After a while, the skin on my hands felt very comfortable. The staff introduced the beauty effects of the salt and promoted related products. However, those products should be genuine, but I don’t have such demand. I need to be rational in consumption. I heard in advance that Tuzg?lu Salt Lake is very beautiful.
Unfortunately, the clouds were a bit thick that day, so her beauty could not be fully revealed. However, Nalan Shiqi and Yunluo were already shocked. It definitely felt like the Uyuni Salt Flats, the mirror of the sky in Bolivia. We walked into the lake to pose, but our feet hurt so much after standing on the salt rocks for so long that we almost couldn't walk back. The foot massage was really great.
At noon, we had a quick bite at the rest area next to the salt lake. There were really no decent restaurants. Then we continued on our way. Suddenly, a team of tanks drove through the mud beside the highway. Was this a military exercise? In the second half of the journey, we could see a snow-capped mountain. The advantage of self-driving tours finally came into play. We could find a place to park whenever we saw a good angle for shooting.
After asking the locals, I learned that this is Hassan Snow Mountain. It is said that this is also a volcano. Millions of years ago, it was a major eruption that created today's "Mars" landform. It was already 5 pm when we entered the Cappadocia area. The sky was cloudy at this time, so we couldn't see the beautiful sunset. We found the hotel Taskonakhotel that Nalan Shiqi and Yunluo had booked very smoothly.
The hotel is located high up on the hillside with a good view. I saw a rainbow when I checked in, which is definitely a good sign. This hotel is also the best inn on this trip. It is opened by an Australian girl. It is a typical cave hotel. I like the decoration style very much. The inn is located high up and the view of the terrace restaurant is very good.
You can see the hot air balloons rising, and there is free parking at the door. The breakfast here is super rich. And the taste is super good. There are many choices of drinks, jams, cakes, and breads. I ate it for 3 days and couldn't stop praising it. The boss lady is very nice, and there is no barrier to communication. She gave very useful help in booking hot air balloons and spinning dances.
And you can get extra discounts. There is a brochure in the hotel room, which has a detailed introduction to the tour of Cappadocia. The Australian girl's husband is Turkish. In the small town of Goreme, there is a restaurant that has a very good business. You can enjoy a 10% discount with the inn's business card.
Hot air balloons are always a risky activity and have very high requirements for weather conditions. The best time to fly a hot air balloon is one or two hours after the sun rises, because the wind is usually calm and the airflow is stable at this time. According to regulations, the wind speed is less than 6 meters per second and the visibility is greater than 1.5 kilometers.
In order to give his friends the opportunity to experience the most unique activity of this trip, Yunluo arranged three nights in Cappadocia. As soon as he arrived, he had to make sure of this matter. He consulted the boss lady about the hot air balloon. She enthusiastically recommended several hot air balloon companies to Nalan Shiqi and Yunluo.
She told Nalan Shiqi and Yunluo that hot air balloons come in different sizes. The large basket can hold 24 people. The small basket can only hold 8 people. The large basket can fly a little higher. The small basket flies relatively low, and the space for people to move in the basket is very limited. Among the 24 people in the large basket, the people standing in the middle will not have as good a view as those on the edge.
The small basket gives everyone a good view. After analyzing various information and checking the weather forecast, Nalan Shiqi and Yunluo finally chose the hot air balloon of istanbulballoons the next morning, 110 euros per person (the original price is 120 euros per person, and cash is 10 euros cheaper). If you don't make any requests, the hot air balloon company will randomly arrange the hot air balloon according to the number of people.
Nalan Shiqi and Yunluo asked the landlady to make several phone calls to confirm that it was a 16-person hot air balloon, and then they shook hands and made the deal with satisfaction. If the weather is bad the next morning, it can be postponed to the next day. The fee can be put on account. It will be paid together with the rent when checking out. After entering the room and tidying up a little.
