Windwalker's Mountain Post: Among the Goreme

Day 3--Walking, hiking, and driving, we will spend two and half days exploring the fairy tale geological formations, rock carved churches and underground cities of early Christians, rural villages producing local products. We will enjoy great foods and wines of the region. Today we visit Uchisar Castle, a natural rock formation of former residences carved out of the soft tuft, and the Goreme Open-Air Museum, a complex of medieval cave churches carved and elaborately painted by Orthodox monks. Overnight Elkep Evi Cave Hotel, a historic boutique cave hotel full of atmosphere built into a stone cliff facade overlooking the town of Urgup.
The stone caves and weirdly carved (by wind and water) formations of this area are breathtaking to see and walk through. A great part of our day was spent hiking through, in between, and among mushroom rocks and gullies. At one point, three of us (Katherine, Brooke, and I) followed our guide through a narrowing gulley through which we eventually had to crawl in order to get out (wow! The flashlight app on the iPhone really came in handy). It was very exciting, but when we got out, Pam, who had walked a higher trail said, "I think that was way too much adventure for one day."
We ended our day with a walk/climb through the Goreme open air museum. "Goreme" means "the unseen," which was what these ancient Christians hoped to be in their hidden community of caves. Inside the caves are paintings and frescoes with Christian symbols and images of the Holy Family, Jesus, disciples, and the events of Christ's life. When Muslims came through the area, displacing the Christians, faces and eyes in the paintings were scratched out, as it is forbidden in the Muslim religion to represent the human face in a religious image. From the museum we raced to a hilltop for a quick and lovely sundowner (reminiscent of Africa) of red wine and nuts after which we returned to our own caves for dinner and sleep.
Today we awoke to the sight of 20 or 30 balloons on the horizon. I think we go to a Turkish bath,or hamam, later on, with more hiking and other surprises. Tomorrow is our ballooning day! From this beautiful day, along with friends Cody and Cad we remember their beloved dog Bailey and send love and comfort from this place where the ancients feel ever present.