Cappadocia is a place that I definitely want to visit again someday.  I met a Belgian couple today who have been coming back over and over for the past 13 years — so many times they’ve lost count. They took me on a hike this afternoon that I never could have found on my own.  I see why they find it so special. Here are my top ten highlights from my visit:

10. Seeing Mount Erciyes before I even got off the plane, but then getting to get much closer

9. Going underground to see how people used to live when they felt danger close by.

8. Coming up from underground to see a double rainbow in the rain and sun mix

7. Waking up early this morning to see the hot air balloons over Goreme

6. Meeting people from all over the world who have come to see the rock formations and mountains

5. Seeing interesting plants and animals, smelling walnut leaves and tasting green buds of apricot

4. Battling the heat by trying new kinds of ice cream treats

3. Getting off the beaten track and squeezing through small tunnels between cliffs and caves going straight through

2. Meeting a local family and making them balloons

1. Experiencing the amazing variety of colors and shapes in Cappadocia

I’m working on a few videos of my time in Cappadocia, but they may take me a little while to finish.  I couldn’t stop using my camera, and now I have too much footage to look through.  I also made a video of the hotel, upon request of some of the people who commented. I’ll get those up as soon as I can, but I also want to focus on enjoying the rest of my time in Turkey.  I’m now in Istanbul, where tall buildings replace mountains. It should be pretty different.