Kayseri and the Magic of Cappadocia Redux

On May 5 (a Sunday) we (Randy, Sam and Alice) drove to Kayseri, a city some three or so hours southeast of Ankara.  We were somewhat delayed by the repair of our trusty Megane car.  It needed an oil change and the owner did not want us to travel until that was completed.  We had not visited Kayseri before and were looking forward to seeing this conservative city set in the valley below the impressive Mount Erciyes (Erciyes Dagi).  Moreover, we were seeing friends Mithat Zeydan, the head of industrial engineering who had studied with Alice for three months two years hence, and the Yilmaz's, Zeki and Canan.  These are the parents of our Auburn graduate Yucel (see future post on the trip to Izmir).  Zeki is a leading kidney transplant surgeon and former rector of Erciyes University, where Alice was to give a seminar on Monday.

The trio greeted us upon arrival and we were happy to see this clean and affluent city, looking especially appealing in the wonderful sunny weather.  We first went to the Kadir Has Museum.  Kadir Has was a leading Turkish industrialist from Kayseri.  Part of his considerable legacy is this museum which has very well done short films about different aspects of the city and area.  There is also an upstairs section devoted to Sinan, the tremendous architect of the Ottomans.  Sinan was a Janissary who became an architect relatively late in life (like in his late 40's or even 50's).  But, since he lived to nearly 100, he still managed to design a huge set of buildings, many of which still adorn modern Turkey.  His sole contribution to Kayseri is a mosque in the center city which we made sure to see the following day.

Mount Erciyes looms in the background of Kayseri

The modern Kadir Has Museum in the municipal park

A statue of the great man himself

The interesting map of Kayseri inside

Randy, Mithat, Zeki, Sam and Canan outside the museum

A modern but beautiful mosque near the Kadir Has Museum

Next was a drive up Mount Erciyes.  We went about as far as you can go with a car and marveled at the massif and the view below.  Erciyes is the second tallest mountain in Turkey, which is saying something.  It is beautiful and still had lots of snow up above.  The level we were at had a number of ski resorts and attendant restaurants and bars.  One lift was still working, not for skiing, but for enjoying the view.

Randy, Alice and Erciyes

Sam took this photo of the rest of us with our friend the mountain

Alice loves mountains and Erciyes is no exception

Another view opportunity came further down the mountain and then we visited the historic and upscale neighborhood of Talas where Erciyes University has a complex.  This complex was the first American school in Turkey, even predating the famed Roberts College in Istanbul.  The setting is gorgeous with gardens and seclusion and the buildings are venerable.  However, over the past several years they have fallen into disuse.  We hope Erciyes University will once again revitalize and utilized this gem of a campus in Talas.

A view of Kayseri from the road up/down Mount Erciyes

Another view

A hill side of caves near another scenic outlook near Talas

One of the original buildings of the Talas campus, now a part of Erciyes University

A cute cat statue at the Talas campus

A less cute horse statue in the same garden area

We checked into our rooms at the university guest house, a modern building on campus.  The rooms are very large and reasonably comfortable.  Next door are impressive town homes designated for the foreign faculty of the institution.  The group then headed for the central city and the attraction of dining in Kayseri.  This is a main attraction as Kayseri is renowned for a number of foods.  We had manti, long a favorite in the Smith household.  Manti is most famous in Kayseri and it did not disappoint.  This version of ravioli is heavy but totally worth the calories.  Along with this (as if we needed more) were a kofte stuffed in bulgar and fried (incirli kofte), excellent borek, sarma with tomato sauce (a Kayseri signature) and the Kayseri version of lahmacun which is called yaglama.  All were extremely tasty if heavy.  We ate happily and tried not to think about the tale the scale would tell when we returned to Ankara.  To top it off, there were nuts, fruits and baklava at Casa Yilmaz afterwards.  Our stomachs spent the whole night digesting.

Our dining spot for the evening

Sam is ready for some Kayseri chow

Zeki and Mithat are veterans of this tasty and hearty cusine

Canan and Alice enjoy as well

A plate of the side dishes (no salads and vegetables here!).  The Kayseri version of lahmacun is rolled with yoghurt in the center.  Dr. Zeki Yilmaz with his skilled surgeon hands rolled them with ease and made several for the rest of us

The star attraction - manti with its mantle of yoghurt, sumac, and hot pepper butter

The next morning brought a true Kayseri breakfast experience at Casa Yilmaz.  Canan fixed a morning feast of eggs with pastirmi (a dried beef that is especially noteworthy in Kayseri), tomatoes, cucumber, olives, honey and jams, baklava (left over from the deserts from the night before), and a kind of flaky pancake called katmer.  This was amazingly delicious with honeycomb.  As it filled the plate you can only imagine how much food was consumed by each person at this breakfast.  While Zeki urged us to eat he also commented on how obesity and such foods were contributing mightily to heart disease, kidney disease and diabetes.  Zeki himself is trim and did not overly indulge like we did in the breakfast delights.

