Understanding Ramadan in Cappadocia, Turkey

Mosque in Selcuk

Turkey is considered the "birth of civilization" as we know it today.  In Cappadocia, where I am right now, representation of both Christian faith and Islam faith goes back many centuries.  Pilgrimages are made by many religious groups each year to get closer to the roots of their faith.

Ramadan (also known as Ramazan), is celebrated by Muslims worldwide each year. The date the celebration begins is determined by the Islamic calendar and this year (2016) it begins after sunset on June 6th.

During the period of Ramadan, many Muslims observe full fasting from the time the sun rises until it sets.  They don't even drink water during this time period each day. Many also attend prayer 5 times a day, even though they might not follow the custom the rest of the year.

To give some perspective, many Christian groups celebrate religious holidays by fasting for periods of time, for instance during lent.  Of course the biggest celebration for Christians is Christmas, which has to do with the birth of Jesus Christ and Easter, the death of Christ.

The bible is connected with the Christian faith.  Some Christians follow the old testament, some the new.  Celebrations often go on for the whole month of December leading up to Christmas.  There are pagents and musical presentations and Salvation Army kettles collecting for the poor.

But for many countries that are predominately Christian, the major holidays have become more retail driven. It is still considered a time of giving and charity worldwide though, even for those without strong beliefs.

Ramadan celebrates the time of the first revelation of the Quran when it was given to Mohammed.  It takes place in the 9th month of the Islamic calendar.  Like Christians, many Muslims are strong believers of the Islamic faith while some have moved away from their faith.

Younger people tend to question both the Christian beliefs and Muslim beliefs nowadays.  Visiting a place like Turkey definitely gives people, young and old, a chance to reflect upon "what was and now is."

I was told the night before Ramadan starts families and friends get together and have celebrations and feasts.  It brought to mind Christmas Eve celebrations in the Christian communities.

The most important thing during the month of Ramadan is giving and charitable work, making sure all people are fed, clothed, and have shelter.  Isn't this the same in the Christian community, especially during the month of December?

It would be nice if the whole world could be generous year around and accept our similarities rather than our differences and celebrate both in peace and just give back to those who need it.

Ramadan, as is Christmas, a good time to reflect.

Kaymakli Underground City and Other Turkish History

There is so much ancient history in Turkey, some of it dating back to the time of the Hitites, 10,000 to 12,000 years ago.  One of the places I was going today was the Kaymakli Underground City but we also went for a drive through the countryside.

Selcuklu Camii

The first part of our journey took us into a little village that hosts one of the oldest mosque buildings in the Cappadocia district.
The doors of the mosque weren't open so we didn't go inside but while I was wandering around the building I spotted an open air stone building with 3 women inside.

As I got closer I realized they were baking bread.  I asked our guide Numan to ask the women if it would be okay to take pictures of them and he confirmed it would be.  Then they handed him a circle of bread right out of the oven!  We
shared the fresh bread as we drove along and it was so delicious.
We meandered through the countryside rather than on the highway, enjoying the farmland views.  People were planting or picking in the fields and cows, horses, and sheep were grazing on the hillside.  Every once in awhile we would pass a village or a small town.  Some were obviously very old townsites, some quite modern.

Kaymakli Underground City

Our next stop was the underground city of Kaymakli.  Kaymakli is built under the Citadel of Kaymakli and dates back to as early as the Hittite times.  This particular underground city is the widest underground city that is open to the public.  The deepest is Derinkuyu Underground City but is not the best choice for older travelers..... like me :))  I had to do a fair amount of crouching to manouver through the tunnels.

Our Guide - Levent

Our guide at the underground city, Levent, had just finished his time in the Turkish army and we were his first customers.  He was very excited about his new position.

Standing by a wheel that was rolled
In front of the passageway for protection

Levent gave us a great tour and guided us through the underground city safely.  Archeologists have reported that supposedly at one time this underground city housed up to 3,500 people from all walks of life.
The higher levels (closer to the surface) housed the richer occupants.  By the time we were down to the 5 level it was difficult to stand up completely in spots because of the low ceiling.
Living in the underground caves made it much safer during war times too.  Levent was very knowledgeable and explained everything about the 5 levels we visited. For me the wine cellars and the shared kitchens was very interesting information.
There are 3 more levels that have been discovered but they are currently closed for safety reasons.
Another neat thing about our tour guide was he and his friends played in the underground city when he was growing up.  What a great playground!  It was also good to know that we were supporting one of the local people.

Ayvali Area

Next we headed back along another country road to Ayvali.  For anyone wanting to escape from it all this is a wonderful place.  Don't expect to run down to the corner store easily! There was definitely a rooster to wake you up in the morning though!

We continued our drive and the next thing we knew we were heading "off-road!" A neat thing about the car we were in was it was atomatic or standard - whatever was needed. Numan stopped at a site that would be perfect for a roadside picnic.
It was peaceful and tranquil and magical.  Down in the valley we could see footpaths meandering through the rocks and greenery.

Off the Beaten Path

The sun was getting lower in the sky.  It is difficult to explain the sunsets here.  You have to experience them yourself.

Four hours after we started the tour we were back at the hotel and I was ready to put my feet up.  It was a wonderful day!

