Bonjour all! I'm writing to you from my hotel room in Singapore. I am so happy to be back on this island, even if it is a really short trip! Hoping that the jetlag doesn't destroy me (I've been up since about 2am today.. eek!)
Anyway - I wanted to share with you some of the highlights of my trip to Turkey! Emily and I took advantage of the Jeune Genevois public holiday to do an extended weekend exploring this unique country. There was SO much that I loved there that I really have to break it into two posts. So first up - Cappadocia!
Hot air balloon ride
Cappadocia is known for it's amazing landscapes, and one of the most popular ways to see it is via hot air balloon. Emily and I woke up super early to do a sunrise balloon ride, and it was absolutely spectacular. The hands-down highlight of the entire trip! I took tons of pictures - none of which really do it justice - but if you go to Cappadocia, please do not miss out on this incredible experience! It is a bit pricey (we paid 150 Euros each), but I promise it is worth every penny.
Staying in a cave hotel
We stayed at this awesome cave hotel! Cave hotels are pretty popular in this area, and ours was really nice! I wasn't really sure what to expect but was definitely up for the idea of sleeping in a cave, but it was great. The room itself seemed pretty much like a normal hotel room (with exceptional water pressure), but the building itself wasn't really a building - it was a cave! Pretty cool place to stay, and we had some terrific views from the various terraces.
Hiking through the Red Valley/Rose Valley
After our hot air balloon ride, we did a group tour that took included a small hike. Each of the valleys in the area have a "touristic name" based on the rock formations there. It's hard to tell in these pictures, but the Red Valley and Rose Valley are named for the pinkish hue of the landscape. It was an easy little hike, but very pleasant, and I was surprised by how much fresh vegetation we saw in the middle of this climate!
Goreme Open Air Museum
Our first afternoon in Cappadocia, we visited the Goreme Open Air Museum. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a well-preserved array of various churches that were carved into caves. The various religious tides that came through this region led to a really interesting mix of art and architecture here.
Anyway - I wanted to share with you some of the highlights of my trip to Turkey! Emily and I took advantage of the Jeune Genevois public holiday to do an extended weekend exploring this unique country. There was SO much that I loved there that I really have to break it into two posts. So first up - Cappadocia!
Hot air balloon ride
Cappadocia is known for it's amazing landscapes, and one of the most popular ways to see it is via hot air balloon. Emily and I woke up super early to do a sunrise balloon ride, and it was absolutely spectacular. The hands-down highlight of the entire trip! I took tons of pictures - none of which really do it justice - but if you go to Cappadocia, please do not miss out on this incredible experience! It is a bit pricey (we paid 150 Euros each), but I promise it is worth every penny.
That's me on the right side - standing in front of our balloon as it gets blown up. So big!
To land the balloon, these guys just grab the rope and dig in!
Staying in a cave hotel
We stayed at this awesome cave hotel! Cave hotels are pretty popular in this area, and ours was really nice! I wasn't really sure what to expect but was definitely up for the idea of sleeping in a cave, but it was great. The room itself seemed pretty much like a normal hotel room (with exceptional water pressure), but the building itself wasn't really a building - it was a cave! Pretty cool place to stay, and we had some terrific views from the various terraces.
Our hotel!
Hiking through the Red Valley/Rose Valley
After our hot air balloon ride, we did a group tour that took included a small hike. Each of the valleys in the area have a "touristic name" based on the rock formations there. It's hard to tell in these pictures, but the Red Valley and Rose Valley are named for the pinkish hue of the landscape. It was an easy little hike, but very pleasant, and I was surprised by how much fresh vegetation we saw in the middle of this climate!
Goreme Open Air Museum
Our first afternoon in Cappadocia, we visited the Goreme Open Air Museum. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a well-preserved array of various churches that were carved into caves. The various religious tides that came through this region led to a really interesting mix of art and architecture here.
hahahaha
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