Quarantine Cappadocia through the eyes of Ukrainian tourists. Part 3
The technical part with maps, links and summary of all series is located here .
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Rested, moving towards the central part of Uchisar. Observation decks are located here literally every hundred meters, but some of them are closed and abandoned (where did the mower go? ):
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Greyhound))
Glamorous vehicle:
I go to the cafe, order food, poke my finger at the menu (remember that all dining rooms in the softened lockdown work only takeaway) and while I wait, the owner offers me a cup of hot tea. God, it was the first time I had a day to finally get drunk. Neither liters of water nor liters of juice could quench my thirst - I wanted to drink even more. One cup of hot tea and thirst receded. So maybe you should not travel with water, but with a thermos? ! !
I continue on my way. Uchisar Fortress is a natural geological formation. It was probably turned into a fortification and residential building during the Hittite kingdom. In the 15th and 16th centuries, the Byzantines used it as a fortress and observation post, creating an "early warning" system - they exchanged signals with the fortresses in Ortahisar and Urgup through mirrors and lights.
Inside the fortress is a network of countless rooms and tunnels. One of the many secret tunnels led to the river - a source of drinking water. Today, the entrance to most of them is closed due to the danger of collapse.
The lower floor is open for study to anyone:
But be careful, the tunnels go not only sideways and up, but also down - look under your feet!
Theoretically, you can also go up. But I'm not going there now for money, because there is no shadow there, the sun is burning in the very top - noooo!
There are two ways to go back.
Either along the route Uchisar - Goreme (straight road), or through another valley (but here you will need to make a hook). Well, I'll get to the crossroads, and there I will decide.
I confuse the narrow streets of the old city. Maps. me ruined me again, so I follow the internal navigator and the logical assumption that I need to go down.
I go out to Tiraz Castle. Judging by the map, I did not go there, but "oh, let it be"))
Admission is free. It is full of inner caves, passages, descents, ascents and landscapes that open from literally every window.
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Well, don't forget to look under your feet - moves can go down sharply, without any additional warnings.
As I crawled through low and narrow passages from room to room, I thought of those who once lived here. And I will tell you that such visual jumps between epochs are very helpful in assessing the civilizational heritage of mankind.
Then I do not rely on the internal navigator, feeding the direction of movement of the locals: "Goreme? Goreme? "
In general, I have a difficult relationship with the horizon line, for some reason it is always a bit cluttered in my photo. But here I surpassed myself, aligning the horizon with the inscription and not paying attention to what is above))
The photo could simply be sent to the dump, but these are the crossroads where you have to decide exactly how to get back to Goreme. Either along the main road, or cross the road towards the Ö zler Art Center building and go through the valley.
Baglidere Vadisi or White Valley includes Honey Valley, White Valley and the famous Valley of Love-1 (Valley of Love-2 we have already passed in the vicinity of Goreme). The total length of the whole valley is about 4.9 km.
Shadow at the beginning of the valley is not provided:
Locals are busy with spring field work:
Don't miss another crossroads, there will be arrows and pointers to Love Valley (the most popular part of the White Valley).
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My advice to you, admire the valley at this stage, because then you will definitely not.
By the way, the Honey part of the White Valley got its name because of the characteristic color of the rocks.
A sharp descent into the valley begins. I feel very sorry for those who will cross the valley in the opposite direction and have a rise here (how do they scratch here ?! ).
At this stage, it was still possible to stop and look at the landscapes, following the previously tested method (on your own butt and cushioning with your feet):
And then my personal nightmare begins, because the path is sloping. It is better not to look down. Tuff slides.
Feet float on the tuff, and on that damn slope. Even if you're not a panicker like me, be careful!
Somewhere at this point you can already exhale:
And even look at the local flora:
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Oh, in these thickets they also skate!
Judging by the color of the rocks, we are in the White part of the White Valley (sorry for the tautology)
The path is confusing, then narrowing, then widening again:
The rocks take on bizarre shapes, as if inviting the imagination to the game "What does it look like? ".
The third part of the White Valley begins, it is the business card of Cappadocia, it is the Valley of Love-1 or Love Valley.
Note that the observation deck is clearly visible at the top left of the photo. To get there, you need to turn left at the exit of the valley, walk along the route and again take the left to go to the top of the Valley of Love-1 to the site. Although, of course, it is better to get there by car.
Valley of Love-1 from different angles:
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Flowering oil.
Its delicate, unobtrusive scent fills everything around me and is my enduring association with May Cappadocia.
Let's move on:
At the exit of the valley, if you return to Gorem - to the right, if you go to the observation deck - take the left.
The road to Goreme is excellent equipment, even with an additional bonus in the form of shadows from the wall))
At the hotel I am finally being moved to the long-awaited "cave", hurray!
In the dining room Nyavkalka from under the table makes sure that no two-legged creature with food does not pass it))
I watch the evening coolness slowly envelop the city. The heat recedes.
Just like garlic, the muezzin sings, calling for prayer.
I'm talking to my brothers about misfortune non-flying balloons. They are returning home from Kazakhstan tomorrow. They will have no other attempt to fly. Due to the forecast rains the next day, all flights were canceled. My theoretical chances are still lost.
Well, a similar word "plan" should be deleted from the personal dictionary, because here is such a strange place where all the plans exist only to have something to fly around)) Do not think about tomorrow. Enjoy the present. Cappadocia knows how to remind the important.
Continued here .