Turkey update - Mustafapasa and Soganli Valley

It's seems like we've been traveling forever, internet connections are poor so I've delayed in posting anything until now. Even though we are in a 2 bedroom flat in London I'll recap our trip in Turkey.

Cappadocia is like a lunar landscape, no one can explain why only here did a volcanic explosion create such a unique landscape. Old Greek villages to underground cities. We were all in awe at how many civilizations lived in this harsh environment.

We based ourselves in Goreme, staying at the Kelebek Hotel & Cave Pension. We were served breakfast on a terrace overlooking the fantastic view every morning.












Our days here were full, we visited Rose, Pigeon, Sun and Red Valleys on ATV,s. The village of Mustafapasa was a highlight. Called Sinasos until WWI it was a predominately Greek village. There is many beautifully decorated Greek stoned carved houses, some being restored, some crumbling. The Christian legacy is everywhere, we even stumbled across a wonderful old church currently being restored on the outskirts of the village. The local workers allowed to enter the building site and have a look.










-Greek house in the village of Mustafapasa, formerly known as Sinasos.










The main square is home to Ayios Kostantinos-Eleni, erected in 1729.




From Mustafapasa we took the 40 minute drive to the Soganli Valley. We felt like adventurers here, very few tourists and all the sights are in their original form. No safety guards or climbing ropes here. The valley was first used by the Romans as necropolises and later the Byzantines built cave like churches. The churches are filled with hand painted frescoes, many with their faces or eyes scratched out. When the Christians fled, the churches were vandalized and the eyes scratched out of the faces due to the fear of "the evil eye".




climbing the very steep rock surfaces to acces the rock cut churches in the valley. Not for the faint hearted.






















The kids really enjoyed the adventure of scampering through private tunnels, discovering underground dining rooms, kitchens ( we presumed they were as the roofs were blackened), everything here is still in it's raw state. I'm sure if we come back here in 5 years time there will be bus loads of tourists.







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