Cappadocia, Turkey, a land stolen from a mystic’s dream, is surrounded by a desert landscape with cone-shaped towers rising up between razor cut cliffs. Caves carved into these otherworldly rock formations have been inhabited since ancient times and, through an arrangement made by our hotel in Goreme, we were invited to share a glass of tea with one of these modern-day cave dwellers ... Read Full Article
Seeking out Turkey’s Finest Carpets
Turkish carpets are highly valued worldwide for good reason; the skill it takes to create them has been perfected over thousands of years. On a recent trip to Turkey my husband John and I caught a glimpse of the incredible craftsmanship involved. With a small group we visited a carpet-making factory famed for their top-quality work, and watched the process, almost from start to finish, of ... Read Full Article
Where to Stay in Turkey: Six Choice Hotels
On a recent trip, John and I found six hotels in Turkey that we consider excellent choices. These are not the grand palaces an Ottoman sultan might have envied (though Istanbul has several of those); rather, they're comfortable, well maintained, hotels with great locations, good Turkish hospitality, and individual style. And they are a lot more affordable than the palaces.Where to ... Read Full Article
Whirling With the Dervishes in Cappadocia, Turkey
Cappadocia was growing quiet when I arrive at the Mevlevi Order’s ritual hall to see the Whirling Dervishes. The sun is setting and the shadows of the Fairy Chimney rock columns were blending together seamlessly across Goreme’s dusty streets. A man in a flowing robe appears from behind an open door and beckons me inside. I follow him down a long, curved corridor to the samahane’s inner sanctum ... Read Full Article
Mysterious and Mesmerizing Cappadocia, Turkey
Located in central Turkey, Cappadocia is wholly unique to the country. The landscape is marked by rock formations created over thousands of years of wind and water erosion to the once lava covered plains. The most notable shapes are of the fairy chimneys, mushroom capped conical peaks, that dot the environment.During Roman rule of the area, early Christians created underground ... Read Full Article
Exploring Göreme in Cappadocia, Turkey
Limestone towers, capped like gnome’s hats, cast long shadows over the streets. A dry sun bakes the village. The men gather in the cool of cafes to smoke and drink endless cups of black tea. Up on the hill, three women in white headscarves hold baskets of laundry on their hips, stooping to shoo away a stray dog.Small and sleepy, Göreme is the unlikely gateway to inner ... Read Full Article