On Day 4 in Istanbul, Mickey showed up to our hostel carrying nothing but a small shoulder bag. He explained that his luggage hadn’t made the connection at Frankfurt and that the airline would deliver it to him sometime tomorrow. In turn, I explained that I had booked us all on a painfully early flight the next morning to the middle of the country and that we’d have to leave the hostel at 5 AM. “Ok then. Looks like I’ll need to get myself a Turkish toothbrush…and some beers.” Love that boy…
The next several days were spent in Cappadocia, checking out a collection of intriguing rock formations. According to Rob, “that shit is dope” and I’d have to agree. The way the layers of sediment settled and eroded resulted in towering rock formations known as The Fairy Chimneys. However, they may soon be known by another name once our pictures get around the Castro crew of San Francisco.
We also checked out incredible mountainside cave dwellings and underground cities carved out of rock. Apparently, the people of Cappadocia would retreat into mountain caves when under attack, recreating their world complete with prayer rooms, wine making facilities and even a morgue. (Picture the caves that were shown on TV all the time during the search for Bin Laden except filled with festive Turks rather than suspected terrorists). After crouching his six foot body in order to wind through the lengthy maze of underground tunnels, Mickey wanted to know if the former cave dwellers suffered from bad backs. Somehow, this humorous inquiry was lost on our guide, who stood a five foot five.
As we continued to explore Cappadocia, I was relieved to see that my two pals seemed to be getting along famously. At one point, I overheard them trading relationship battle stories. Rob was outraged at the way Mickey’s last boyfriend ended their relationship and Mickey agreed that too much foundation makes girls look trashy. It seemed like the next step would be for them to plan a joint dinner party…and then the topic of rent control reared its head. Let’s just say that Mission affordable housing activists and mortgage brokers don’t see eye to eye on this one. Luckily, the conversation was interrupted by a group lunch consisting of lentil soup and lamb kebabs. Before no time, Mickey and Rob were swapping bites of desert. Rice pudding really should advertise as the opiate of the masses. Kozy Shack could make a killing.
That night, we went to sleep in our cave hotel (yes, the hotel rooms were carved into an actual mountain, just like the real caves from hundreds of years ago). Rob described the place as “pimp” and Mickey was just glad that the owner happened to have some packaged socks and underwear that he was willing to part with. And me? I was deep in thought about Jim Henson's Fraggles. Didn’t they live in caves like this or was that the Gummy Bears? Yes, Fraggles lived in caves…and Gummies lived in trees…and Smurfs in mushroom villages. I fell asleep that night with all three themes songs in my head.
The next several days were spent in Cappadocia, checking out a collection of intriguing rock formations. According to Rob, “that shit is dope” and I’d have to agree. The way the layers of sediment settled and eroded resulted in towering rock formations known as The Fairy Chimneys. However, they may soon be known by another name once our pictures get around the Castro crew of San Francisco.
We also checked out incredible mountainside cave dwellings and underground cities carved out of rock. Apparently, the people of Cappadocia would retreat into mountain caves when under attack, recreating their world complete with prayer rooms, wine making facilities and even a morgue. (Picture the caves that were shown on TV all the time during the search for Bin Laden except filled with festive Turks rather than suspected terrorists). After crouching his six foot body in order to wind through the lengthy maze of underground tunnels, Mickey wanted to know if the former cave dwellers suffered from bad backs. Somehow, this humorous inquiry was lost on our guide, who stood a five foot five.
As we continued to explore Cappadocia, I was relieved to see that my two pals seemed to be getting along famously. At one point, I overheard them trading relationship battle stories. Rob was outraged at the way Mickey’s last boyfriend ended their relationship and Mickey agreed that too much foundation makes girls look trashy. It seemed like the next step would be for them to plan a joint dinner party…and then the topic of rent control reared its head. Let’s just say that Mission affordable housing activists and mortgage brokers don’t see eye to eye on this one. Luckily, the conversation was interrupted by a group lunch consisting of lentil soup and lamb kebabs. Before no time, Mickey and Rob were swapping bites of desert. Rice pudding really should advertise as the opiate of the masses. Kozy Shack could make a killing.
That night, we went to sleep in our cave hotel (yes, the hotel rooms were carved into an actual mountain, just like the real caves from hundreds of years ago). Rob described the place as “pimp” and Mickey was just glad that the owner happened to have some packaged socks and underwear that he was willing to part with. And me? I was deep in thought about Jim Henson's Fraggles. Didn’t they live in caves like this or was that the Gummy Bears? Yes, Fraggles lived in caves…and Gummies lived in trees…and Smurfs in mushroom villages. I fell asleep that night with all three themes songs in my head.
1 comment:
Whoa, this is so reminiscent of New Mexico, specifically Tent Rocks (http://desert-monkey.blogspot.com/2007/02/tent-rocks.html) and the Bisti Badlands (http://desert-monkey.blogspot.com/2007/02/bisti-badlands.html).
Nice stuff.
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