Numan our Guide

If you are planning to see the sites around Goreme and Cappadocia and need a guide, contact Numan at www.turtletour.com
for excellent service.

Cave Homes and Wishing Trees, Goreme, Turkey

Local people occupied cave homes surrounding Goreme, Turkey up until 10 years ago.  Then the government stepped in and people who had the caves as their home, in some cases all their lives, had to leave.  Imagine living in such a place and having to haul your water in, living without indoor plumbing, but at least it was all yours?  And then being told to leave.  It must have been devastating for some of the elderly people.

I had a wonderful opportunity to travel around Goreme yesterday with my friend Judy and see some of the amazing structures created by the winds and rains over the centuries.

There are many shapes and sizes and colours and hues on the hillsides as well as in the center of town.  I did a double take in one section with the number of phallic symbols represented, all created by mother nature.  You'll have to visit the place yourself if you wish to photograph them but I'm sure they are the start of many interesting conversations!

Something interesting near Goreme is pigeon valley.  The area housed thousands of pigeons at one time and farmers would gather the pigeon droppings and mix it with the tufa soil to make extremely rich fertile soil for growing vegetables.They pigeons slowly disappeared but recently new pigeons have been introduced to the area so growers can once again harvest the droppings from the pigeon

The area offers a number of hiking trails or there are places to ride ATVs or horses.  So far I've preferred to go by foot or car but you never know.  A horse might be fun too.

We stopped at one of the sites and took an opportunity for a photo with one of the local wishing trees.  As the story goes, the nomad women would make a wish by tying a piece of rag on a tree that supposedly held the soul of a dede (respected, wise old grandfather).  The wishing tree was a spiritual symbol.

Now people can make a wish by tying an evil eye to the tree.

I finished my tour of the caves and fairy chimneys by taking a picture of the ridge people walk along to watch the sun setting over the valley.

Ancient Fairy Chimneys in Cappadocia, Turkey

What are Fairy Chimneys?  I certainly had no idea when I began my journey to Turkey.

Volcanic eruptions have occurred in the centre of Turkey for millions of years.  The lava resulting from the volcanoes formed multiple layers of tufa (a variety of limestone) with the ongoing volcanic action. Over the centuries wind and water erosion have created shapes of limetone, sometimes with caps on top.

There are many places throughout the world that have limestone formations. For example, Yosemite National Park, Bryce Canyon, and Zion Canyon are examples of nature's beautiful creations from tufa.

But no where in the world is there a display like Cappadocia! Because of the wind and water erosion in this particular area, the natural formations looked like a fairyland of buildings!  And many of the buildings are actually still being used and have been for generations!

Settlers during the bronze age found the formations could be carved out and used as homes, often consisting of many rooms.  Clay plaster was used to finish walls and floors in the houses. Later on as Christians fled persecution in other areas and settled in Cappadocia, some of the structures became large churches.

In the last century whole subterreanean settlements have been discovered in the area, some of which go down at least 7 stories.

UNESCO has added Goreme National Park and the Rock sites of Cappadocia to their World Heritage Sites list and it's obvious why.

In some areas, like the Imagination Valley, the wind and rain have created structures that look like animals and fantasy characters. Remember the cartoon, the Flintstones?  I'm sure whoever came up with the series visited Cappadocia!

There is something for everyone.  The first night I was here I stayed at the Maraa Cave Hotel, a beautiful hideaway in the historic village of Ortahisar, about 4 km. from Goreme town centre.

 It was once a traditional village home but has been turned into a lovely boutique hotel with all the modern conveniences.  My night out there was fabulous but I found that the energy field was extremely strong for me and so all my senses were over-stimulated.

For a person who has already experienced the hustle and bustle of Goreme Centro it is a wonderful change!  A person can surround themselves with the centuries old troglodyte architecture.  The top terrace offers an amazing view of stone cut village houses with the rock citadel of Ortahisar overlooking the village.

The host, Ruth, is an amazing, knowledgeable expat from New Zealand who has been here for many years and is fluent in Turkish.

She also teaches about Turkish carpets and the construction of them and has a beautiful collection for sale in the town of Goreme, Cappadocia.

The breakfast the hotel puts on has every delicious morning taste of Turkey imaginable, from fresh butter and cheeses to olives and figs.  I didn't leave hungry!
www.maraacavehotel.com

The next few nights I will actually spend sleeping in a Fairy Chimney!  www.cavehotelsaksagan.net

The Saksagan Cave Hotel is right in Goreme Centro, Cappadocia, which will give me the opportunity to explore a little more locally.

Numan, the manager, is fluent in English, which is great considering all the questions I have!  He is also a wonderful guide for site-seeing.  On our tour yesterday he took us out to Avanos where we had a traditional Turkish meal.

Avanos is famous for their red clay pottery.  They also have a good Friday market, which I hope to see while I am here. People are asked not to share the location of the restaurant with the online critiques so the local guides can truly give a Turkish experience without the crowds.

Tomorrow?  More adventures in Cappadocia!  Check out Newman's website for all the available tours at www.turtletour.com or email him at info@cavehotelsaksagan.netfor more information.