While *I* absolutely try to avoid tours, there was little way to travel one hour south of Göeme and then all around the area as well without a car, bus or tour.  Therefore, we took a tour, and we were NOT disappointed!!!

I continue to be amazed and amused - WOW!!

First we traveled up to get a panorama view of the town (Alan and I will go for a sunrise shot in the morning too) - CLOUDY IN THE MORNING!!!  FIRST TIME ON THE WHOLE TRIP!!!  What a beautiful cool day!

Next we traveled south to a town under a town!!!  Yes, the underground town of Derinkuyu.  The place was amazing and well over 800 years old!!!  Kitchens, churches, wells, storage rooms, churches, etc. 85 meters below ground!!!  Furthermore, there was a 9 km long tunnel to another town!!!  Fully defensible including huge stones to roll infront of the tunnels.  Only two people were needed to roll the stones in front of the passage, yet none could roll them back to enter.  The Christians of the area did not leave until an "agreement" to swap places between the Muslims in Greece and the Christians in Turkey in 1923.  (??!!?? - more research to do here)

Then on to the Ihlara Valley to hike for 4 km along a river bed with canyons and cave dwellings on either side.  Lunch was over (I mean OVER) the river - a wonderful Turkish meal.  Then the hike out of the canyon.

Another stop at a HUGE Christian monestary before a final stop at an onyx "factory" and jewelry shop... which also happened to afford us with an awesome view of Pigeon Valley.  Pigeons were an integral part of the Hittite and later groups life in the Cappadocia region.

For tomorrow we set up a Pottery Kabab at 6 pm - a local specialty that needs a 3 hour reservation and then we need to decide on whether to rent a car, motorscoters or what for the final hours before taking the night bus to Istanbul tomorrow night at 8:15 pm.