Well from the last post we have travelled from Goreme to Malaytia. After the last update most of the group went out to a $25 all you can eat and drink night which started on the effe beer and ended on the Raki or it could be called Ouzo for people who don’t know what Raki is but I have been told it is slightly different. There was dancing and a traditional wedding ceremony put on for us all. Really the only reason why it was so fun is because we all had a blast drinking Raki, the first bender of the group.
Next morning we hung around Goreme and did our own thing and then all met up and went to a Carpet shop. This person is essentially an expat (well from newzeeland) and she explained all the rugs in the area and why they cost so much. No one was obliged to buy however a couple of people were so convinced of her authenticity that several were sold (she really did know her stuff!!)
Buying rugs was then followed up by a four hour hike to another village where we stayed the night in a locals house. The hike involved checking out some churches/family crypts that very few people visit which was great. The track that we hiked on ended up being the track for a local Mountain Bike race so we had plenty of good riders zooming past. Also involved scrambling up some abandoned sandstone “castles” where people had lived getting a great view of the surrounding area.
Today we had an amazing breakfast, the best so far, eaten at the homestay, followed by an 8 hour bus ride to Malaytia. Thankfully the bus ride was broken up with a relaxing journey on a row boat…yes a row boat 🙂 We discovered this nice little detour which wasn’t on the itinery. Unfortunately for us the water was 12 degrees which isn’t swimming temperature even by Melbourne standards.
Dinner tonight was so so, mainly due to a couple of people not getting the right orders and then complaining. Complaining when the staff in the restaurant don’t understand english isn’t the best way of going about things I don’t think…
Tomorrow morning we get to explore this rather busy city (known as the Paris of the east) then off to Nemrut Dagi is as far east as I think we will travel. When I asked “Why Paris of the east” it is because this the last city before hitting Iran and Iraq that has a cosmipolitan feel about it.
Gule Gule
Pat.