10/26: We packed up and loaded our car to head out to Ankara (our stop midway en route to Cappadocia). Bob loaded our bags under the watchful eyes of two guys that work at our Airbnb. We know they’re just trying to be helpful, but Bob has to tell them about 10 times not to carry our bags/rearrange them in the car (we’re also carrying a few glasses in our bags that we don’t want broken!). So then they just stand about 10 feet away and watch us. Interesting to watch these societal differences.
Fortunately we had an uneventful drive and loved rolling into the Ankara Hilton (first time we’ve seen a metal detector for us and our bags at a hotel). Our initial room smelled of smoke, so they moved us up to the Executive Suite on the top floor. Nice! The kids and I enjoyed the pool while Bob had his first massage in the spa (his neck/shoulder have really been bothering him - for a year now - but has been worse lately). We had to buy swim caps for the pool - we looked hilarious! But we had fun, and Bob loved his massage.
The kids and I were the only ones in the pool except for two other men and the male lifeguard. As I was taking the prerequisite shower before getting in the pool, the lifeguard and a female employee were looking at me and possibly pointing at me (I can't remember exactly, I just remember thinking, "Are women allowed to swim/wear bikinis?") Feeling uncomfortable, I jumped in the pool quickly, thinking I would feel more comfortable under the water, but the pool area was relatively dark, and the pool itself was well lit, so instead I felt like we were on display in the water. Afterwards, I looked around at all the signage around the pool and did not see anything regarding women swimming/womens' swimwear. I have subsequently looked into 'Muslim women swim' and found a large selection of 'burkinis' online. It would be interesting to see Turkish beaches/pools in the summer - I wonder if women wear these large 'swimsuits'?
We enjoyed some overpriced drinks/dinner and played some Hearts (learned Turkey’s inflation has gone crazy in the last year and prices for hotels/restaurants/historical sites has increased by 75%). Sparking water isn’t very available here - I miss it! I could’ve had a bottle of San Pelligrino for $10! The same as a beer! Guess I’ll stick with plain water - it just gets boring after awhile.
10/27: We all enjoyed a workout in the large exercise room and the hotel breakfast. Bob and the kids used our funny swim caps one more time before we started out for Cappadocia.
Ha! Thankfully Bob was having his massage when I was wearing this cap the evening before - so no pics of me! 😂
We tried to stop at Anitkabir (mausoleum for Turkey’s first president) but the area was jammed with people and it looked like it would end up being a longer stop than we were ready for. We finished the 3ish hour drive and arrived to the Grand Cappadocia hotel late afternoon. We were in the heart of Goreme, and wow is that a touristy place!
Since we skipped lunch, we had dinner at 5. We found a restaurant with good reviews just down the street from our hotel (the kids enjoyed a chicken dish that was baked in a ceramic pot that they break in front of you tableside). It doesn't seem like people linger over a meal here. This restaurant didn’t serve alcohol, and people seem to order their main dish, eat, and move on. Maybe it was the Cindi Lauper tunes. Maybe it was because they need to get outside to smoke. Yikes - everyone smokes. Sidebar: more people are smoking cigarettes in Turkey vs way more vaping in the UK/mainland Europe. Alcohol in restaurants is rare, and we do not see many bars (99% Muslim country), but there is so much smoking - interesting for me to think about which is worse? I've gotta go with smoking. Also interesting - I saw the price of a pack of cigarettes in Istanbul is about $2.25. It seems like the low cost probably contributes to the problem.
Being in a hotel room, there really wasn’t an area to relax except on your bed…but we managed. The Packers game started at 7, so that was a fun evening activity (especially for Quinn). We also had a fun surprise FaceTime call from Aunt Wendy and Holly.
We knew how much we love having an Airbnb with a kitchen and a living room, but now being in a hotel room for 5 nights we are especially aware of the difference. Bob has done so much research on each location, and we looked at staying in an Airbnb in Cappadocia, but in this location with a lot of excursions, it seemed like a hotel would be a good option. Unfortunately, the hotel was super noisy overnight and we had people clomping around above us and yelling at their child in Chinese next to us 😩 which meant not much sleep for Bob and me. Thankfully the kids slept through it!
10/28: We started the day at 6am with a walk to Sunrise Point to watch the hot air balloons take off at Sunrise. What a beautiful scene!
A cave hotel
Our hotel location, while in the center of touristy Goreme, did provide for a close walk to this point. We enjoyed the hotel breakfast, and the kids did schoolwork while Bob and I did day/trip planning on the rooftop patio.
