A mystical land exists in the semiarid lands of central Turkey. Much of Cappadocia consists of white volcanic rock called tufa. Rain and wind have shaped the soft tufa into rhythmic waves, tall cones and columns. While walking through these fascinating formations we were reminded of hiking in Bryce Canyon. |

The land is highly fertile - apricots, melons, grapes and tomatoes flourish. People have inhabited the region since ancient times. Local inhabitants used hand tools to hollow out thousands of the freestanding tufa formations. These cave-like rooms, carved from the living rock, once sheltered Turkey’s early Christians. A few are still in use today as comfortable houses, complete with doors and glass windows. They stay quite cool in the hot summers and warm in the cold winters . |
I mentioned earlier that most Turks are Muslim. Of them about 80% are Sunni and 20% Alevis or Shia. The majority Sunnis have advantages the Alevis don't - their religion that is supported by the government, Sunni beliefs are taught in the schools and all mosques are Sunni. In order to protect their customs and beliefs the Alevis tend to live in rural communities or in enclaves within larger cities. We had the opportunity to visit an Alevis village to learn more about these wonderful people. Our visit started with a conversation with the mayor who answered our questions...
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