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| underground city, age : 2000 BC or 4000 yrs. |
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| Hanging out in small tunnels, 160 feet below ground |
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| Hiking down the Ilhara Valley |
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| A local buddy, stoked on his fish! |
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| Lief and Gary checking out the quiet lake |
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| Posted up with a good book in Middle of Nowhere, Turkey |
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| My favorite young Turkish local. We were the first Americans this family had ever met! |
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| Local Turks posing for pictures with our group |
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| The crew, after a beautiful and humbling two days in Cappadocia |
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| View from the hotel at happy hour |
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| 5am, firing up the balloon |
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| The tourist selfie, 700 meters, or 2300 feet above ground |
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| Up in those windows! |
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| How were these things built?? |
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| Lief, Cara, Ruby, Carmel, Myself, Zach, Caroline, and Gary! |
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| Authentic enough? |
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| Gary gazing at the ancient structures, notice the small holes in some them. Those are windows and doors! |
Early this morning, at 5am, we left the MV and headed for Istanbul's Ataturk Airport. We hopped on the 7am flight to Kayseri and by around 845 we were en route to Gerome, the valley town built into volcanic ash flows. It was a nice drive and we arrived at the Kismet hotel and were welcomed with a round of tea and coffee while we got settled. We conversed with the owner of the family run place for a while about activities in the area and began making some plans for the day. We decided a hike across the basin and then up Rose Canyon would be good and after getting organized we set out. Stopping in town for a meal and to load up on water bottles we poked around and made some arrangements for the next morning, hot air ballooning at sunrise!
Once out of the town we trekked across beautiful expanses of rocks and crawled into many of the 3rd-5th century chapels, which are sculpted into the giant sandstone columns. Each has about 4 or 5 levels inside and you work your way up through small footholds in the dusty stone and then pull yourself through small square openings to access the rooms. Truly unbelievable!! Keep in mind that we didn't see anybody else out here doing this and there were no established tour groups or anything of the sort, which was very refreshing. After exploring through the "village" of columns we began working across the Rose Canyon ridge. With stunning views on either side it is really hard to describe what it was actually like up there. Hopefully I can get some photos up to show you. We met a man at the very top who was tending to his crops. He said in the little English he spoke that he either grows tomatoes, or grapes for wine depending on the expected rainfall and texture of the land he is farming. The whole area was created by weathered volcanic ash settlements so the rock is very dusty and the loose ground makes for good farming I suppose. After a while up there we began the hike back into town as our water was about gone and everyone was getting pretty tired. The whole trek took about three hours and we covered some serious ground. Once back into town we wandered through the small village shops and then took a light nap at the hotel. The hotel had a great view of the basin and structures so I sat and read for a while during happy hour before we went back to town for some dinner. Gerome is a truly majestic place and after dinner we sat for a while on the hotel patio for some stargazing.
7/23 – The best and longest day of this log to date.
At 445am we woke up and hopped in the shuttle to our hot air balloon ride. Ballooning is the main industry in the region and Gerome is known for hosting one of the world's largest festivals each year. By 5 we were having coffee in the desert watching the locals inflate our balloon and set up the basket. I thought I would be more nervous to go floating around in a wicker bucket but the scenery is simply too stunning to be afraid of. Our balloon was the very first in the sky this morning and we lifted off over many other companies who were getting set up. The sun began to rise as we took off and made for epic views of the areas we had hiked through yesterday. Our flight lasted just over an hour and we made a large loop of all the different areas of Cappadocia. Once back on the ground we were treated to some sour nectar juice and then were driven back to the hotel where we sat down to breakfast. Breakfast at a hotel you would think to be fairly standard but not the case at the Kismet. They have a sign telling you that the yogurt comes from their family cow. The marmalades are from the friend's farm down the road and all the honey from another close friend in town! By this point it was about 830am so we went back to bed for a quick hour then set out for more adventuring. We had arranged a driver to take our group of eight around to the major sights all day but at our own pace, which was great. We began by driving to an underground city. You literally walk to a stone door and descend via rock staircase, 160 feet below ground! As you descend there are many layers and levels to explore and it was mostly based around a central well, which we assumed to be the major water source for the inhabitants long ago. We asked the guard when this spot was built and he casually replied, 2000 BC, a nice 4000 years ago! Once we were through the maze of the underground area we climbed out and got back in the van. The next stop was a 4km hike along a river in the bottom of a large canyon. We meandered along at a nice pace and passed many small local restaurants that are built on stilts over the shallow river. They use the no furniture traditional approach so customers sit on large cushions on the ground while eating off the low table. Once we had made it from the starting point of Ilhara to Belisirma we stopped for lunch ourselves and relaxed for a bit. Our driver was very friendly and was basically at our disposal for the whole day. At around 3pm we set out for a lake that is very unknown to tourists and when we arrived there was not a soul to be seen. Once down by the water level a group of local Turks drove up on some old dirt bikes. They were about 15-20 in age and quickly joined us for a swim, in their jeans, even though they weren't the best swimmers. The rest of their family must have gotten the word somehow because a mother, father, and two more children arrived. They seemed fascinated by us and not a single one spoke any English, nor did we stand a chance at communicating in Turkish. We sat for about two hours just reading, watching the lake, and interacting with these locals. They offered us rides around the small lake on their bikes and some people jumped at the chance. I hung back and just took in the whole scene, which was really cool. Finally our van driver was able to serve as a bit of a translator and he explained to me that these Turks had in fact, never seen Americans before! It was very humbling and we communicated mostly through hand motions and took a few more swims before packing it up. As we left we took a couple pictures and they invited us back to their village for tea but because time was wearing thin we had to pass unfortunately. On the hour drive back to town everyone was pretty silent and reflected on what a humbling two days it had been all around. We made it back in town, grabbed a local beer for happy hour and then sent it for the airport. After dinner and getting checked in we flew back to Istanbul on the last flight out. Finally after our exhausting, jam-packed trip we arrived back on the MV around 2am.
