Going Underground in Cappadocia, Turkey

Going Underground in Cappadocia, Turkey

I've always been a big fan of unique experiences and destinations while traveling. And Cappadocia, Turkey is nothing if not unique. I mean look at this! Where have you ever seen such an odd, compelling, jurassic-looking land? A million years ago (approximation) ancient volcanos erupted and covered this wild land in a layer of ash with harder stone on top. Eventually it was eroded and carved away by wind and water, creating the unique valleys, pillars, and cones you can see today. Thank you eighth grade geography class, just what I needed.

And the best part? Not only is the landscape around the region of Cappadocia so memorable, it is EQUALLY fascinating below ground. How many places can boast that? Are you ready for a little history lesson? I'll keep it short and simple. Turkey was at the crossroads between Europe and Asia, and Cappadocia in central Turkey was often conquered, attacked and/or invaded by warring ethnic groups like the Greeks (think Brad Pitt in Troy-incidentally, Troy is in modern-day Turkey), Persians (think Xerxes, the giant creepy gold dude in 300) and Macedonians (think Collin Farrell as Alexander the Great). Because Cappadocia was always under threat of attack, the people started to build caves, tunnels and eventually entire cities underground in the soft rock to escape and hide. Later on when early Christians were persecuted in the west (literally thrown to the lions in some cases), many fled to this area of Turkey, leaving behind some of the earliest Christian churches and paintings I've ever seen, inside the caves. That wasn't too painful, was it?

As soon as I decided I was going to go to Cappadocia, I started thumbing through my trusty Lonely Planet guidebook looking for hiking and walking tours in the region. Traveling to this area of central Turkey in winter alone as a blond girl, I knew I would need a guide or group to do all the exploring and trekking I had in mind. And you know what name caught my eye? Middle Earth Travel.Being the biggest Tolkien nut on the planet, I immediately started researching them and quickly realized they were the best game in town for solid walks, hikes and adventure activities. I didn't want to be stuck on a giant bus getting shuffled around from site to site and end up in a carpet store with 20 other people. I wanted to explore and see as much as I could, getting my feet muddy and dirt under my nails, both of which happened in abundance.

Underground cities are the stuff of legends for me. How often do you get to visit a place like that when traveling? Luckily Middle Earth Travel gave me the total hook up and brought me to Kaymaklı my first day in Cappadocia. With the snow falling heavily outside turning the countryside white, we headed underground where the air got warmer and smelled like wet stone and adventure. In Cappadocia there are over a hundred cities honeycombing the countryside, with less than a third excavated. Kaymaklı is one of them near Nevşehir. 8 stories deep, it is a maze of narrow low tunnels, wide store rooms, steep steps, deep holes and ventilation shafts

unsubscribe here 4310 Buffalo Gap Rd, Abilene, TX 79606, USA