Kappadokia, Aladağlar, Istanbul (the end of my journey)

After Kayseri I finally reached the tourist s wonderland of Kappadokia. Very amazing rock formations, but of course one is not alone there. I wondered why I had to wait in queues to enter some rock hewn churches which were rather disappointing considering the entrance fee of 9 euros and why a nearby castle, which I,ve found much more interesting, was not even open for visiting (but somehow I entered there). The whole area is full of churches with hidden entrances, just where there is a little better preserved fresco, somebody is standing in front of the entrance to demand a fee.

From Güreme, the main city there, it was only 2 hours to the mountains of Aladağlar, a ridiculous distance in Turkey. There I made a very beautiful and challenging trek through a breathtaking rock massif. The only people I met on the way were a group of rockclimbers from Iran. From further away I heard the bells of herds of sheep and cows and one night I spent in a left alone tent, so some people are living up there.

Later on the way back I met a taxidriver from Hamburg, who spent his childhood as a nomad in these mountains and told me how much he'd like to return to this life free of stress.

I also thought about to visit the mediterennian coast around Antalya, but the far distances and high costs scared me off. I also have to admit that I'm already a bit tired from travelling. So I took the next bus from Kayseri to Istanbul. Here I'll spend some days with my friends, relax and finally make the last stage home to Austria.