Ever since the last time I visited Turkey in 2008, I have wanted to visit the region of Cappadocia. Mostly because the landscape looks like you're on another planet.
I always made the illustration that it looks like the Moon multiplied by Mars. After finally visiting the area, I would have to say that my favorite part is the villages sprinkled throughout the area. They look like little Ewok desert villages that have grown out of the terrain.
I overheard a tour guide mention that this area was used to film parts of Luke Skywalker's home planet of Tatooine.
#1 - I really hope that's true.
#2 - That's why this place looks so familiar.
I was only in Cappadocia for a day and a night, so I spent the last 4 hours of daylight motoring around the dirt backroads and highways of the area on a rented scooter to really soak up the epic views. I carried my 4x5 film camera and my tripod in my backpack for the quick tour, so I don't have any digital proof of the aforementioned vistas, but I did make a nice analogue portrait of two older gentlemen who I met at a small village-old-man-tea-hangout-spot. We haltingly conversed in a mix of Turkish and French for about half an hour and two rounds of tea.
The 12 hour busride plus two camera bags prevented me from bringing my bike along this quick touristic jaunt, but I must say Cappadocia is definitely the place to tour a bit, long or short. Its hilly, but that makes the views better.
The attached pictures are what i could grab with 30 minutes to run out of the hotel and back before my bus left. Like shooting fish in a barrel.
A few minutes ago, I showed these pictures to a friend who remarked that the city looks like The Flintstones multiplied by the 70's.
Spot on.
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