coast, at over 1,000 metres of altitude, the landscape of Cappadocia is made of peaks and valleys. The struggle of living here through the ages has resulted in some strange sculptures: a virgin in prayer, a camel and a dervish on the move. It is almost like Pompeii, but a Pompeii where you can see penguins and giant mushrooms and where armies of Chinese monks were surprised by the ashes while they were kneeling to pray.
Like these sculptures, our imagination is suddenly covered with this “tuff”, the creator of these natural masterpieces. Because these stone statues have no other creators than wind and water. And it is in paying attention for the first time at Cappadocia that we see the full measure of the talent and the greatness of nature. To our eyes, the valleys are similar and different all at once. They are all made of tuff, but our imagination, which has no limits, sees different forms everywhere, and the rock lends itself to our personal projections.
These sculptures are called ‘fairy chimneys’, but do not look for the legend of a fairy trapped in the rock. There is a more simple explanation: faced with such beauty, man could only find one word – ‘magical’ – and the name stuck. Nature is the maker of this open-air museum, but man decided to make it his living place. In the heart of the rock, he hid, sheltered for centuries.
In the sixth century, early Christians also found refuge in Cappadocia. This landscape seemed to be made to welcome people fleeing from their attackers. They dug into Cappadocia and many troglodyte villages emerged, such as churches and frescoed caves; especially in the valley of Goreme, and underground cities like Kaymali, where 5,000 people lived more than 85 metres underground. But it’s on the surface that Cappadocia is the most beautiful and we must make the journey to enjoy all its beauties. So it’s from a hot air balloon at dawn, when Cappadocia awakens, that the tourists share an experience they will never forget.
For an unforgettable balloon flight: www maviaytravel.com
Author: Vanessa Marcie