Bob and I ventured out to find jelly to make pb n js, but the local ‘grocery’ stores resembled low level gas station stops (think bags of chips, soda, and smokes). I did find the same ‘jelly’ that I’d purposely left behind in Istanbul because it was literally whole strawberries in a jar with a little liquid. When Bob unloaded it at the time, he asked me if I had meant to buy that! Nope. Just trying to buy standard jelly! My translation had said 65% organic strawberry preserves - now looking at the jar of whole strawberries, it sure is 65%! Ha. New experience: using a fork and serrated knife to pick strawberries out of the jam to halve and quarter them to make a p b n j!
Well, now walking around Cappadocia trying to find more standard jelly, we are realizing that all of the jelly is 65% fruit. Bob's comment: “we’ve reached a new low of not even being able to make a pb n j!” I would’ve bought it again, but without a kitchen and the necessary tools (plate, fork, serrated knife, counter) 😂 I decided to skip it and ask my family to make do with just peanut butter sandwiches. We’ve come across lots of little challenges on our journey - this one is both entertaining and annoying - maybe leaning towards annoying because of my lack of sleep from the night before.
Bob spoke with the front desk about the ability to move rooms because of the noise, and they showed us an available room that looked better than our current one (larger, better lighting, a few chairs to sit). We packed up our luggage and moved, hoping that it would provide a better overnight rest.
We ventured out to take a short walk on a trail that would take us past some of the old buildings in the rocks. We parked in the lot that was surrounded by a construction zone, and started toward the trailhead. There were plenty of people around, but a woman singled me out to ask if I had a ticket. I pretended not to understand her and kept walking, thinking she'd direct her attention to asking someone else if they had a ticket (we have encountered a number of situations around tourist attractions where the area/circumstance seems very unregulated/lawless. I've also read a lot of reviews detailing the entry price at locations constantly increasing - which aligns with what I've learned about Turkish inflation and tourists choosing to vacation in Greece instead of Turkey.) She did not direct her attention to anyone else, so Bob asked her more pointed questions about why she wasn't asking anyone else if they had a ticket. There was no official 'ticket booth' - it was just her and another person at a makeshift desk. After a little discussion, it seemed like she was legit and a ticket was required to enter the outdoor area. It was going to be about $15/person; it was about 3:30 and we were just hoping to go on a 1 mile stroll, and not pay $60 to do it. So, we turned around and looked for another area to get a little fresh air. I paused for a few minutes to see if she singled anyone else out, and she didn't. It seemed like we were one of very few tourists around. All the 'locals' were just left to pass through the gates with their 'tickets' - who knows how much they paid?
This situation and the feeling I/we get has unfortunately happened to us a few times in Istanbul and Cappadocia. We get singled out as tourists, and told to pay a price that we're unsure if it's real or inflated because we're tourists. We don't speak the language, so that makes it all the more uncomfortable. In this situation, I cannot believe that everyone was paying $15/person that late in the day to walk around. A different, but somewhat similar situation was getting the kids ice cream cones in Istanbul - no price was listed, and we're quite sure he did not charge the local people the same price as he charged us immediately afterwards.
I read a review in TripAdvisor (my go to source) that I thought was very well said. Regarding the increased prices of tourist attractions in Turkey, he said an increase is understandable, but the way they do it leaves a bitter taste in the mouth. We certainly don't mind paying for things, but the lack of transparency and the feeling like you're being taken advantage of at every turn makes us feel like not interacting with anyone.
These situations/interactions/feelings have created a lot of conversations with us - which is a main goal of our journey. What makes us uncomfortable, how is Turkey similar/different from the rest of our visits, what do we like/dislike about touristy areas, what makes these areas in Turkey feel more touristy? We have visited other touristy cities, but what feels different here (and in Venice) is the volume of tourist buses, the rows and rows of tourist trap shops, and the feeling like people are here for a day to check the box to say they've been to a place and/or done the thing. As a contrast, one of our collective favorite spots was Garmisch. That is also a well-known area, but you don't see the volume of tourist buses and trinket shops, and even though we didn't speak German, we never felt like we were being singled out and at risk of being taken advantage of.
We stopped at one more location on our way back to Goreme where we thought we could take a short walk, but that turned out to be undesirable too.
Not much room!