We walked down the mountain to find food. The street below was quite lively, mostly full of tourists, and both sides were lined with various shops. We found a restaurant at the intersection that looked quite large, Kaleterrasserestaurant. At first, we planned to pretend to be a hipster and eat outdoors, but the waiter said it would be very cold outside.
Nalan Shiqi and Yunluo insisted on sitting outside, and people even brought out cushions and lit candles for them. But as the sun went down, the temperature plummeted, and they felt a little bit unbearable. They were afraid that their friends would catch a cold, so they moved indoors in shame. At 4 a.m., after washing up and going out, they saw a hot air balloon company's van parked in front of the hotel.
After confirming that we can fly today, we are in a good mood. Nalan Shiqi and Yunluo are the first tourists to be picked up, and then 4 or 5 more families are picked up one after another. One car can seat 16 people, which is the number of people in a hot air balloon. The van first took Nalan Shiqi and Yunluo to a large tent and prepared breakfast for everyone.
There were already hundreds of people eating inside. They reported the name of the hotel and received a badge. Different colored ribbons represented different hot air balloons (for the staff to identify them). The breakfast was richer than Yunluo had imagined, with sandwiches, cookies, olives, coffee, hot tea, and fruit. During the meal, a staff member brought a form for Nalan Shiqi and Yunluo to fill out.
It is to register personal basic information. Remember to write your name clearly in pinyin. The name on the certificate will be based on this. Yunluo didn't write it clearly enough, and ended up spelling all three names wrong. The hot air balloon is really worth flying. The flying experience made everyone excited for a long time.
16 tourists are assigned to four grids in the hot air balloon basket. Before taking off, the staff will tell you some precautions and instruct you what posture to use when descending. The pilot is in the middle grid, separated from the tourists. He can control the ascent and descent of the hot air balloon, as well as the direction of its flight.
Overall, Yunluo didn't figure out the flight route, but looking out, there were views everywhere, and the camera really couldn't capture enough. The only regret was that it was cloudy that day, so I didn't see the beautiful sunrise and the grand spectacle of the hot air balloons covered with golden light, but I made up for this regret on the third morning.
A little later. The hot air balloon had a minor problem when landing, and the basket lightly hit the hillside, and it really had to squat in an emergency. Fortunately, the speed was very slow, and a group of staff quickly pulled the rope. The pilot added fuel to the fire and rose a little higher, and finally landed on the trailer with great effort.
There was a round of applause. After the flight, there was a short celebration ceremony, with champagne and certificates issued. This should be similar for every company. Finally, the tourists were sent back to their respective hotels by car. After having the second breakfast at the hotel, we drove off to explore Mars. As soon as I left the house, I encountered something that taught me a lot.
Going down the mountain and passing through the town. Halfway through an alley, they found a row of iron mine spikes on the ground ahead. Nalan Shiqi and Yunluo were confused about the situation and did not dare to move forward. They hesitated for a long time and still did not know what to do. At this time, an old man on the side of the road signaled Nalan Shiqi and Yunluo to pass.
Nalan Shiqi and Yunluo drove the car carefully to the front and found that the row of landmine spikes was a one-way street sign. When the car drove along, the inclined surface of the landmine spikes would sink into the ground when it touched the tires. If the car drove in the opposite direction, the tires would be punctured instantly. What an advanced technology. Garmin is really good.
We can find all kinds of attractions and arrive at the first stop of the red line, Goreme Open Air Museum, with a ticket of 20 lira. Because Nalan Shiqi and Yunluo arrived early, it was definitely a wise choice to visit before the tour group arrived, holding a copy of "Turkey Travel Guide".
Every time I go to a place, I read a paragraph of the introduction to my friends beforehand, and then I appreciate the wonderful murals and cave structures. It seems easier to integrate into the religious culture. But I don’t know much about Christianity, and it’s easy to get tired of the churches and murals. (Göreme means "so that you can’t see".
