Weather – cool morning with sunny day
Photo: Beautiful plates...where do I begin?
Photo: The blue range...divine!
Photo: A restrained approach - only one plate purchased but very impressed with the visit!
Photo: Desley and Cameron in the Devrent Valley.
Photo: The unusual landscape formed by erosion of volcanic ash.
Photo: Three delightful local girls....particularly the one on the right!
Photo: The Three Beauties.
Temperature – mid twenties
We met in the foyer with a 5.40am start to be transported to the hot air ballooning centre for a quick cuppa and bread and then to be taken to the balloon. Unfortunately, David was ill in the night and although he made a brave effort and went to the central meeting area it was not meant to be and I waved goodbye to our fellow travellers as they set off on their ballooning adventure. I met with the girl in the office and she had already received the news that David was ill and we arranged to go either tomorrow or the next day.
As unfortunate as it was - it was great timing….we were staying in one place for three nights so David could recover and we had the opportunity to still participate in this adventure.
The news from the other travellers when they returned at 8.30am after an hour balloon ride was that it was a wonderful never-to-be-forgotten experience. David and I are now scheduled in for Saturday so after seeing all their terrific photos I can hardly wait!
We now had two people sick and another two opted out so our smaller band headed to the pottery factory, Kaya Seramik, which is the biggest and oldest factory in Cappadocia.
I’m a lover of Iznik tiles and I’d seen some wonderful examples in Istanbul. They are no longer made and Iznik is only a dot on the map now but centuries ago they produced beautiful tiles in cobalt blue, red and white which adorn many old mosques including The Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace in Istanbul.
Visiting this factory was the closest I will probably ever get to own an authentic Iznik tile….originals are forbidden to be taken out of the country. The master potters at the factory reproduce the patterns from the old Iznik masters and they are truly beautiful. The tour was very comprehensive however not too heavy on detail and quite light-hearted with Mustafa, a sixth generation potter, leading the way with his excellent English. We were given a pottery demonstration by “Harry Potter” who showed us how to use a ‘kick wheel’ which some of the potters prefer to use rather than the electric as it is slower and able to be controlled with more finesse.
The showrooms were overwhelming with a vast variety of wares and the Australians were certainly leaving their mark with their volume of purchases. One couple commissioned a large plate based on Ottoman lines and paid two thousand Australian dollars! I succumbed to a plate of Iznik design. There were many design choices including Hittite, Ottoman, Iznik, modern and one design attributed to the “crazy cousin” which was distinctly abstract. The work was intricate and authentic so I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I could have spent a day looking around all the show rooms. I have pocketed their business card and as they do commissions all around the world I will make sure I don’t lose it!
On the way to lunch we had a quick wander through Devrent Valley which is six kilometres from Avanos where we are staying. This gave us another opportunity to explore the unique landscape around Cappadocia.
Lunch today was generously hosted by a lady named Bahir in her own home. Her husband Ali is a bus driver with our guide’s company and she is noted for her wonderful cooking. Suffice to say we were not disappointed and after five courses (soup, homemade Turkish ravioli; cabbage parcels; potatoes with meat and rice followed by semolina cake) we moved over to the carpeted area (shoes removed) for general conversation and apple tea or cay.
Photo: Where we retired to after our meal for apple tea and cay.....no shoes allowed!
It was time for an afternoon rest and we were all feeling particularly jaded. We made a picture stop to see The Three Beauties – large volcanic formations which are a symbol of Cappadocia. They feature on a Turkish banknote.
Rest time didn’t come soon enough with some of us sick and some feeling a bit under the weather and others just wanting to organise washing. A couple of hours of rest and we were off again…..
We headed to Monk’s Valley for sunset and the world famous ‘fairy chimneys’. The area was a religious area for hermits and Christian chapels. Caves were carved into the natural earth formations over thousands of years. At sunset it was particularly beautiful and Ergun served pistachio nuts and red wine as we watched the sun set on a beautiful day in Cappadocia. We certainly felt much better after having some ‘down time’ this afternoon.
Photo: Desley with the "fairy chimneys" as a backdrop.
Photo: The beautiful landscape which we overlooked at sunset.
Dinner was a simple affair at a nearby restaurant and we wandered home exhausted after our early start for ballooning. Hopefully a good night’s rest for everyone after a long day will help everyone recover sufficiently for the 8am start!
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