Living room of the lovely and spacious Casa Yilmaz which had been a manager's home of the textile factory which occupied the site in the 1930's

Alice went off to work with Mithat and the Yilmaz's while Randy and Sam went to see some sights in downtown Kayseri.  Alice met with the Dean of Engineering and the Rector (President) of the university and then gave her seminar on academic publishing to a large and attentive audience.  Ericyes University presented her with a plaque with intricate painting in the historic Turkish style and a big bouquet of flowers which was turned over to Canan to enjoy.  Saying goodbye to the Yilmaz's, Mithat and Alice joined Sam and Randy in town.  We walked through the bazaar area and purchased a few things including the delicious honey comb we had had for breakfast.  We viewed the mosque designed by Sinan (the Kursunlu Camii with its lead roof) and also an older Selcuk mosque, the Kebir Camii.  We drove to a Selcuk tomb, the Doner Kumbet, that is noteworthy for its carving.  The weather was spectacular and views of Mount Erciyes were present everywhere.  Mithat had been the perfect host, even providing his own written summary of the history of Kayseri.  This man had done his homework!  We vowed to return to Kayseri in the future and spend longer at this surprisingly pleasant and historic city.

Alice is introduced for her talk by Dr. Mithat Zeydan

The presentation plaque and flowers after the talk

Alice with faculty and students of the College of Engineering

Mithat in the bazaar

Sam and Randy outside of the bazaar area

The Kebir Camii, a Selcuk treasure

Inside - the Selcuk style is much more austere than that of the Ottoman's

The simple but impressive dome

As with other Turkish buildings, historic columns from classical times have been reused

The nearby Medrese (Koranic school)

This is famed for its doorway carvings as seen above with Randy

The mosque built by Sinan in his hometown

Another view of the splendid forecourt

Inside the Kursunlu Camii

Some of the stained glass windows

The interesting carved door

The lead roof of the Kursunlu Camii

The Doner Kumbet, so called because of its conical shape

The carvings are magnificent on this Selcuk tomb

More carving detail

The tree of life

Animal details of the lions (see below for larger versions)

The lions, worn but still discernible

The palm tree

Detail of this palm tree (or is it a shaft of wheat?)

Sam and Mithat say Goodbye

A parting shot of Kayseri with its signature, Erciyes Dagi in the background

We drove the back roads (very rural!) to Urgup in Cappadocia.  It took about an hour or so and the landscape there was completely different.  Zeki had arranged our stay in Urgup and we were to be a new hotel called Kayakapi (Stone Door).  We couldn't find it even though we had the address.  With no phone number for the hotel, we had to ask in the street.  When we got in the right area a man Alice asked jumped in his car and led the way to the hotel, which was a drive up the hill along a narrow newly built road.  That is typical of Turkish hospitality to strangers.

This hotel turned out to be a paradise in the making.  The developers are making the first top end Cappadocian complex which would total 200 rooms, all made from historic cave homes, when completed.  As it is, there are only five or six done and the hotel had just opened a few days before.  Our suites were unbelievable.  Alice and Randy had their own indoor warm small swimming pool (a giant hot tub) along with two bedroom areas.  Sam had two full bedrooms with a fireplace.  Everything was done to a high standard and the rooms had king sized beds and expresso makers - yea!  Both suites had their own outdoor area with courtyards and tables and chairs.

Randy at the hilly entrance area of Kayakapi, a new cave hotel complex in Urgup

Randy at the entrance area of our terraces and suite

A view of our forecourt

The hill along which the cave rooms sit to the left with views to the valley on the right

Our luxurious home for one night

One of our terrace areas

Our outdoor kitchen which was not used during our stay!

Our cave bedroom area

Beams in the bedroom area

Entry area - the floors were heated and lighting was discretely placed in the floors and walls

Espresso maker and second bedroom area to the rear

Our private indoor pool - a giant hot tub

Other part of the pool room with Ottoman style couches and a fireplace

The toilet area was put in a cave niche

The shower and basin

A few historic robes were framed to adorn the walls in the suite

Zeki had also arranged dinner that at the hotel so we decided to stay put and enjoy the amenities.  Breaking open a bottle wine (and beer for Randy) we savored the views, the perfect weather  and the historic setting.  We then walked to the restaurant where we were served a multi-course traditional Ottoman meal outside near a wood fire.  The sun set over the Cappadocia hills and caves - what could be better?   We finished with desert and coffee/tea inside the cozy bar and restaurant area.  We were the only guests in the hotel that night and received lavish attention from the entire staff.

Randy warms up near the fire on the restaurant terrace before dinner

Detail of our lovely wood burning fire

Sam is ready for dinner

Alice and Randy await the culinary arts

On the terrace with the entire restaurant staff to attend us

The creamy soup to start

The interesting borek with pastirmi and cheese

A green salad

The main dish of lamb layered with bread and baked.  It was incredibly delicious and quite rich

Dusk on the terrace

The fire burns down and signals it is time to move indoors for desert

Sutlac (milk pudding) and baklava

A Turkish coffee (and soccer was on the TV)

In the morning we had breakfast on the terrace.  This, again, was a multi-course affair that included gozleme, omelets and all of the traditional Turkish goodies.  The sun was shining and we lingered happily.  The guest coordinator then showed us some of the rest of the site including a few of the rooms being developed and the historic mosque.  There is also a historic church but that was restricted from visitors at the time.  We reluctantly said good bye to KayaKapi hoping for the chance to return one day and experience the combination of total relaxation with extreme pampering in a unique and invigorating setting.   Thank you Zeki for this treat!!

