Sheilaclapkin's Blog;

We-had a rough, rocky and rather rotten beginning to our trip, no one’s fault. Sometimes the ways of the world mix into your Karma. Grunts, groans and tears shed brought everything we needed to the surface and we began to sort out what we had to do to follow the plan for our trip in Turkey.

My Parrott Flower friend asked me to savor every moment. When things were so difficult, I said to myself, ‘ How in the heck can I savor moments so difficult?’ The answer came as the call to prayer was being chanted. Patience.  Well, talking to myself again, ‘ I asked, so wise one, how do you get Patience to Savor the moment when all is so difficult and emotional? The answer came again, ‘you do not GET patience; patience just comes.’ I tell you now that it does and that it did.

When you have strife and pain, just wait and it will be over. From one minute to the next, things change. Wait the extra minute in your life and it will reward you with relief.

CAPPADOCIA:

Cappadocia is in the central region of Anatolia. It is a geological wonder of the world. It was a privilege and an honor to have been able to see the awe-inspiring natural rock formations.  These rock formations were utilized for housing, churches and complete underground villages.

First we visited Goreme which is an open air museum surrounded by steep cliffs. Amazing because this ancient site  was used as living quarters and churches dates back to the second half of the 9^th century and later as well.

We- moved on to Uschisar where we sat near the Uchisar Fortress.  We were told that this fortress was carved out of a natural hill in this area surrounding Cappadocia formations.

We-were taken to our quarters at the Argos Hotel where you sleep in a modern cave.  Modern, yes, and not even a single chair in your cave, a bed, oh yes! . An elevator, you have to be kidding. Time for breakfast, you climb down over a hundred stone steps and you learn very quickly to hug stones. Hugging stones is reassuring; try it, you’ll long for it. Now, remember you are own over one hundred steps and now you have to go up them to brush your teeth and pee before the day of phenomenal touring begins.  Please remember also, you have to go back down again to meet your guide.  Body aches; calves and thighs begin to speak to you. Oh what a work out and the day of touring hasn’t really begun.

Forgive me but I cannot edit these weird errors in places. Nothing I do works!