trip: Antalya to Göreme
how: night bus, 9 hours, Metro Bus Co.
miles total: 3,600
days: 1

5:30 am was approaching and I reluctantly opened my eyes (after a 9 hour bus ride), but was surprised to find myself surrounded by the ‘fairy chimneys’  of Cappadochia! It’s exactly like the pictures lead you to believe and a really mystical place… like a fairytale land. Only staying a day we wanted to find a hostel where we could store our stuff, Kookaburra Pension charged us about 5 lira to keep our bags and take a shower, a perfect deal.

Cappadochia, or the mountains and cliffs, were formed when Ericyes Daği erupted.  Then, when the Byzantines came they carved churches and cities out of  these erupting mountains, called fairy chimneys.  There are also hundreds of kilometers of underground cities that were used and built by Christians as a place of hiding to escape from the persecution of the Roman soldiers.

G and I hiked (above ground) for the rest of the day and then boarded our bus to Antakya (Hatay) at 20:30… exhausted.

Syria tomorrow…
L

*promise to post pictures whenever I get the chance*