From Sunrise to Sunset: Embracing the Magic of Cappadocia

With midterms coming up, Erasmus planned a weekend trip to provide some joy before the upcoming stress. We had a two-night, three-day trip to Cappadocia. Numerous universities from all over Turkey participated in the trip, which included over a hundred Erasmus students. 

    My town met up around nine p.m. to board our bus. Beginning the nine-hour drive, we were all very energetic and spent many hours blaring music and, no doubt, annoying the bus driver. After many hours of annoyance, many of us finally got some rest. We woke up and took in the breathtaking views encapsulating our bus windows. Then, we finally reached our destination and got to drop our luggage off at the hotel. 

    Once everyone had reconvened, we loaded on the bus again to head to the Goreme Open-Air Museum. The museum is filled with rock-cut churches. These churches contain original frescoes from the 10th to 12th centuries from the Roman and Byzantine eras. We spent hours exploring the churches and admiring the history before us. While the weather was gloomy, we all enjoyed exploring and meeting new people from around the world in a beautiful new place. 

     Later that day, we got to visit a Turkish pottery shop. The shop, Avanos, has been passed down for many generations, dating back to 2,000 BCE. All the clay used to make the pottery is collected from the Red River (Kızılırmak). We got to watch a demonstration on how they use a foot-powered pottery wheel and learn the history and art behind the pieces. Additionally, we watched the women of the family hand-paint the pieces. Lastly, they guided us to a showroom to show us the glow-in-the-dark component of their pieces. 

    To end the day, we explored Derinkuyu Underground City. Walking into the city, you are greeted by cooling temperatures and fantastic engineering. You can see cellars, storage rooms, chapels, and stables throughout the city. Getting through the loop takes a while, but you can see beautiful crystal formations extending from the ceiling. 

    At the beginning of the second day, we woke up bright and early to enjoy the sunrise from a hot air balloon. We broke into small groups and loaded up in our hot air balloons. For over an hour, we went up in the hot air balloon and flew over breathing views of the valley. By far, one of the most memorable moments of the trip. After landing the hot air balloon, we convinced the person In charge to let us push the fire button on the hot air balloon. Then, to celebrate our stunning air ride, the leaders popped bottles of champagne and gifted us a hot-air balloon rider certificate. 
    Before our last excursion, we stopped at a family business to ride ATVs through the valley. For a little over two hours, we drove through the valley, ate local street food, and climbed the rock formations. After racing friends and experiencing technical difficulties, we headed to the bus for our last event. 

     For the last event, we headed to a local restaurant. At the restaurant, we were served a traditional Turkish dinner of Pide and Meze. There, we got to watch a performance by the Whirling Dervishes. They perform traditional Turkish dances that are known to induce a trance-like state that leads to divine inspiration. Once we had watched some dances, they allowed people to join, and we got to watch some of our group leaders try belly dancing. 

    Our trip to Cappadocia was a journey of discovery filled with awe-inspiring landscapes, vibrant culture, and ancient wonders. It left an indelible mark on my study abroad experience, deepening my appreciation for Turkey's rich heritage and fostering lasting memories with fellow travelers.

Gabby 🌟✈️