The gallery here documents the second half of my Cappadocia tours, and the final day of my holiday around Turkey. It was a bittersweet finale: the tour, of course, was fantastic, and while part of me was sad to leave my solo-nomad ways behind, another part of me was definitely ready to get back to Istanbul – to sleep in my own bed, be in a familiar area, see my cat, and see my friends. Before I could get there, though, there was a full day of touring ahead of me, not to mention a lengthy and trying overnight bus ride.

My last day was awesome, though, and full of more fairy chimneys and kooky rock formations, plus some gorgeous ceramics and a pottery kebab! The proof, as usual, is in the photos, so enjoy the last colorful chapter of my vacation. I’ve been pretty busy exploring and working since returning, but I’ll be back soon with some updates on life back in Istanbul. In the meantime, all my love!

Pasabag Monks Valley, famous for its fairy chimneys!

Pigeon holes.

We had mostly free reign over the area, and it was fun to climb and explore.

We made a very brief stop in Devrent Valley, also known as Imagination Valley, named so because of the various shapes, animals, and faces people see in the rock formations. This is a photo of the most famous: a camel.

Before lunch we stopped for a tour and demonstration at a local pottery maker.

Hand crafted and hand painted.

After firing in the kiln. The left side is glazed, the right side is not. People on the tour seemed to think it was magic, but having worked in a pottery studio, it was all old hat to me!

The tour continues!

Entrance to the Open Air Museum.

Pottery kebap! Meat and vegetables stewed inside a clay pot, then broken open tableside.

Apart from biting into the occasional bits of clay, the meal was a delicious one, and the perfect way to cap off the vacation!