We decided to just head back and go to an early dinner at a nearby restaurant with a rooftop patio. It was a nice scene watching the sunset, and we enjoyed a special drink toasting to pushing through a bit of a challenging day.
We were back to our room by 6 (weird to be done with dinner by then!), enjoyed some downtime and Wonder Years, and thankfully slept better in our new room.
Our hotel - pretty but kinda noisy
Cozy in bed
10/29: A good night of sleep and a hotel breakfast is a nice way to start the day. It's amazing how different my attitude is after a full night of sleep!
We walked up to the rooftop of our hotel to watch the balloons again.
The pool just outside our room - would be lovely in the summer (it’s not heated so it’s frigid now as it gets down to freezing at night)
A lovely place to work on the hotel rooftop
The kids preferred to work in our room
In the afternoon we headed south to the underground city of Kaymakli. As opposed to the seemingly unregulated scene at the trailhead the day before, this site was very official. There was a building with an attendant and ticket prices listed. After we paid and went through the gates, there was a man waiting to be our guide for an extra fee, but we were able to say 'no thanks' and keep moving (it is wearing to always feel like you have a target on your back).
The underground city itself was very cool and interesting. This area was formed/transformed over thousands of years with volcanic activity; the reports are that the area open to the public is only 5% of the entire city. Wow!
Tiny tunnels! We remind the kids how people used to be smaller!
On our way back to Goreme, we thought about stopping at Uchisar Castle, but reviews were mixed. We went to the base of it, and got frustrated by the lack of clarity on where to park, how much that would cost, and where to buy the tickets I'm sure we needed to ascend to the top. We opted to go across the street to explore an interesting area. On the way, we passed a bunch of camels on the side of the road that people were paying to sit on and take pictures. Strange. We parked roadside in front of a sign that showed how much it is to park, and the prices had been taped over and changed about 5 times. We didn't see anyone around to pay, so we headed out on our walk.
Contemplating the rock sculptures and striking a new pose since we have so many standard ones!
Kiddos peeking out of a hole
Pigeon Valley
The sign on the cardboard says WC 5 Lira. This was near the little boys’ home
I had read reviews to be careful with people taking your picture and then asking for money - sure enough 1 minute later this happened. It wasn't a big deal - we just kept moving. We walked around a pretty large area with the 'homes' built into the rock spires, and you could tell there are still a large number that are still inhabited. We walked past a few little boys playing outside their home while their mom sat on the 'patio' smoking. It definitely felt uncomfortable as the kids and I watched the scene and realized all of us tourists are walking around their neighborhood. As we were leaving I saw a sign saying this was Pigeon Valley, which was a spot on our list to see. It was very eye opening and amazing to see how people have built homes into these rocks, and also to wonder at if it's also low income housing? There were large industrial lights that look like the city uses to illuminate the area at night, like it's a monument. But then it looks like poor people are living here with no electricity or running water?
We returned back to our car, and now there was a man with a sort of official vest on asking for our money to park. It still felt a bit strange, but at least there was a sign stating how much it was, and that's what he asked for. It was a very nominal amount, and well worth it to see the sights.
Quinn was not feeling the best, so we went back to our room to chill for a bit before heading out to the same spot as the night before. We enjoyed another dinner at 5 with the sunset on the rooftop patio, while Quinn stayed at home to rest. Another early evening 'home' at 6 - Bob says we're one step away from being seniors eating at 4:30 :-). We played some Hearts and were in bed by 9:45. The plan is set for Bob and the kids to take a hot air balloon ride in the morning!
10/30: The alarm woke us at 5:30 so my family could get to their hot air balloon ride. I decided to stay behind as it has never been on my bucket list and I was a bit scared. I love watching the balloons though! They left at 6am, and I was on the roof of our hotel by 7:10 to try and spot them. I don’t think you can ever get tired of seeing the beautiful clear blue sky and hot air balloons sailing overhead.
Bob was texting me with updates on their location, and eventually I could see them with the binoculars, but they never came close enough for me to actually see them in the basket. It was fun to have them come back safe and sound to hear stories of their amazing experience!
The baskets start out on their sides
It was quite the scene to watch - Bob said it was like a well oiled machine
After the balloons were blown up with air using a giant fan, the propane was turned on. After that the balloons were flipped right side up. Some of the guys doing this almost got knocked over because the strings were pulling the balloons so hard!
Whoa! Simone’s thoughts: the balloon went up very smoothly and gradually. I thought that the balloon was higher than it felt, and no one got queasy (even Dad)! I also loved watching the balloons blow up and take off more than I thought!
