Cappadocia is a magical place.  As we drove to our cave hotel, I looked up and saw a blanket of stars, gleaming across the sky. The night air was so clear and crisp. It reminded me of Death Valley… the quiet, the emptiness, and the other worldliness of it all.  Humbling and inspiring.

Interesting fact about me; I am not afraid of heights. I always thought I was but I realized that it is the fear of falling from said heights, but not the actual height itself. Well, it makes sense to me.  Anyways, I bring this up because I went on a hot air balloon ride. There is nothing graceful about getting in and out of the basket and my wallet stung a bit from the cost, but man was it amazing. Gently floating in the air, the quiet breeze, the majestic view below – it inspired a poem in me:

to be a bird

soaring in the sky

gentle breezes

sun on my back

hills and valleys below.

ahead of me,

a limitless horizon

oh, to be a bird

soaring in the sky.

As far as Cappadocia is concerned, don’t let my attempt at poetry stop you from visiting this enchanting corner of the earth. Add it to your travel plans when you come and visit me! It is only an hour plane ride away. Plus, I can tell you where you can get the BEST nachos you have ever had in your life. True story.

Enjoy the photos! Side note: the dog is in two of the photos is one of the many wild dogs in Turkey. I took photos of him because if I had a car, I would have taken him home with me. I swear he smiled at me… he reminded me of Ozzy. Sometimes a dog is just a dog. This dog was an angel.