Underground City

We toured an ancient underground city in the village of Derinkuyu full
of smoke-blackened kitchens, bedrooms, living rooms, dining areas,
wells, chimneys, a church, a winery and a horse stable linked through
horizontal and sloping tunnels. The city protected the people during
invasions, and the design was ingenious! It has 15 floors to a depth
of 80 meters. Because of flooding we were only able to crouch our way
through tunnels down to the 8th floor. It's very cold (50 - 60 F).
There were places that we barely fit through! Clostrophobics would
not do well.

Then we hiked along a stream through Ihlara Valley full of butterflies
and rock monasteries.

After, we explored the rooms and tunnels of the extravagant Castle
Monastery built high into rock peaks. The breeze up high through rock
openings and along with the spectacular view was a special moment.

Tonight we take an overnight bus south to the Mediterranean through
Anatalya ending in Olympus.