We awoke to clear skies and cool temperatures. Breakfast was at 8:00. It was the typical spread of olives, cheese, bread, several kinds of jelly and coffee. There were no eggs today. We all ate at a long table in the open-air lobby of the inn. It was a little chilly, but it was manageable.
At 9:00 we began a stroll through our village - Mustafapasa. We saw lots of rock formations, pigeon caves, people caves, old houses and a couple of wineries. We also visited a man whose summer home was a large open area tucked away in a small canyon. He was supposed to turn this area over to the government a few years ago because it had an old church with frescos on it. He fought the government and won. He has the site decorated with artifacts that he has found around the countryside. We sat in one of his caves and had some refreshments.
The Cave
Back at the inn, we snacked on tea and flat bread stuffed with cheese. Then we were off on the bus for a tour of the countryside with its other-worldly "fairy chimney" rock formations. We stopped at an open-air museum where caves served as early Christian churches. The frescos in the caves were well preserved.
Example of the Frescos
The highlight of the trip so far was our lunch that was served by a local family in their "guest house" which was a one-room baked brick house. The family consisted of four generations. Great grandmother, grandmother and her sister, daughter and her young son. The meal was white beans, salad and rice. Dessert was a local apple. After lunch we had a lively discussion of our cultures. Great grandmother and grandmother (who cooked the meal) were fairly reserved and were dressed in home-made harem pants and scarves. Sister was a teacher Ankara who wore Western clothes and was very outspoken. None of them spoke English so Sitar had to translate.
Great Grandmother, Sister of Grandmother and Grandmother
After lunch, we visited a rug weaving factory. We had one of the owners guide us through the weaving process and the silk-spinning process. With help from several assistants, he showed us many different rugs and explained the difference between them all. Some of our group bought rugs. We managed to resist.
Back at the inn, we had another sit-on-the-floor dinner. This time we had tomato salad, spiced bread balls, some flat bread with cheese in it, stuffed squash, meat balls, potatoes and fresh strawberries. After we ate, they cleared and rolled out the tables. Two musicians showed up. One played a stringed instrument like a guitar. The other played a small drum. The drummer also danced with castanets and then spoons. When the inn's entire family showed up, the drummer and then the family's young women coaxed everybody to dance. It was a fun evening.
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