TurkeyRizeŞenköyYayla Deresi40°57’33” N 40°57’45” E
August 17, 2019 in Turkey ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
Beautiful valley running from the Black Sea into turkey. Zil castle sits on a crag near the top. First are two looks at the valley. Then a couple looks at the castle. This castle is about the mostRead more
TurkeyNevşehirChurches of Göreme38°38’34” N 34°49’40” E
August 19, 2019 in Turkey ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
Cappadocia is an extraordinary place. I'm told that this was a lake that volcanic eruptions filled with ash, drying the lake. Later eruptions were magma, compressing the ash. Differential erosionRead more
TurkeyNevşehirKaymaklı Underground City38°27’36” N 34°45’7” E
August 20, 2019 in Turkey ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
Cappadocia is well known for its underground cities, used for protection. This is one of those. Only a few if the 8 levels are excavated. Some 8,000 people could live down here for up to 6 months. ThRead more
TurkeyAksarayBelisırmaIhlara Vadisi38°15’51” N 34°17’26” E
August 20, 2019 in Turkey ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
Beautiful valley in Cappadocia. They call it their local grand canyon. The pics are various views of the valley.
Many churches were built along here. See another post for St. George church.
TurkeyAksarayBelisırmaIhlara Vadisi38°15’35” N 34°17’32” E
August 20, 2019 in Turkey ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C
Unfortunately, the nave and the apse are collapsed, but many original frescoes remain. That is most of the pictures. The last is part of the surviving necropolis. All bones have been moved to aRead more
TurkeyAksaraySelime38°18’3” N 34°15’34” E
August 20, 2019 in Turkey ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C
Ancient monastery along the silk road, named for the sultan whose tomb is across the road. Innumerable conversions of traders, travelers, etc. to Christianity occurred here, with the converts takingRead more
TurkeyNevşehirChurches of Göreme38°38’19” N 34°50’42” E
August 21, 2019 in Turkey ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
Göreme has an open air museum the encompasses an area of stone carved residences and churches. These are pictures in several of those churches. Many of them had no photo signs. All are small by ourRead more
TurkeyNevşehirSarıhıdır38°42’43” N 34°54’34” E
August 21, 2019 in Turkey ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
Semâzen or whirling dervishes enact the revolving of all levels of creation, from atomic structure to resurrection.
The first pic is some me of the dervishes. The rest of the pics are of the oldRead more
TurkeyIstanbulFatihSultanahmetHippodrome of Constantinople41°0’24” N 28°58’43” E
August 23, 2019 in Turkey ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
A main square on the Sultanahmet section of Istanbul, surrounded by Hagia Sophia (picture 1), tomb of the sultan (2), the Blue Mosque (3), Hammam,Aka Turkish baths (4), and Topkapi palace. The fifthRead more
TurkeyIstanbulFatihSultanahmetSultan Ahmed Mosque41°0’19” N 28°58’35” E
August 24, 2019 in Turkey ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C
Large mosque at sultanahmet square. Legend has it the after the fall of Constantinople, the sultan decided that if th Christians could build something as magnificent as Hagia Sophia, the Muslims couldRead more
