Day 61: An Unexpected Panic Attack, Derinkuyu

In 2013, construction workers demolishing low income homes discovered entrances to a network of underground rooms and tunnels. The city halted the housing project, called in archaeologists and geophysicists, and began investigating. Near the town of Nevsehir, lies an extraordinary underground complex known as the Derinkuyu. This is just one of the many underground networks and complexes found in the Cappadocia region.

We arrived at Derinkuyu car park just in time for brunch. I made some tea and toast, whilst Craig took a stroll over to check out the entrance. He returned to find an old lady sitting on the pavement outside of Vin. I have no idea of her name but she was such a dear with a beautiful smiley face. I tried to offer her a chair and a cup of tea but she was adamant she was ok. However, I think I hit her sweet spot with a few chocolates. Clearly the lady never receives any attention and the fact, I showed her some kindness made her tearful.

It made me feel even more sad for her. She hugged me and kissed me with such warmth, it made me want to cry. When she stood, she started to chitter in Turkish but sadly, I couldn’t understand. She waved her walking stick and trotted off. Minutes later she was back with handfuls of fragrant herbs, dirt included! Of all the countries I have visited, Turkey certainly wins hands down when it comes to people. I will never forget all these little moments, truly beautiful. (Click to enlarge)

We paid our 35TL entrance fee and descended in to the complex. The underground city spans more than 8 levels and plunges more than 80 meters deep. Hardly surprising the city takes its name, meaning “deep well”. It is complete with ventilation shafts, wells, water tanks, stables, apartments, communal rooms, and tombs. The walls of the rooms are completely undecorated, but chisel marks are clearly visible.

In its day, it was able to accommodate thousands of people at any given time. About 150 feet underground and it felt like thousands of people had returned. We hit a tourist traffic jam just as the escape tunnels start to get pretty dam small. It was pitch black. I crouch down in a tiny tunnel barely wider than my shoulders and start to crawl. With hundreds of people in front and hundreds more about to block me in! I took a deep breath but something did not feel right. I started to shake.

Craig is crawling right behind me and he is chatting away, telling me how the stone door that we have just passed was rolled in place to seal the tunnel. Boom, my bloody heart starts beating like the clappers. I try and shake it off but that voice in my head kept say “what if some plant pot shuts the door?”. “All these people in these ancient tunnels, what happens if they collapse?”

By now, the line of tourists in front of me had ground to a halt and I was trapped with my head up some one else’s arse. It all got way too much and panic set in. In a very clear voice “Craig, get me out of here now”. We shuffled backwards making everyone reverse until we reached a tiny cave. We turn around and proceed to make our way back towards the entrance. I have never felt so relieved to feel open space. I wanted Craig to carry on without me but he wouldn’t, so we headed outside. At the ticket booth, several people asking for their money back. They were complaining about the sheer volumes of people underground and the ridiculous queues. Despite their efforts, the attendant refused to return their entrance fee. We walk back to Vin and my heart rate returns to normal.

With our underground visit cut short, we drive on to our next port of call, Ihlara. We park at the Ihlara Valley Visitor Centre at a cost of 15TL (£2). The upper car park has toilets but the lower car park is much quieter and offers shade from the scorching sun.

Our Bumble paid parking spot at Ihlara GPS position N038.253561, E034.301922

We get the dudes ready and after paying our entrance fee of 30TL, we set off down the valley. The natural beauty of the area is obvious as soon as you descend down several hundred steps the the gorge. Nearby, the magnificent Mount Hesan, a dormant volcano that gave birth to Ihlara canyon overlooks the region. After the eruption, tectonic movements produced high pressure in the Earth’s crust, reshaping it and creating cracks that led to the formation of the canyon. Inside the canyon you won’t find any of the fairy chimneys but instead you have amazing rock formations like basalt columns, caves and dozens of churches and monasteries.

This Ihlara entrance provides direct access to the area that holds most of the valley’s churches, Walking offers a tremendous sense of solitude and after this mornings fiasco, it is rather welcome. The valley is riddled with rock cut churches and monastery, some dating from the Byzantine era.It is believed that the valley housed more than four thousand dwellings and a hundred cave churches decorated with frescoes. Around eighty thousand people once lived in the valley.

It is very pleasant to walk through the valley by the vineyards, poplars and pistachio trees to the sound of the Melendiz River. Surrounded by a wildlife of lizards, frogs, butterflies and birds all of which Mac n Tosh love to chase. The valley is still, as it has been for 1000 years, a sanctuary, lacking cars, satellite dishes and overhead wires and things that seem to be everywhere in the world but here.

In the evening, the air chills and its time to bring out the duvet. A sign summer has gone and autumn is on it way, sigh.

37 thoughts on “Day 61: An Unexpected Panic Attack, Derinkuyu”

Our Bumble paid parking spot at Ihlara GPS position N038.253561, E034.301922

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37 thoughts on “Day 61: An Unexpected Panic Attack, Derinkuyu”