To maximize my time in Cappadocia, I take an overnight bus from Antalya. It’s due to arrive in Cappadocia around 5am, drop people off, and then continue north from there.

As the hour of our arrival approaches, I get increasingly nervous about the situation. For one thing, it’s actively snowing. For another, everything is dark as we wind through the town of Cappadocia — as a major tourist site, I figured I’d see some lights on when we pull up… but even the bus station is closed. My hotel is in another section of town several miles away so I can’t get there until cabs start running.

The driver pulls over and I’m the only person to get off. I watch forlornly as the warm, cozy coach pulls away, leaving me behind with a pile of luggage in the dark center of town as snow drifts around me. I tug my hat down past my ears and wonder: Okay Erica… what now?

In lieu of answering that question, I take out my camera to capture the snow and stillness.

Beautiful, right?

By now I’ve dragged my luggage up hills and down slippery streets for about 45 minutes. I have not seen a single other person. My hands have lost feeling and I have trouble operating my camera; it’s time to make a plan.

On my way back towards the bus station, I stop at few hotels and peer inside at the reception counters — all of them are dark. Then a van drives by! I’m not thinking quickly and fail to flag it down, but to my relief it stops anyway and backs up to where I’m standing. Turns out it’s an airport shuttle and the driver is concerned to see me there alone. When I tell him where my hotel is — way on the other side of town — he offers to take me there. Twenty minutes later I’m sitting in a warm room! I’m so grateful for the driver’s kindness.

I have a few more images of Cappadocia to share…

Yup, they went there. I am a big fan of puns and the name alone earns my business two days in a row. Check out this presentation:

I spend the afternoon at the Open Air Museum, which I’ll detail in a separate post. Sun has set by the time I make my way back into town.

This man selling textiles spots me outside his shop with a camera and comes out to pose.

I spy the office for Voyager Balloons, the company that will take me ballooning over Cappadocia. I stop in and say hello to the manager, with whom I’ve exchanged several emails. Everyone is so friendly and welcoming.

Then I spot this cute cafe advertising “competition winning lentil soup.” At this point it’s freezing and soup sounds perfect.

This ends up being a very fun dinner. I’m the only patron so I chat with the waiter as he watches a Spanish-language telenovela. If memory serves, he’s from Iran and currently studying in Turkey. He fills me in on the plot lines and I’m reminded of just how easy it is to jump into the drama of a soap opera, even one in another language.

And I get baklava for dessert. Because it’s a day that ends in ‘Y’.

One more glance at Coffeedocia. Doesn’t it look cozy? I’m tempted to hang out and enjoy a hot chocolate.

The next morning I hire a taxi to visit a few key spots around Cappadocia, and I’ll save most of those photos for a separate post. But here’s a few snaps from a lookout near my hotel.

Ladies and gentlemen, may I present Cappadocia in all her splendor:

A bus load of tourists take turns climbing this ladder to pose with a tolerant camel.

This is Usichar Castle, which tourists can visit and climb. I settle for a shot of the impressive exterior.

After a day of touring the area, I return back to Usichar around sunset. These shots are taken a few blocks from my hotel.

Cappadocia is impressive in any light, and I am grateful to have witnessed its early morning glow — even if it meant dealing with numb extremities for the better part of an hour.