Just a couple of countryside photos to start off (and this post has lots of pics, just to warn you).
Photo of a shepherd near tiny village of Avanos. After we took his photo, he handed us a note with his address to send the picture. Yes, Mehmet, we have posted your photos!

Sugarbeet farmers - the old bloke told me to wait for the younger bloke (his son?) who wanted to be in the pic. There are mountains of the sugarbeet piled next to the freeway.

Well we are now back in Istanbul after 10 hours of driving from the famous Cappadocıa regıon. Cappadocia is known for its strange rock formations and is a major tourist-hub. We got ther from driving up over the Anatolian plateau, seeing lots of snow-capped mountains nearby.

We stopped in at an old (12th Century) caravanserai to check out where the traders travelling the Silk Road would go for a break - complete with mosque and Turkish bath. We then stayed in Aksaray for the night - nice little city where we stayed in a Pension with the locals for 10 Lira each (~ 9aud). During our driving time we stopped along the way at an underground city. Now these are apparently dotted around Turkey and I think they're amazing! The locals used to go underground at times of seige and could live there for up to 6mths apparently. Inside there were lots of very small corridors (Mum, you would have hated it) and it was quite funny seeing Johnno folded in half to get through. I particularly loved the rounded stones that would be rolled across entrances to protect from attackers. They have holes in the middle through which the retreating villagers could attack.

Doorway rock with hole

Johnno folded in half

After our night in Aksaray it was another 150km or so to Ihlara Gorge. This place was lovely to walk around but it's nowhere near as stunning as Katherine Gorge, NT. Although it does have a few C11th churches and houses dug out of the rock which Katherine doesn't have (that I know of - Chloe??). We enjoyed the walking and clammering over rocks but in the end all three of us were frustrated by the lack of signage making it impossible to find some of the churches.

Made it Goreme in Cappadocia, found our hostel and relished being nearing a heater. It is a lovely hostel and the host was helpful - providing us with electric blankets thank goodness! We spoke to a shopkeeper in town who said it was -5 degrees. I was shocked!! The next day after a late start and some fantastic bircher muslie, we were off to what is called the Goreme Open Air Museum. It's basically a group of churches cut into the rock - the main museumy-type thing about them is that they're fenced off and you have to pay 10Lira before you can go through turnstiles to get in.

The great crane fights the karate show pony

An example of one of the frescoes in a church. This one in good nick, a lot aren't.

The famous rock formations

View over part of Rose Valley and some funny old houses.

FROST!!!!! I have an obsession with it - I am always asking "Is that snow????" "No!! It's frost, geez" (is the answer I often get).

The pancake makers - these pancakes were great! Spinach, cheese and potato. Lovely.

The pancake van!

Lei and I up high.

Push over damn you!

We went exploring for an old church (St John the Baptist?) on top of a hill full of old cave houses. They have all been abandoned and people are now in the new town. Lei and Johnno got up to a very interesting knob and there was a gap they had to get back across. It was high and the rock sloped away about 100m either side!! I caught Johnno jumping across, just in case they were his last moment.

Spot Lei and Johnno - they are up the top there... Anyway old houses in the rock.

So back in Istanbul. Well, eventually after Lei and I missed the turn-off last night - this is a city of over 20million people - the same as AUSTRALIA's population.... Anyway, our irate driver likes to rub our noses in it :)

We completed some shopping in the Grand Bazaar and the Spice market (much better than the crazy 'Hello, will you be my next customer' 'hello I have this in green, red, blue, orange with pokadots' (hassle-hassle) Grand Bazaar). Lei and Johnno got work shirts and presents for family while I picked up a few scarves and a work shirt also - plus some brilliant Turkish Delight!! So many different flavours and types (with coconut, nuts, plain etc.)

Don't know how I'm going to carry all this stuff on to my next destinations :)