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דף הבית								טיסה בבלון

October 20^th in Cappadocia

We arranged for small bus with an English speaking driver, in this case it was Mustapha Faruk's brother to take us on a trip on the second day.
We left at 8:30 and headed for Derinkuyu to see the underground city, there plenty to choose from and we decided on this one. Mustapha parked his bus at the parking lot and we went down, some of the passages are narrow and some are low. Very interesting
Our next stop was Guzelyurt, it was market day but we were on a tight schedule so we went directly to the old part of the city and walked through - sadly the St. Gregory of Nazianzos church was closed for renovations. At least we saw other cave churches
After that Mustapha took us to the start of the trek through Ihlara Valley - a 5 to 8 hour trek through a beautiful section of the Melendiz river. Starting at the Village of Ihlara, where Mustapha dropped us off, we descended the 360 steps down to the river and walked north (down stream) towards Belisirma, the first meeting point with Mustapha. This part was full of cave churches.
We met Mustapha at the restaurant he said he would be waiting but we decided to continue to the northern end of the valley - to Selime - and we were told what the next meeting point with him would be.
The second part of the trek is the longer one, almost no more cave churches (we only saw one) but a lovely walk in undisturbed nature.
When we reached the end and met Mustapha, he drove us a short distance to see the Selime monastery - we didn't stop for a break, even though we needed it since it was almost closing time at the monastery. The monastery, thought by some to be a Byzantine mansion, is a complex set of caves.
By then it was late and we headed back to Goreme for a late dinner.

Derinkuyu underground city
העיר התת-קרקעית של דרינקויו

Passageways

Didn't I mention that they were narrow

Guzelyurt
גוזליורט

The old section is basically a narrow valley with cave dwellings and churches on both sides

Difficult to decide were the caves end and the buildings start

One side of the valley - the north side

Some of the cave houses are in use - check the orange colored door and shutters

Which part is built and which is carved out of the cliff?

St. Gregory of Nazianzos church - side view

St. Gregory of Nazianzos church - front view

St. Gregory of Nazianzos church - view from top of the south side of the valley

St. Gregory of Nazianzos church - zooming in from top of the south side of the valley

We climb the other side of the valley

Cave church completely cut out of the cliff - not built

The carved out dome

Carved out pillars (this is a cave - in case you were not sure)

Carved out arches

Modern day Guzelyurt on top of the valley

Today's houses atop yesterday's caves

This view explains the meaning of the Guzelyurt - Beautiful Land

Guzelyurt - Beautiful Land

View of Hassan Dagi - old volcanic mountain - from Guzelyurt

Close up of Hassan Dagi

Hassan Dagi on the right and Melendiz on the left

Ihlara Valley
עמק איהלארא

Ihlara valley - view from the top

Ihlara valley - view from halfway down the 380 steps

Yael & Yakov halfway down the 360 steps

Ihlara valley

Ihlara valley - the Mendeliz river

Cave Church - there are so many of them in the valley

Ihlara valley - the Mendeliz river

Another cave church

Ihlara valley - the Mendeliz river

Ihlara valley - Yael on the walking path

Ihlara valley

Unusual stone

Ihlara valley

Ihlara valley - clouds on top

Ihlara valley - strange boulder

Ihlara valley - the Mendeliz river

Ihlara valley - Mushrooms

Ihlara valley - looking up

Ihlara valley - looking down

Ihlara valley - trees by the Mendeliz

In Cappadocia, every valley has caves and dovecotes

Direkli Kilese, or Direkli (columns) Church

Belisirma village - at this point we decide to continue all the way to the end of the valley

Ihlara valley - the Mendeliz river

Ihlara valley - the Mendeliz river + cow

Ihlara valley - the Mendeliz river & no cow

Ihlara valley - the Mendeliz river + reeds

Ihlara valley - the Mendeliz river

More caves

Same caves, different angle

Does this count as a fairy chimney?

Even more caves

Really big cave

Yaprakhisar - these are more than simple caves, these are mansions carved into the cliff

They must have looked impressive when they were in use

Zooming in to see the columns

Truly impressive

Yaprakhisar - look at the cliff to the left

592ins

A rich man's mansion?

Yaprakhisar - cave houses

Yaprakhisar - Caves in fairy chimneys

Yaprakhisar

Towards the end of the valley, fairy chimneys with caves. Note the Turkish flag painted into the cliff at top right

Selime - as you exit the valley after the tiring trek you see this restaurant on the Mendeliz river, small piers each with a single table so that you can sit eat and drink and let the sound of the flowing Mendeliz soothe your aching muscles.