Sally and I chose to stay at Old Greek House instead of the optional morning hike. We do a lot of hiking at home and we really wanted down time. We slept in just a bit, re-packed, had breakfast. I wrote some postcards and read. A few of the other members also stayed behind and we chatted with them. Those of us who did not do the hike got to visit a local farmer's market. When I say local, I mean more than near-by. This is a market for locals, not for tourists. A nice change from the markets in Istanbul. This is the kind of market where local housewives can buy all the food they need for the week and the pots in which to cook it. Local men can buy tractor parts. And anyone can buy a goat. If you need a cabbage the size of a baby hippo, this is your place. 
These aren't the hippo cabbages but they're damn big. 
These are dried tiny okra. Click to enlarge the photo. 
Beans, legumes, grains. 
Nuts and dried fruits. 
You'll see a brief shot or two of the almost monster cabbages (we saw bigger ones yet) and cauliflower. 
A new mosque goes up. 
Yikes, a bit more than a fender bender but no one was hurt. Everyone was up and walking around. It didn't involve us, we were just passing by. 
Another great door. 
We enter the restaurant for lunch. 
View from the terrace. The restaurant's wine cave. 
Don't miss the camel rock formation.
At Güray Seramik in Avanos we had a demonstration before shopping.
The detail on these pieces is amazing. 
No, we didn't and couldn't buy anything like this piece. But looking is nice too. 
Click to enlarge and you will spot the horse in the side of the hill. 
This young man was just watching the world go by.Karballa Hotel in Güzelyurt was once a Greek monastery when the town was called Gelveri. Historically, I mean way back in the day, this area was known as Karballa. Because we are still in region of Cappadocia, this area in and around Güzelyurt has rock churches and an underground city or two. Speaking of St. Gregory of Nazianzus, he was born around 330 AD to a wealthy family. His father was a bishop. He attended school with his friend, Basil, as in Basil the Great. He is known as the Trinitarian Theologian because of his lifelong work regarding the Holy Trinity and his defense of the Nicene doctrine of the Trinity. We talked about Nicea earlier, remember? Along with Basil and Basil's brother, Gregory of Nyssa, he was one third of the Cappadocian Fathers.
Doors everywhere. Which is our room? 
Here is our room. The bedspreads are handmade. Mine had Greek writing embroidered on it. Anyone care to translate?
Below is an enlargement of the photo of our room. The photo on the wall above the beds is of Gertrude Bell in front of a building that is still in Güzelyurt but I'm having a hell of a time identifying it. I did not see it while we were in town but I've spotted one or two contemporary shots of it online. I can't even find info on the name of the monastery. Very frustrating.Gertrude Bell was a British writer, adventurer, archaeologist, woman suffragist, diplomat, spy, political analyst, and I could go on.
The dining hall. Before dinner we had happy hour. Plenty of Efes beer in big bottles. The stuff is 5%. We're lightweights when it comes to the hooch so one Efes and we're tying scarves we're not wearing, know what I mean? 
Pauline, Glenda, and Karen. 
Sally is sporting her scarf, a la Faryihe. Return to Main Page or go straight to Day 7 - Güzelyurt to Konya.
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