Landscapes Around Uçhisar...

From Guvercinlik Vadisi, we moved around the periphery of the Uçhisar town stopping by places with interesting landscapes. 

The Uçhisar Castle, also known as the Landlord's Castle...

The exterior appearance of the  Uçhisar Castle is plain ugly and lacks the grandeur that one would associate with a castle. It looks like a mass of rocks that were haphazardly carved in haste. But the construction style follows the traditions of Cappadocia of building homes and buildings out of the natural rock...

While little is documented about the Uçhisar Castle, it is believed to have been built during the Byzantine era, and assumed importance because of its location making it relatively impenetrable and giving a good view of the Silk Route. The Ottomans too used the castle owing to its strategic location...

A photo with a camel? Or one with the romantic couple?

Stopping by for lunch at this breathtaking location...

As we wait for our lunch to come, it seems as though Cappadocia has been taken right out of the pages of a fairy tale...

Or probably the Arabian Nights!

Our mezze platter - hummus, babaghanoush,  peppers, yogurt...

Fresh cheese and a salsa dip...

And the lovely aromatic bread makes me feel I am in paradise!

Kem Göz At Guvercinlik Vadisi...

A freakish fall after the balloon ride left me sore and incapable of pursuing such hectic sightseeing for the next few days. So a whirlwind tour of the remaining sights in Cappadocia followed.

Our first stop was the Guvercinlik Vadisi or the Pigeon Valley located on the the periphery of Uçhisar town and overlooking the Göreme Tarihi Milli Parkı or the Göreme National Park...

The farmers and monks of Cappadocia had a special affinity for pigeons, in the Byzantine era and the years that followed. They built pigeon houses or dovecuts in the rockface...

 Farmers used these cave pigeon houses to collect the droppings of pigeons which made for an excellent natural fertilizer for the orchards and vineyards...

In Mumbai, pigeons are considered as "flying rats" spreading pestilence...

But it's a different story here...

Guvercinlik Vadisi has hiking trails. Would have loved to hike here but I couldn't because of the freakish injury...

Warding off the evil with Kem Göz or evil eyes...

Kem Göz are talismans that are believed to ward off curses cast by a malevolent glare, which is usually given to a person when they are unaware. Many cultures believe that receiving the evil eye will cause misfortune or injury.

The idea of such talismans exists among different cultures, in the Mediterranean, Middle East and Central Asia. This idea also finds a mention in the Old Testament. These talismans are now used as decorations in the region and have become a popular souvenir for tourists.

The landscape here is breathtaking and we will carry back these memories when we return from Cappadocia later today...

Panoramas Of Cappadocia... Part II

And we continue on our balloon ride around the Cappadocia area, enjoying the pleasing and heartwarming vistas of dawn with the fairy chimneys down below us.

Trailers move into position - the balloons would land on them...

Its quite scary when the balloons passed just a few feet over summits of the hills around, but we were assured that we were safe...

The magical, golden rays of dawn...

A flotilla of balloons...

It is indeed breathtaking...

Some balloons are positioning to land...

The armada...

Stark and stunning, these words describe the Cappadocian landscape...

Sights we will never forget...

We were speechless and spellbound...

The rays look as though sun is bestowing us on earth with blessings... and indeed that is true!

The balloons would often touch each other gently...

There is the life sustaining sun...

And soon we will descend...