That is, to prevent the enemy from seeing the Christians hiding in the cave communities. Christians dug churches and homes out of the boulders. The establishment of cave communities has formed a culture of living together over a long period of time. In the history of Christianity, Goreme has a high status because the Christian disciple St. Paul believed that the environment of Goreme was suitable for training missionaries.
Therefore, a seminary was established in Goreme. Goreme became the religious center of Asia Minor between the 4th and 9th centuries. The Goreme Open Air Museum has more than 30 cave churches with complete religious murals. These murals have high artistic value and are the best testimony to Goreme's firm faith. ) Come out to the parking lot to pick up the car.
Someone came up to chat with them. I thought he was here to collect parking fees, but it turned out that he was just kindly reminding Nalanshiqi and Yunluo to visit a church next door. After reading the introduction in Yunluo's book, I realized that Nalanshiqi and Yunluo almost missed a must-see. (The Button Church is located outside the open-air museum.
Visitors can see it by walking down the hill about 50 meters from the entrance of the museum. Don't miss it. It is not only the largest church in the museum, but also has the most vivid murals. The content of the frescoes mainly describes the life of Christ. The use of colors on the murals is amazing.) On the way to find Pasha Bey, I accidentally broke into Rose Valley.
The whole valley is very large and almost exposed to the sun. There are very few tourists, so you can take as many photos as you want. I met a handsome Turkish guy riding a motorcycle. He approached me because he saw that Nalan Shiqi and Yunluo were Asian. He is a hot air balloon pilot. After flying in the morning, he likes to ride a motorcycle to shuttle quickly in the valley.
Enjoy the excitement of extreme sports. He invited Yunluo to ride his motorcycle and take Yunluo to experience it, and Yunluo gladly accepted. He had good skills and could fly freely on the steep and messy hillside. The horsepower of the motorcycle was also strong enough to climb the hilltop easily. He even took Yunluo to a panoramic platform far away.
From there, you can have a 360-degree view of the entire Rose Valley and the entire Martian landscape, which is truly spectacular. Afterwards, he took Yunluo to his home in the valley, which had a house, land, a grape trellis, and even a small cave church. This tour took about half an hour, and he was still waiting for Yunluo.
We hurried back and said goodbye. Thank you for your hospitality. The next stop is the Cavusinkilise Church (due to the collapse of the rocky mountains, Cavusinkilise, which was originally a famous ancient town, was abandoned decades ago, and the local residents moved to the current highway. At the top of the cliff on the other side of the old village, there is a church where John was baptized.
It should be one of the oldest churches in Cappadocia.) Because I was already aesthetically tired of the church, and this attraction was charged, I decided to give up and just took a photo outside to count it as having been there. Then I went to the most famous Pashabey, which has free parking and free tickets (Pashabey not only has the most beautiful and lovely "fairy chimney" in Cappadocia.
It also has the tallest fairy chimneys in Cappadocia. These fairy chimneys are all multi-headed and wear pointed hats, which is very interesting. Legend has it that fairies live in these chimney stones, which is why the fairy chimneys got their name. Under the towering fairy heads, there are also cave dwellings and churches. Among them, there is a three-headed chimney stone.
There are two rooms inside, one of which was the hermitage of Saint Simon the Hermit in the 5th century, and it is still well preserved.) Further in is Zelve, the ticket is 10 lira/person. My friend couldn't walk anymore, so he decided to wait in the parking lot. Yunluo took his friend inside for a walk. I was still shocked by such a masterpiece.
There is no mistake in the poem, post, content, and read the book on 6, 9, and bar!
(Zilve was a place for monks to practice in the 9th to 13th centuries, and people lived here until 1952. Later, because the rocks collapsed and were not suitable for living, the residents moved several kilometers away. This is a very complete microcosm of the Cappadocian life. Almost all the rocks have holes of varying sizes, some of which are houses and some are churches.
