Paradise

Ilhara Canyon, Cappadocia

 

Two days ago our tour guide took use for an easy stroll through the Ilhara Canyon. Cappadocia - at least historically- seems to he all about hiding. If you don't run up into a cave high up a cliff, you sink down into an underground city. A happy alternative is these canyons. The country side of Cappadocia is arid and rocky, but now and again you find these canyons carved by a river or stream. You don't know they are there until you nearly fall into them.

 

That would be a tough fall into the Ilhara Canyon. I think we went down about 400 steps getting from the lip to the bottom. Down there you find this lush green valley and a river filled with fish meandering beneath the cliffs. People of old have carved homes into the rocky cliff sides (again, protection just in case someone does find the canyon) and, of course, there are a series of cave churches with walls covered in different ages of Byzantine Church art.

 

It surprises me how so many of these ruins are left relatively unprotected. You can see some vandalism, but most of that looks quite old (some of the graffiti we saw dates to the 18th century). There was one church in another valley where Eastern Orthodox if old would go to carve their prayers and wishes.

 

We stopped at one little trail side restaurant/camp where this family carries in food and supplies in their backs, and runs a little outdoor cafe. I understand this family used to own a chunk of the valley before the government took it over as a park. By letting them run their cafe here they both incentivize some oversight of the place and offer some more compensation for the dispossessed locals. We saw a similar arrangement before where a local family retains the rights to collect a little fee and have a nice garden in and around a monastery valley.

 

Easy stroll in a cool place on a hot day. Of course, followed by the usual four or five courses of lunch.

 

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