Let’s take a little mystery tour.
Bet you can’t guess …
Photo by Benh LIEU SONG via Wikimedia Commons
Where in the world?
Photo by Dennis Jarvis via Wikimedia Commons
The landscape looks a little sci-fi, doesn’t it?
Like a movie set from Star Wars or, maybe, The Hobbit.
Photo by Beetjedwars via Wikimedia Commons
In this far-off place, we find fairy chimneys, like these:
Photo by Turken via Wikimedia Commons
Photo by Casalmaggiore Provincia via Wikimedia Commons
We might also happen upon mighty mushroom-like towers
Photo by Nazzarenoagostinelli via Wikimedia Commons
and intricately carved entrances in walls of stone …
Photo by Turken via Wikimedia Commons
Photo by Dennis Jarvis via Wikimedia Commons
… that lead to cave cubbies
Photo by Peretz Partensky via Wikimedia Commons
and rather creepy clandestine quarters.
Photo by Nevit Dilmen via Wikimedia Commons
Can it be real?
Well, just ask this guy. He lives there.
Photo by Dennis Jarvis via Wikimedia Commons
Want another hint to help you pinpoint this peculiar place? Sample the locally grown dried fruit (I think I see dates) and nuts:
Photo by Ji-Elle via Wikimedia Commons
So, where in the world are we?
Answer: This strange land is called Cappadocia, a naturally wondrous and historically rich region in the Central Anatolian provinces of Turkey.
As it turns out, the seemingly fantastic formations that characterize Cappadocia can be explained in geologic terms. The “fairy chimneys” that poke up from the ground, suggesting a subterranean society of bizarre beings, are actually the remnants of ancient volcanoes. And the inhabitants of the region are as human as you and me. According to Wikipedia, “People of the villages at the heart of the Cappadocia Region carved out houses, churches, and monasteries from the soft rocks of volcanic deposits.”
Photo by Zeynel Cebeci via Wikimedia Commons
At the end of our journey, Cappadoccia may be a place as real as Pittsburgh, but I can’t shake notions of magic and mysticism, can you?
This tour was so interesting! Wow, I have never seen or heard about this region of Turkey. The landscape is indeed mysterious and just plain odd. How fascinating to learn about the geological past and then see how it was tamed into dwellings with ordinary people. I am loving the wares at the open market. All of those dried fruits and nuts look delicious!. They could easily be made into your Pemmican recipe too. I made that a few years ago and loved it. This photo makes me think I should gather the ingredients and make some again!
And I was only five minutes ago in my kitchen organizing all my dried nuts and fruits and putting them away and labeling them (I’d had them all out on the counter for an R&D project) and I was thinking the exact same thing, pemmican! Great minds crave alike.
Your pemmican recipe is the best. I absolutely love it! You should make some since you have all the ingredients just waiting for a project. Or have Ashely make it and post it here for those who don’t have your Ideas book and would like to try it out. It sort of reminds me of granola type fruit cake(which I also love) biscotti. How’s that for a description?
Thank you for the incredible journey. It brings back memories of my time in Bryce Canyon, where the imagination goes on and on and on. Ahh!
I have known about this area for years and it is on my ” bucket List” for sure. Turkey is an amazing place and mostly unspoiled . I have visited Turkey but not this magical area yet.
Wow! I’m a bit of a geological/archaeology buff and that one had me stumped! I did come close after seeing that lovely face smiling so nicely for the camera. Truly an amazing use of what is given to us freely. Now where can I find that pemmican recipe?
Wow! Fun tour. I had no idea that was a real place. That makes the line that John Wayne says in “Big Jake” even funnier.
Oh and just wanted to add, the city of Pittsburgh, PA is not spelled Pittsburg,
see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pittsburgh
My mind guessed Turkey. Don’t know why, but it just seemed right. Just like I guessed Mongolia for the very first reality show of those traveling folks. Right again. Just a guess though. Feels good to guess correctly.
Do you see all the towns mentioned in the New Testament!!!