In the last 48 hours I have visited places that some could only dream of and experienced culture shock at its very furthest extremes. In reflection I would say that if you have trouble traveling without more than just a backpack, let go of the materialism we've been raised on and if you can't be content without technology or constant Wi-Fi, loosen your grip on your iphone and aim for something with more substance. Exchange sleep for sunrises and the longer days that come with such habits, you'll be happy you did.
Humbled in Cappadocia,
Jeff
Hello all,
7/16
We arrived into port early this morning, about 6am, but since the ship could not be cleared of customs until a bit later, everyone slept in. Our goal for the day was to visit the Acropolis before departing for Mykonos Island the following morning. We walked into the main area of Piraeus and purchased ferry tickets over to Mykonos and home from Santorini as we plan to spend a night there as well. Following our stop at the travel agency we got onto the metro and went out to Thisio, the main stop for the Acropolis. After a brief lunch we began the ascent towards the Parthenon. The temps today were very high, over 40 Celsius which equates to over 100Fh. Upon arrival to the gates where you buy your ticket to visit the Parthenon we were informed that the Greek Tourism Officials had closed the site due to extreme temperatures, what a bunch of crap! Josh and a couple other friends were actually interviewed on Greek TV to discuss the closure. Well that's traveling so we moved on and walked down into the ancient Agora marketplace where the worlds first marathon ended...according to Greek mythology of course. We moseyed about while the girls shopped and then found a little place for happy hour. Eventually we hopped back onto the metro back to Piraeus for dinner and a return to the ship.
7/17
Early morning rally over to our ferry for the trip to Mykonos. The meltemi (Greek summer wind which blows 30-40kts) came in strong and along with it some great wind chop. Makes for a rather pleasant ferry ride, if you're into that sort of thing! We arrived and naviguessed over to our hotel, which was a great little family run spot for very cheap. We threw our gear down and set out to explore Mykonos town and find the beach. We grabbed lunch at a hotel's pool bar and met up with a few other friends and then made moves over to Paradise Beach. It is a bit of an overwhelming place. Essentially it a nightclub that operates all day, so you find yourself buying a lounge chair for a few euro and swimming, dancing, and singing with all your friends on the beach, at 4pm! After a few hours in the mix there we packed it up, grabbed a chicken gyro and sent it back to our hotel. Following a nap we decided that dinner in town would be enough of an evening out for us so we found a good spot to have a nice sit-down dinner. This is where things begin to get interesting. We had planned on taking a ferry to Santorini tomorrow to spend an evening but due to the Meltemi which cancelled a bunch of ferries and a limited remaining schedule, the only ferry was sold out. So the audibles began and we came up with a few game plans, stay in Mykonos another night? Fly to Santorini via Athens? Ferry back the following morning? You get the idea. Well we decided to sleep on it and discuss over breakfast.
7/18
After a good A/C night of sleep we all got up for the bread and coffee breakfast and began to evaluate our options. We decided instead of wasting a whole day on a ferry back to Piraeus, we would pay a bit more for an evening flight and seek a refund on our Santorini return tickets. So we spent the day exploring more of Mykonos town and actually got half our money back on the ferry tickets, which was good. We burned our last hour or two of free time at a local café playing cards and watching the Meltemi whip across the harbor before going up to the airport for our flight. The take-off was a good bit of fun in our little prop plane in the 30 kt breeze but we made it safely back to Athens and grabbed a train and metro back over to the port area. Finally after a good meal we are back on the MV and ready to give the Parthenon another go early tomorrow morning on our last day. So far Greece has been a country full of planes, trains, automobiles, ferries, and hikes. Will keep you posted on what comes next!
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| Cafe Buza, the cliff jumping bar |
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| Hotel Beach |
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| Montenegro River |
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| SkyBar |
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| Atop the walled city |
7/11/12
We slept in nice and late and then rallied down to the old city for our kayak trip. It was beautiful on the water and we went around the entire island. What they don't tell you is how far that actually is, really really far! Anyways we laughed all the way along even though our arms were pretty beat. After rounding the island we crossed the channel again to a small rocky beach where we did some snorkeling and ate a quick lunch. Finally we made it back to our starting spot and returned to the MV for a nap. We ate a mellow dinner on board and then watched a movie and got to bed early because of our plans for the next day, white water rafting in Montenegro!
