Haunting Zelve...

Our first halt after the brief break at the Imagination Valley was the abandoned village of Zelve...

Towering "chimneys" all around us...

Located 10 kilometres from Göreme, on the Avanos highway, Zelve is an abandoned cave village, which once housed one of the largest communities in the region. It had dwellings, religious chambers and shops all in caves like these. 

Here, Christians of Greek ethnicity and Muslims lived until 1924. Then Christians had to leave the Valley because of the exchange of minorities between Greece and Turkey. The remaining Muslims were forced to evacuate the village in the 1950s when life became dangerous due to risk of erosion. They were resettled in a modern village, a little further on, which was given the name Yeni Zelve (or New Zelve).

The interior of one of the caves. It was quite cool inside...

A Christian cross...

The sights here are amazing...

It's as though nature is an artist...

Not long ago, this place would have been so colourful...

...with kids running around, playing and men and women following their daily routine!

And there is an eerie, a haunting silence...

Weathered by the elements...

These chimneys look as though they are guarding Zelve...

A congregation of "chimneys"!

From the shade...

The Trio...

Life would have been tough in these parts...

Each shot was incredible in itself...

A last look at Zelve...

...as we head back!

And time for a creamy and delectable Turkish ice cream, to be beat the heat!

The theatrics, of course are free!

And we are set!