During my three months working in Turkey I drove down to Cappadocia for a weekend. It is a fascinating place, amazing geological formations. Underground cities where Christians hid from the Ottoman invaders. Nicholas of Myrna who became St Nicholas (yes Father Christmas/ Santa) came from Turkey. People used many caves as dwellings. Others were hollowed out and expanded with structures built on the front of them, this included monasteries as well as homes. There are a lot of rock formations called fairy chimneys.
Some of the buildings here are built onto the caves. The black dots on the skyline are birds.
I stayed at a cave hotel, my room a cave set into the cliff, the rock shaped into a square room, ceiling roses and sconces carved into the soft stone. The front was built of stone walls. Furnishings included wonderful carpets and wallhangings and it was a warm comfortable place to stay.
Taken during an early morning hot air balloon ride with my Canon EOS 30E 35mm SLR
Great contrast between the weight of many years of human habitation and the escape from gravity afforded by the view from the hot air balloon. At least that's my in depth analysis, a more gut level reaction is "Very cool shot!". Cheers!
That morning light is BEAUTIFUL on those fascinating buildings! I can feel the mystery and enchantment of such an ancient place just by looking at this photo.
Ohmygosh what an amazing place. Staying in a cave in a hotel sets all my interest jangling... I think I read too many 'famous five' books as a child! Wonderful shot. (When are your photos anything but...?!) :)
@bobfoto I think a hot air balloon business at Coober Pedy would be great, I'd go. They have them at Alice and Flinders Ranges now (in the winter months - I missed it by about a month at Wilpena Pound)
Amazing, ancient scene. I bet the balloon flight over the area was phenomenal. I like the new-looking building in the middle of all the historical ones.