Cappadocia: A Journey Through the Land of Fairy Chimneys and Mystical Caves

Cappadocia is a region in Central Turkey known for its geographical landscape caused by millions of year of volcanic eruptions. These surreal rock formations are known as fairy chimneys and mushrooms, but honestly, they also look like something folks are too polite to name. The cities in this region were built from cave dwellings. In fact, the area is known for its mystical caves used as dwellings, its landscape, cuisine, textiles and ceramic plates but especially the hot-air balloon rides. I stayed in a cave in the city of Goreme, the tourist center of the province of Nevsehir. This once rural and impoverished region is very much now a tourist city. Here’s what I learned and enjoyed about this unique region of Turkey ending my three weeks in this country….

First a Bit of History

Cappadocia can be traced to ancient times as far back as the 3rd century BCE. But before that, millions of years ago, volcanic eruptions from nearby volcanoes produced layers of ash, lava, and volcanic rocks. Over time, these volcanic eruptions formed a soft, porous geological formation known as fairy chimneys. This soft rock also made it easy for early inhabitants to carve out homes, churches, and entire underground cities. Interestingly, religion played a significant role in the formation of these…