On our hike in the Red Valley, where we felt we were all by ourselves in the middle of now where, we came around a bend in the trail and what did we see but this fellow who had seen us hiking from a restaurant above us and come down into the valley with oranges and a juice press. How nice to get a refreshing cold drink in the heat of the day.
I took this picture in the Kesklik Rock Monastery housed in a cave carved into a fairy chimney. The frescos on the walls of this monastery are about 1000 years old. They are beautiful but badly damaged by soot and vandalism.
Cosy bedroom. The benefits of a cave house is NO AIR CONDITIONING - it is the only part of our vacation that my sinus' did not bother me. It was hot in Turkey and I did appreciate the relief it gave from the heat but the cool damp of the cave dwellings was so much better.
A few steps up from the pool was this wonderful place in the shade. It was a great place to sit on the beautiful kilim covered cushions before our next adventure.
On the roof of the cave hotel sits a solar hot water heater - most of the buildings in this area especially had this but a lot of buildings in Turkey heat water this way. Note the satellite dishes - they just look out of place with the space-like landscape. 
The town of Göreme is built on the hillside. Small tractors were forever going up and down through the narrow streets. We followed one up to the top of one of these streets. They managed to have cows, chickens and even a horse or two in the small yards attached to the houses. These animals do not have fields to roam in and seemed quite content. 
The cliffs that line the valleys are full of pigeon homes several storeys high carved out of the tufa. Some are decorated with paintings to attract the pigeons. People in this region used to feed them as their droppings were used and sold as a fertiliser. 
We saw this elderly gentleman walking along the street. I pretended to take Tracy's picture and took his instead - I bowed to Tracy and said thank you and he smiled - I think he knew that I had taken his picture. His face is so wonderful.
This wonderful woman owned and managed this shop that is the outlet for the creations from a 30 women cooperative. They make the most incredible crocheted pieces to sell. Honeyfan was just one of the fabulous people that we met during our visit in Turkey, who all showed us their great hospitality, generosity and kindness. Honeyfan's husband took us up to their restaurant - My House - and treated us to tea and Baklava.
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