Sparkling apple juice to celebrate a great flight! Simone’s description: The landing was incredibly smooth and impressive. The pilot landed on a truck trailer that was only about 2 feet wider than the basket itself! It was also super cool to watch the workers dismantle the balloons. Like Dad said - it’s a well oiled machine!
After some schoolwork we went to Avanos, a town just north of Goreme known for its pottery making. We stumbled on a small, family run business that had room for Quinn and Simone to try their hand throwing some clay. The guys were super friendly and helpful; a bright spot among some of our other tourist experiences here. Simone chose to make a vase, and Quinn chose a bowl. The whole experience was great, but their finished products ended up being quite a bit larger (and heavier!) than we thought. We’ll see if they make it til the end of our journey…
Finished products!
After the pottery making, we walked around Avanos, and then drove to Love Valley, so named for the phallic shaped rocks 😳
Avanos - the pottery town
10 Euro/5 minutes on a roadside camel. Yikes!
Quite a ‘lovely’ scene!
We came back home for a little more work before heading out to a local hole in the wall for dinner that we (mainly Bob) had spotted right next to our hotel. It was calling his name since we arrived. We asked our friend at the front desk about it, and he said he eats there at least twice/week. He said it’s definitely a locals place, and if you arrive too late the Kebap will be gone. We hurried over there by 5:30 (late for dinner ha!) and enjoyed the tastiest chicken kebap wraps. The scene was absolutely local with only 4 little tables, fluorescent lighting, and a television drama playing that the 3 male employees were completely engrossed in 😂
Quinn had two wraps - his tummy has been a bit upset for the last few days, and he’s got his appetite back! A short walk around the town to successfully find a Turkey sticker for Quinn = an all around successful day!
Final Cappadocia thoughts:
Cappadocia has become a Mecca for ballooning, and a place that is looking for all the ways to monetize the visitors. Some tourist site fees seem to be logical, but others seem to be way off ($60 for a 1K walk). We wonder what the entrance fees are being used for - are they being used for site upkeep and/or improving the surroundings?
The natural and human history is remarkable - the underground and above ground dwellings in the earth are amazing to see. You do have to see past the rough areas all over though. It seems like there are endless areas of broken up concrete, dirt, and debris. There are also loads of half built structures - we wonder if there is just less technology and things take longer to build? Is the banking system less evolved so people/entities cannot get a loan for an entire project?
A lot of the scene reminds us of our experience in 3rd world countries (Tanzania, Nepal), yet the pricing for hotels/restaurants/tourist sites seem in line with the 1st world. Our $300/night hotel room had broken furniture and a consistent sewage smell. Dinner at a basic restaurant was $100. You can’t drink the local water and no filters are provided, so the volume of plastic bottles feels terrible - makes our Colorado family uncomfortable.
There is also a lot of gimmicky touristy stuff being peddled - people taking your picture without you asking and then wanting money from you, pushing drinks for you to buy on the local ferry (Istanbul), overpriced ice cream cones. Prices are intentionally hidden which allows them to set the price after the service or product is given. These experiences do not usually happen in developed countries.
I forgot to mention on our way to Avanos we drove past a fire in a field with homes around. No one seemed to be concerned - a few locals were walking down the steeet - while we were concerned about the nearby homes! But when we drove back a few hours later we saw the huge area of burned up grass and the fire was out.
Both Istanbul and Cappadocia seem to have little government oversight/management, such as taking a walk and the city sidewalk material changes 5 times in 20 feet.
We have never seen more flags flying in any other country. We’re sure a lot of them were put up by the city/state, but there are many that are put up by individuals.
The amount of stray cats and dogs is incredible. Quinn is especially affected by the volume of animals (he counted 40 in one afternoon walk). It does amplify the feeling of an undeveloped/more third world country feeling (I did read more than a few reviews of tourists being bitten by stray dogs at tourist sites in Cappadocia - very thankful we did not!)
Even though we really do not like feeling like tourists that could easily be taken advantage of, I’m glad we came to Turkey, as it wasn’t part of our original plan. This scene, culture, language is very different than Europe and I’m glad the kids are being exposed to it. Even with the uncomfortable feelings, we haven’t felt unsafe, and the handful of uncomfortable situations we’ve been in have given us opportunities to learn and in how to manage them.
We’d recommend visiting for a few days, but be ready to pay 1st world prices for a 3rd world experience.
