TURKISH ROAD TRIP

After a final swim in the Mediterranean, we pack up and leave our beautiful hotel perched on the cliffs in Antalya.  So far, this town of 1 million is my favorite.

We turned N. and drove through fertile fields and "seas of greenhouse" growing tomatoes, peppers, egg plants, and most of Northern Europe's winter vegetables.  We continued to climb on excellent roads into the Turkish Mts., seeing Nomadic people (still called Gypsies) and their goat herds.  We see the beautiful Lebanese Cedar trees, ans surprisingly many roads side fruit stands featuring the sweet, small, and deliciously sweet Turkish banana.  These fruits are displayed in enormous bunches hanging from the rafters of the fruit stands.  As we head out into the high Central Turkish plain, the landscape changes to flat fields of cotton and sugar beets, which are being harvested by hand. There are also many sheep herds, big and small, but each is guarded by the fierce Anatolian Sheep dog.  This breed is placed as a puppy into  a herd, and as it grows it will defend "it's" herd with it's life. It will literally fight to it's death, but woe be to the predator that takes one on.  This part of Turkey still has wolves, wild boars, and a few other predators.  Below is a glimpse of only one of the sugar beet storage's that we passed.  The Turks love their sweets and do not have to import any sugar!

We stopped for lunch in the conservative town of Konya.  Conservative because the Muslims here observe the "rules"  of dress and alcohol.  Dang!  No wine with lunch!  But, lunch was served in an open courtyard where the lamb served had been cooked since 5:00AM in a crock buried in ashes.  It literally fell off the bone and melted in one's mouth.  We were also served a strange and delicious 'orka' soup made with 'ropes" of dried tiny okra.  Also, my favorite desert so far...a "flour halva" with pistachios...to die for!

After our "dry lunch" we toured a Mosque dedicated to Mevlana Rumi, founder of the Sufi Islam. Many people pay pilgrimage to Rumi and the mosque was crowded. 
This was ithe longest drive of our trip, and we arrived in the town of Uchisar in Cappadocia Provence well after dark.  Our hotel, "The KAYA" was built part way into a cave in the area, and as we entered the stone conclave, my mind was turned into another place and time.  I could not wait to see the strange, magnificent rock formations  in the daylight.