Randy isn't sure he is ready to eat again!

Sam is impressed with the Turkish breakfast

View from breakfast

Enjoying the sun, the view and the food

Another view of Urgup from the terrace

Some of the other cave suites at Kayakapi

View of the hillside and town of Urgup below

A cave suite under development with original ceiling detail

The vivacious hostess Elvan of the hotel showed us around.  Sam is impressed with the cave suite before renovation

The mosque which will be renovated as well

Window detail of one of the buildings undergoing renovation

Entrance to the mosque

Interior is simple but with some nice details

The unusual painted rose detail in the mosque.  Another one is on the other side

The outdoor stairs leading to the tiny minaret

After breakfast we made a quick stop at the nearby Turasan winery, the largest in Cappadocia.  Tasting was not being done so we chose a few bottles (pretty well priced) and headed out.  We stopped, again briefly, at a look point we happened to find.  There were a number of U.S. and European hikers in the area, mostly middle or later ages.  It was a good view of the some of the wonders of the area.

The big Turasan winery at Urgup

It was established in 1943 and makes good wines - red, white and rose - and a champagne type which we bought for Cevahir's birthday celebration

View of Mount Ericyes from the scenic lookout between Urgup and Goreme

Some of the formations where hikers were walking in the valley

Sam and Randy enjoy the perfect morning and seeing the sights from this dead end road

Then, we accidentally found the Ayni Kilesi, or Mirror Church, on our way to Goreme.  It is called the Mirror Church because both sides of the inside are the same.  We headed down a dirt track into the middle of an orchard.  This wonder is in guide books, including the esteemed John Ash, so it was great to find it serendipitously.  It turned out to be an early painted church with a warren of monastic chambers around.  These included one that required going up a tiny and very dark set of stairs carved into the rock.  We should have known such was in store for us when the attendant gave us not only a ticket stub when we paid our five lira but also a flashlight.  Sam and I braved all of these monastic cells while Randy hung out in front of the church.  It was a great experience capped off by tea with the attendant.  The day was the lovely and we were reluctant to leave but we had to the get to the Goreme Open Air Museum at lunch time when the crowds are down.  The Ayni Kilesi is now on our list of must sees, not only for the setting and art but also because despite Cappadocia being heavily touristed, no one was there.

If you see this sign, do not pass it by.  It is definitely worth seeing!

The exterior - Sam and Alice climbed to the upper level where the windows are

Another view of the exterior which contains not only the church but quite a few cells and rooms for monks

A final view of the exterior

Blooming irises were outside here and many other places in the area

The simple but still vivid inside frescoes

The ceiling area

Another ceiling detail

Sam heading up the stairs inside with his flashlight leading the way.  Alice followed

View from one of the top windows

The pigeon holes - like most cave structures in the area this was turned into a pigeon place to gather dropping to fertilize the agriculture

A well preserved column in the church

One of the rather creepy monk's rooms

Some of the carved into areas for storage and cooking

Sam inside with holes in the wall for putting poles to hang clothes, food, etc.

Our friendly attendant makes tea

We enjoyed tea with him and perused a copy of a local guidebook.  The tiny stools were surprisingly comfortable

The Open Air Museum was the same as when we were there a week prior with Justin.  Lunch time is definitely the way to go as only one or two bigger groups were there and we usually had the small churches to ourselves.  We ran into Mehmet, our tour guide from before in the parking lot as we were leaving and he led us to the right road to see the two off the beaten track churches he had shown us before.  This time, without a guide, we picked up the key to the first one (Yusuf Koc Church) off the inhabited cave home, and unlocked and locked it back up.  The second (Durmus Kadir Church) was a bit harder to locate, being down a dirt track but we found it in the end and enjoyed its unusually Roman type architecture.

Again, repeating the successes of the previous Cappedocian trip, we stopped at Uchisar.  Now, most people take their photos from this stop and leave (including a lot of bus groups).  What you need to do is to also walk among the cave dwellings and fairy chimneys.  Sam bought some lace from the same elderly lady that Alice had bought from before.  We then headed to Adnan's cave home and bought some more handicrafts (this time knitted socks and gloves) and had a restorative Efes beer on the balcony.  We pretty much had the place to ourselves and chatted with Adnan and his father.  Alice also got to see their mother cat with her five small kittens in a box.

At the Goreme Open Air Museum

Another photo - notice the lack of crowds

The reward for our efforts of the day - a cold Efes at Adnan's place in Uchisar

While we had wonderful new experiences at Cappadocia (the Kayakapi and the Ayni Kilesi) we also returned to old friends including the random meeting of Mehmet.  This is a favorite place in Turkey - one worth making the effort to see even if you are not in Ankara.  And, Kayseri surprised us with its modern, affluent city integrated with some fine Selcuk and Ottoman buildings.  Of course, its prominent natural feature of Erciyes Dagi could not be bettered.