Dragon Spines and Fairy Chimneys: Cappadocia Balloon Flight
We don’t have a bucket list. If we did have a bucket list, a Cappadocia balloon flight would certainly be on it. The first time we experienced the magic of hot air balloons was over the Serengeti, and we’ve been in love with balloons ever since. We imagined floating through Fairy Chimneys and feeling the peacefulness. On top of that, we wanted to see the Göreme Open Air Museum and the Dark Church, and stay in a cave hotel.
Nail-Biting Nights: Will the Winds Let Us Fly?
Whoosh. Bssss. The flames pushed and filled the balloon. Whoosh. The sun was beginning to rise. We were getting anxious. Were we ever going to get up there before the sunrise? After all, we did wake up at 4 AM to see the sunrise from a Cappadocia balloon. All around us were balloons in various states of partial inflation, with many already in the air.
We were lucky to even be there at that point. The day before, all the flights had been canceled because it was too windy. That’s a frequent occurrence in Cappadocia. We only had the one day there, so this had to happen. It was one of the key highlights of making this trip. The night before was a nail-biting moment. Would the balloons be flying the next morning?
Luckily, we received word that the balloons would be flying. We set our alarm for 4 AM, hoping to see the sunrise over Cappadocia.
Off to The Cappadocia Balloon
Once our van arrived, we piled in and off we went to the balloon take-off area. The driver pointed out our balloon. Oh no. It wasn’t inflated yet. We are getting closer and closer to sunrise. Many balloons were already taking flight. We saw the break of dawn.
Would we be in the air to see the sunrise?
Nope. We weren’t.
But we did see the magic of balloons rising as the sun rose above the horizon. It was a spectacular sight.
Eventually, our balloon was inflated, and it was now time for us to climb into the basket. After some instructions from the captain, our balloon was released, and off we went!
Silence and Fire: Drifting Over the Fairy Chimneys
Imagine absolute silence, and the balloon slowly drifting, pushed by the wind as we floated above the fairy chimneys. They looked like the spine of a dragon. We looked down. We looked to the left. The right. Behind. Below. One amazing site after another.
The Cappadocia balloon ride was everything and more than we expected.
Views from the Cappadocia Balloon.
After about an hour, we arrived at the balloon landing site. We saw a flatbed truck. Were we really going to land on that small space? We absolutely did! Now all that was left was climbing over the basket to get to the platform and then on to the ground. The people in the back had to climb over the smaller compartments on the way to the front. We did this very gracefully … No
The Dark Church and 11th-Century Secrets at the Goreme Open Air Museum
Cappadocia is made up of a triangle of cities: Göreme, Üçhisar (Mount Erciyes), and Ürgüp. Many people go to Cappadocia and focus only on the balloons. However, the Göreme Open Air Museum is a must-see UNESCO World Heritage site. The museum comprises a series of caves carved out of volcanic rock. As we walked through the city, we felt the history, imagined the monks and residents walking the same paths up to the cave churches, dwellings, dining halls, and shops. Every doorway was a past carved into the stones. Many of the churches still had frescoes, especially the Dark Church.
The Dark Church gets very little natural light, thus preserving the vivid colors and intricate details of key biblical scenes painted as frescoes on the ceilings. The area is part of the very fertile Sinassos region, which accounts for much farming. There were lots of pumpkin farms when we drove around the city.
Rag Dolls and Cave Dwellings: Stories from the Soganli Valley
Rag Dolls and Cave Dwellings: Stories from the Soganli Valley
After Goreme and the Dark Church, we drove to the Soganli Valley, where there were more churches, monasteries, and dwellings carved into the mountains. It is famous for the rag dolls made by the women of Soganli.
It is believed that the rag dolls of Soganli were started by a grandmother who made dolls out of scraps for her grandchild. Over time, the village became famous for the dolls, and many women began making them to sell to tourists.
Unfortunately, the village no longer receives many visitors. We had an opportunity to meet the women and spend some time making dolls with them. The Soganli women chatted with us, shared their lives, and showed us how to upcycle rag dolls out of old clothing, corks, and ice cream sticks. They also gave wonderful hugs.
We also took a hike through the old village. Many years ago, the government decided that the village was too dangerous and moved all of the residents elsewhere. One of the windows still had curtains. The colorful frescoes and interesting architecture inside these churches tell the stories of early settlers seeking refuge from Roman persecution. There was also a simple mosque in the desolate village.
Know Before You Go
Cappodocia can be reached via a short domestic flight to Kayseri from Istanbul. From Kayseri it is about an hour’s drive to Avanos pass the Erciyes Mountains, toward Goreme.
Cave hotels are extremely popular lodging in the area. While they can be a romantic idea, they can also be damp and humid as they were hand-carved out of soft volcanic rock. Some of the rooms are small and dark. Do not expect modern luxurious amenities.
The Cappadocia Balloon flight was about an hour. Don’t worry if you are not in the air when the sun rises. The view from the ground is wonderful and better for taking photographs.
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