When the bus arrived five hours later at the crack of dawn, my predictions came to fruition.

The rock formations are breathtaking, and to imagine ancient civilizations inhabiting the thousands upon thousands of caves is mind-blowing. Not far from where we stayed is one of the underground cities used by the Christians in the second, third and fourth centuries when their cities fell under siege. 

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There is even a Flintstones bar in Cappadocia!

October 3, 2007

Lesson Six: Food unites people, reminding them of home or inviting them to a new culture

Last Friday I enjoyed a wonderful taste of home. Our group of Americans attended the American Embassy for a barbeque dinner; the picnic was for the Embassy workers and their families. We had so much fun, and it was a refreshing change to be around such a large group of Americans. Oh my goodness!! I can't begin to tell you how wonderful American food is. I ate ribs, mac and cheese, asparagus casserole, cornbread and a brownie. Ahh...I was in a complete state of bliss!  After dinner I hustled a few Marines in billiards, showing them a Kentucky girl can be a pool shark-too! American music, American accents and American food…what else could I ask for? Make no mistake; I enjoy Turkish culture very much, but sometimes I miss home, and the barbeque was a great reminder of American culture.

After the barbeque, nine of us boarded a bus for Cappadocia for the weekend. The city is southwest of Ankara, but not all the way to the coast. There are numerous underground ancient cities and rock-cut churches all over the area. The inhabitants included Hittites, Persians, Ottomans and early Christians. I didn't know what to expect, but I envisioned something like Bedrock from the Flintstones.