Above the Sky of Turkey

A gentle tap on my shoulder makes me jerk awake. I squeezed my puffy eyes to see a machine gun.

“Passport”

It was about midnight and I was on my bus to Cappadocia. The police stopped each vehicle on the street for security checks. The country has become intense after numerous attacks and political riots.

I felt perfectly safe during my two weeks in Turkey, not the slightest threats. But tourism suffered drastically, so are the related industries such as carpets and jewelry. Many have lost their businesses and jobs.

“I used to have tours every day, this year I’ve only had 36 so far,” Said my guide. “Someone needs to kill him (Erdogan).”

Has it become a global trend to hate our governments?

But the political restlessness can’t shadow the enchantment of Turkey.

The Fairly-Land

I ran and climbed these characteristic hills and chimneys like Hansel and Gretel finding their candy house. The vocalic eruptions combined with centuries of erosions from winds, rains, snow, and river formed Cappadocia’s surrealistic landscape. It is also the home of ten underground cities, where up to six levels of thoughtfully structured rooms, wineries churches, and stables.

At 4:20am, I climbed out of my warm bed in the chilling cave room, and headed to the hot air balloon. Lines of enormous flat balloons were waiting to be filled up. The dark sky is gradually filled with lights, we piled in the basket waiting for our pilot to maneuver his vehicle. Up in the sky, the pilot could only steer the balloon to climb or descend into winds going different directions, we are in the hands of nature again.

Gradually we rose up to the balloon filled sky. We were not in Kansas anymore.

Our balloon gently drifted over the fairy chimneys, through valleys scattered with pigeon houses, over orchards and vineyards, and witnessed the sun coming out behind the valleys. From a distance, Cappadocia looked more like a kingdom in a VR game, but I doubt the most creative Imagineers could build something this magical.

I find myself using the word “Surreal” a lot on the road. The spectacles I have seen took my breath away and made me feel out of this world. But it is, by all means, the reality, just a reality I was not used to. Then I realized the choice has always been mine, I chose a place and made my “real world”. That is the only difference between my so-called reality and the surreal wonders.

Calcite SPA

“It may not look like what you’ve seen in postcards anymore.” Said our guide.

Sadly, a lot of travertines in Pamukkale were dry due to the mismanagement in the past. Too many hotels were built on its pure cotton white layers, using the calcite water and damaging the delicate travertines.

But whatever remained is still stunning. The ivory terraces are will with knee-deep turquoise water, mixed with soft and muddy white sands at the bottom. There were model-like girls posing at each corner, playful teenage boys covering themselves in mud, and curious kids sitting in the tunnel enjoying the water running through their bodies. There was also a proper “Cleopatra Pool” for tourists to play and swim in. It was filled with ancient Roman pillars falling during the earthquake, now serving as a rest spot in the middle of the water.

Nowadays, hotel management and water supply are limited and tourists need to take off our shoes to visit the travertines. I hope it would be enough to protect this fragile wonder.

Former Glory

Ephesus witnessed the rise and fall of the Greeks, Persian, Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman Empires. The impressive ruins we could see today couldn’t compare to former splendor. Today the majority of the city is still underground, waiting for the archeologists to discover. The most famous Temple of Artemis is one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, now only remains one pillar, standing alone on the western edge of Selçuk.

The most impressive architecture is the library, which used to hold 12,000 scrolls. Now only the façade survived. I always believe the prosperity of an empire or nation lies in education, not war.

Right next to the library we saw a carved stone on the ground, legends say this is the first advertisement for a brothel. The footprint is showing the direction, the lady indicates the service. In terms of the rectangular at the bottom, I assume it’s a sort of payment. There was a secret underground tunnel from the library to the brothel, a nice cover-up for its customers.

Tranquil battlefield

After the middle east, I thought I was done with wars. Then I arrive at Gallipoli.

I was so naively wrong, there was almost no peace in the Ottoman Empire for centuries. My knowledge of the Gallipoli Campaign was only limited to Wikipedia and Russel Crow’s movie “Water Divine”. Now standing on this peaceful stunning beachside, it’s hard to imagine the brutal battle that happened here about a century ago.

“30, 28, 25, 19…”

I passed the graves at Long Pine. The soldiers were so young. The youngest one James Martin was 14 years old when he died, who lied about his age when he was enlisted.

Mehmetçik Monument tells the story of a Turkish soldier, after raising a white flag, carried a wounded Australian officer to Australian lines and returned to his battle. I love hearing stories of humanity during the war: they are like flowers in dessert, even one can rekindle your hope.

I opened the guest book, it was filled with touching quotes from all over the world.

“Lest we forget.”

Crossing the bridge, our bus entered Istanbul. The turquoise blue reflected the artistic architectures on the bank. On my last night, I wanted to check out the popular night club Reina. But I was told it had been closed after the deadly shooting on 2017 NYE, causing 39 dead and 70+ injures. Instead, I treated myself to the rooftop restaurant overseeing Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and the Bosphorus. The past days were flashing before my eyes, the lyrical landscape, epic history, tantalizing cuisine, and hospitable people… Would be a fairy tale without the political unrest. Where will this nation be heading towards?