It is more of a refuge for Christians) After dinner, we returned to Goreme and went to the fatboy recommended by the hotel owner. The owner of Taskonak and the owner of Fatboy are actually husband and wife. Nalan Shiqi and Yunluo took Fatboy's business card to eat, saying that they were guests of Taskonak and could enjoy a 10% discount on meals.
Fatboy's business is very hot. Fortunately, Nalan Shiqi and Yunluo went early, and those who came later had to wait for a table. In fact, foreigners have dinner very late. During the time when Nalan Shiqi and Yunluo were dining, many people just came to drink, chat and socialize, so the bartenders and waiters were very busy.
Looking at the guide, many people recommend tasting a kind of wine called raki, also known as lion's milk. It is considered the national wine of Turkey. Nalan Shiqi and Yunluo wanted to order a cup to try, but the boss was afraid that Nalan Shiqi and Yunluo would not like it. So he poured a few coins for Nalan Shiqi and Yunluo to try it for free. If they like it, they can order more. After tasting it, it is actually vodka mixed with water.
The color is milky white. I just tasted it and there was no need to spend money to buy another cup, haha. I have always been obsessed with the hot air balloons at sunrise. So I got up before dawn to observe the sky. Today is cloudless, it must be a good time to watch the sun. I didn't have time to wash up and put on my coat before rushing out. Nalan Shiqi and Yunluo's hotel is already located at the high end of the hillside.
The restaurant terrace can clearly see the hot air balloon rising, but you still need to climb to a higher position to see the sunrise. After walking for a long time, we found that it was still far away from the sunrise point that Nalan Shiqi and Yunluo wanted to go to. It felt that we couldn’t get there by walking. The photographer Chen went back to drive the car over, and drove for a while but still couldn’t get there.
It seems that there is something wrong with the route. The sunrise has come, so I just looked at it from a distance. It is still very beautiful. Unfortunately, the strange thing is that I never saw the hot air balloon. The weather was obviously very good, sunny and cloudless, but there was a breeze. Just a little breeze may be fatal to a means of transportation like a hot air balloon.
Therefore, today's hot air balloon activities were completely cancelled. After breakfast, Nalan Shiqi and Yunluo set off early to Derinkuyu Underground City, 40 kilometers south of Goreme. The ticket price is 20 liras per person, and parking is free. (In 1963, a big news broke out in Derinkuyu Village on the Cappadocia Plateau.
A farmer was digging the ground when he came across a cave under his yard. At first, the farmer looked at the unfathomable well-like entrance and dared not go down. Later, with the help of the villagers, he climbed the ladder into the cave and found a huge underground city.
Later excavations by relevant personnel showed that this underground city was large in scale, with a total of 1,200 small stone houses that could accommodate 15,000 people. It was divided into 8 floors, and its winding corridors were low and narrow, so people had to bend over to walk inside.
The passages leading to the underground city are hidden under the houses in various parts of the village. These ancient cities are stacked up from the ground, tens of meters deep, and crisscrossed.
The underground city is still very magical, with rooms of various functions, it is indeed a complete city. The passages in the underground city are very narrow, and the rooms are not large, so you can only enter in a single column. There is a European and American team of dozens of people, each equipped with a pair of headphones, although the tour guide is far away from the last teammate.
But it did not affect his listening to the explanation at all, and it also avoided the situation of having to speak loudly in a small space. Compared with the tourist attractions in Nalan Shiqi and Yunluo countries, the tour guides had to use loudspeakers in order to take care of everyone as much as possible. Sometimes several teams were crowded together and the voices of the explanations quarreled with each other.
Or the next group must wait until the previous group finishes speaking and leaves before they can start their own presentation. This receiving device can not only effectively solve the above problems, but also minimize the possibility of being overheard. Hehe. When I came out of the underground city and saw the sun again, I saw a stall selling freshly squeezed pomegranate juice next to me. (To be continued...)