A freakish fall after the balloon ride left me sore and incapable of pursuing such hectic sightseeing for the next few days. So a whirlwind tour of the remaining sights in Cappadocia followed.
Our first stop was the Guvercinlik Vadisi or the Pigeon Valley located on the the periphery of Uçhisar town and overlooking the Göreme Tarihi Milli Parkı or the Göreme National Park...
The farmers and monks of Cappadocia had a special affinity for pigeons, in the Byzantine era and the years that followed. They built pigeon houses or dovecuts in the rockface...
Farmers used these cave pigeon houses to collect the droppings of pigeons which made for an excellent natural fertilizer for the orchards and vineyards...
In Mumbai, pigeons are considered as "flying rats" spreading pestilence...
But it's a different story here...
Guvercinlik Vadisi has hiking trails. Would have loved to hike here but I couldn't because of the freakish injury...
Warding off the evil with Kem Göz or evil eyes...
Kem Göz are talismans that are believed to ward off curses cast by a malevolent glare, which is usually given to a person when they are unaware. Many cultures believe that receiving the evil eye will cause misfortune or injury.
The idea of such talismans exists among different cultures, in the Mediterranean, Middle East and Central Asia. This idea also finds a mention in the Old Testament. These talismans are now used as decorations in the region and have become a popular souvenir for tourists.
The landscape here is breathtaking and we will carry back these memories when we return from Cappadocia later today...
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