Derinkuyu Underground City

For any fan of rock formations, this has to be on the list of things to see.  An underground city of more than 10 levels honeycombing beneath the surface.  Probably built in the 7-8th century, but possibly as early as the 5th century (AD), it housed between 3000 to 50,000 people.  Instead of hauling up a draw-bridge, when security was required, stone doors were rolled into the entry ports.  Religious persecution is said to be the inspiration of this complex and fascinating refuge.

These homes rock!

Although I could certainly do without the snow, I love the way that these homes in Goreme were carved right into the rock, many of them still topped by conical hills.  This too is in the Cappadocia area of Turkey.  This ancient town made use of the natural terrain, yet blended in with it as far as possible, retaining much of the rugged beauty. 

Fairy Chimneys of Turkey

There are several types of Turkish Fairy Chimneys (also known as Hoodoos or earth pyramids), the tall thin spires of rock that tower above a badland or arid floor. The columns are soft sedimentary rock capped by a piece of harder, less easily-eroded stone. The Cappadocia region pillars (above) are sculpted from ancient volcanic ash. 

Smaller fairy chimneys (below) are also found in the Devrent Valley, AKA Imaginary/Imagination Valley or Pink Valley.

The photos above from Imagination Valley are from Free Travel Photography (c)

Mushroom capped Fairy Chimneys can also be seen at Pasabag, or Monk'sValley (below) (Photo also from Free Travel Photography (c) http://www.free-travel-photos.org/)

Some, like the Chapel for St. Simeon (below) are carved out for dwellings in the tradition of the region. The carved homes and underground cities will be my next post.

Frozen Waterfalls

The hot springs in Pamukkale, Turkey are so rich in mineral salts that they appear to be laden with icicles.  The name means "Cotton Castle", and although far from soft, their dazzling white, sparkling cascades probably appear to be so from a distance. The entire mountain as well as a large part of the valley is covered with stepped basins ringed with solidified salts.

The thermal springs are around 33 degrees Celcius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) and saturated with calcium ozide and other minerals. As the water flows down the cliffs, it evaporates quickly, leaving the glistening stalactites.

Locals claim it will cure skin and eye conditions, as well as relieve asthma and rheumatism, so all the more reason to include this in the must see list.