Yesterday we woke up very early to go on a hot air ballon ride over Cappadocia. Unfortunately, it was too windy and not safe to go, so we tried again this morning. Luckily, conditions were favorable and we were able to go today.
We departed Gerome and went to the underground city of Derinkuyu. It was used as the hiding place for the first Christians in the area when they were escaping the persecution of the Roman Empire. This underground city covered 8 levels and was large enough to shelter thousands of people.
Went hiking in the Ihlara Valley which was created long ago when the Melendiz River eroded the region's porus volcanic rock. Then we had a riverside lunch.
On the way to Konya, we stopped at the Sultan Han (Sultanhanı) Caravanserai. It served as a fortified roadside inn and "truck stop" for merchants, camels, and goods traveling along the historic Silk Road.
This afternoon we drove to Konya, where the thirteenth century poet, Mevlana Rumi founded the mystic Islamic sect known as the whirling dervishes.
For dinner, we had etli ekmek, which is often called "Turkish pizza." It's served hot, cut into pieces, and traditionally eaten by hand, often with a side of yogurt drink (ayran).