7/12/12
We rose at the crack of dawn and were off the ship by 615am to begin our journey to Montenegro. We met up with some parents and off we went. On the 3.5 hr drive we left Croatia, passed through parts of Bosnia, and finally to Montenegro. The scenery was unbelievable and the river was an oasis blue color. We finally made it there after a while and suited up in farmer john wetsuits, booties, and helmets. Quite the look! We then climbed into safari style jeeps and drove up a really sketchy dirt road a ways up into the cliffs to reach the launch point. We unloaded our rubber boats and off we went down the rapids. Everyone was cracking up the whole time and our guide was pretty entertaining. He was big on busting out into American songs right after or a before a rapid! We stopped halfway down at a treehouse type place and grabbed some water and a cold one before continuing on. We were also able to swim in the cold (55 fh) FRESH water. Felt so good considering Montenegro was easily in the high 90's. After the trip down the river we went back to the outpost deal for some lunch and then packed it up to return to Croatia. We technically weren't supposed to leave the country but many SAS kids did and so far no troubles with the passports. Later in the evening around 1030 we met up in the old city to explore the nightlife a bit since it was our last night in port and we ended up having a great time, especially at the SkyBar where you order buckets instead of glasses for drinks. Kind of a touristy spot but a good time was had by all.
7/13/12
We were at it again early this morning and took on the city walls around 10am. You pay a small fare to walk around the entire city from the top but the views are gorgeous. Everyone was laughing at how hot it was but we made a full lap before grabbing one last meal in the city and doing a bit of shopping. We are now getting ready to head out for Greece, where we will arrive in two days time. Croatia was an absolute blast and most of our time was spent in and around the beautiful Adriatic. We are departing after numerous cab fares, bus stops, large water bottles, gallons of sweat and a few passport stamps to boot. A huge thank you to Mr. and Mrs. Schwartzman as well as Mr. and Mrs. Strauss for their extremely generous hospitality while we were here. It was so great getting to know you all and we can't thank you enough! Hope everyone is enjoying summer back home or wherever you may be while reading this.
As Jimmy Buffett once sang, " Shells sink, dreams float, life's good on our boat."
Another great country,
Jeff
This morning we rolled into port around 8am, because there was no US consulate meeting we were able to have a nice leisurely breakfast and then pack up for the day. Two of our good friend's parents are coming to visit them so we went to meet up with them at the port entrance. We sent it towards the Old City and began exploring the inside of the walled city. It is a really cool area! We found our way over to the famous, by SAS standards at least, café Buza. It is a bar carved into the cliffs where people sit and drink while watching people leap from the rocks into the crystal clear Adriatic. We opted not to open our wallets here for drinks as they were rather pricey but we did partake in some great cliff jumping! Then we went back into the city and found a good lunch spot that could accommodate our large party and enjoyed some great seafood risotto. After a nice long lunch with we went to the beach at Big Red's hotel. They are staying at a great spot which has a small cove surrounded by high rocks and deep clear water. There was this really cool cave that we all swam into until the end, which was about 20 yards. We sat in knee deep water surrounded by the rock overhang and white-blue rock on the bottom. Pretty unreal! After a little while in there we got adventure and hiked up into the rocks and did a few epic jumps, but we were nothing compared to the local ten-year olds who, clad in their speedos, spider climbed up to scary heights and let it rip! Later in the evening after a brief nap and shower on the explorer we returned to the city for dinner. We found a nice spot and had a really fun time before going to a local bar that was filled with SAS kids. One thing we are learning is that AC in the bars here is highly optional and you should have seen the sweat pouring off everyone while dancing and having fun. It was foul! I hope to get a few pictures of all this up towards the end of the stay in Croatia because we plan to find internet and book hostels and ferries etc for the coming ports. Tomorrow we are going on a kayak excursion around a local island, stay tuned!
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| Big Red, Nataly, Russell, Linda, Katie, Alex, Jeff, Diana, Trevor, Natalia, and Bam Bam | swimming in Sorrento |
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| Bam Bam floating in the Med |
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| 2-3 ft on either side, with a 15ft deep swimming hole in the middle! |
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| THANK YOU MOM AND DAD! |
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| Sardinia to the south, Corsica was directly opposite and visible! |
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| Welcome to Italy! |
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| The Trevi Fountain |
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| Josh, me, and Trevor at the Fountain |
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| Inside the Pantheon |
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| Spanish Steps |
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| The room before the Sistine Chapel |
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| Casually hanging in front of the Popes house |
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| Coliseum |
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| Pikes Abroad |
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| Me, Katie, Josh, Nataly, and Alex going out in Rome for dinner |
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| Backpacking South |
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| Pick a city, take a train/metro/bus, The LIFE! |
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| Bam Bam running up to our train |
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| Sorrento marina |
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| Dinner in Sorrento |
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| Mussels and Linguine |
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| Capri Boat Trip |
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| Grottos |
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| Positano from above |
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| Positano |
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| Happy to see her after a week!! Next stop, Croatia! |
