>> male announcer: WELCOME TO TRAVELSCOPE, WITH JOSEPH ROSENDO, WHERE EACH WEEK, YOU JOIN US AS WE ACCEPT THE WORLD'S INVITATION TO VISIT.

>> Rosendo: TODAY ON TRAVELSCOPE, I TRAVEL ACROSS THE FAIRY CHIMNEYS AND UNDERGROUND CITIES OF CAPPADOCIA, TURKEY'S ARTISTIC, RURAL HEART.

>> announcer: TRAVELSCOPE IS MADE POSSIBLE BY DK EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDES.

DK CITY, COUNTRY, AND DRIVING GUIDES FEATURE EVOCATIVE PHOTOS, 3-D MAPPING AND ILLUSTRATIONS FOR KEY SITES, AND TRAVEL ITINERARIES.

DK EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDES: THE GUIDES THAT SHOW YOU WHAT OTHERS ONLY TELL YOU.

[man singing in native language] >> Rosendo: WE'RE IN CAPPADOCIA, ON THE EDGE OF A FANTASY LAND.

FAZLI, THIS IS EXTRAORDINARY.

WHAT HAPPENED HERE?

>> 7, 8 MILLION YEARS AGO, THIS VOLCANO ERUPTED AND FILLED THE REGION WITH VOLCANIC ASHES AND LAVA.

OVER THE MILLIONS OF YEARS, EROSION CREATED THESE INCREDIBLE VALLEYS.

>> Rosendo: IT IS SO AMAZING HERE WITH THE CALL TO PRAYER IN THE BACKGROUND AND LOOKING OUT ON THE SIGHT.

IT'S LIKE ANOTHER WORLD.

>> EXACTLY.

>> Rosendo: HOW COME THERE ARE THESE PEAKS?

HOW COME THEY DIDN'T ALL JUST GET ERODED AWAY?

>> THOSE MONOLITHS, WE CALL IT FAIRY CHIMNEYS, HAVE HARDER MIXED STONE CALLED BASALT.

>> Rosendo: IF YOU TAKE YOUR EYE AND YOU SWEEP IT ACROSS THE PLAIN HERE, THERE'S A TOWN DOWN THERE.

SO WHEN DID PEOPLE COME TO THIS AREA?

>> AS EARLY AS 5,000 YEARS AGO.

BACK THEN, THIS WAS A SACRED REGION FOR BRONZE AGE PEOPLE WHO LIVED AROUND THAT VOLCANIC MOUNTAIN.

THEIR NAME WAS HITTITES.

>> Rosendo: WHAT DID THEY USE THIS FOR?

>> THEY WERE ORGANIZING THESE BURIAL RITUALS, AND THEY STARTED TO USE THESE VALLEYS AS THE BURIAL CHAMBERS.

>> Rosendo: WELL, IT CERTAINLY HAS AN OTHERWORLDLY, MYSTERIOUS FEEL ABOUT IT.

SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO DISCOVERING SOME OF THE OTHER MYSTERIES OF THIS CAPPADOCIA AREA.

>> WITH PLEASURE.

>> Rosendo: WHILE THE CAPPADOCIA REGION COVERS A VAST AREA OF CENTRAL TURKEY, IN AND AROUND THE UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE GOREME NATIONAL PARK ARE MANY OF CAPPADOCIA'S MOST IMPRESSIVE NATURAL WONDERS AND CULTURAL TREASURES.

>> JOSEPH, NOW WE ARE WALKING INTO RED VALLEY.

>> Rosendo: I CAN SEE THE FARMS STILL UP ABOVE ON THE PLATEAUS, AND THEY'VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR CENTURIES.

>> AT LEAST THOUSANDS OF YEARS.

>> Rosendo: AT LEAST THOUSAND YEARS, MILLENNIUM.

>> MILLENNIAS.

>> Rosendo: WHEN IS WILDFLOWER SEASON AROUND HERE, FAZLI?

>> END OF MAY AND EARLY JUNE IS THE WILDFLOWER SEASON OF CAPPADOCIA.

>> Rosendo: BEAUTIFUL.

LOOK AT THE CAVE OVER THERE.

NOW, WOULD THAT HAVE BEEN NATURALLY FORMED, OR DID SOMEBODY CUT THAT IN THERE?

>> IT'S A MAN-MADE.

>> Rosendo: MAN-MADE?

WHAT A GREAT VIEW FROM THAT CAVE.

WAKE UP IN THE MORNING.

THIS IS WHAT YOU SEE.

>> JOSEPH, WE HAVE THE VINEYARDS OVER THERE, WINERY HERE, AND WE HAVE A CHURCH CALLED THE GRAPE CHURCH.

>> Rosendo: AND THESE ARE WHITE WINE GRAPES?

>> YES, AND THE NAME OF THE GRAPE IS EMIR.

>> Rosendo: HOW LONG HAVE GRAPES BEEN PLANTED HERE IN THE VALLEY?

>> AT LEAST 5,000 YEARS.

>> Rosendo: IT'S A NEW WINE COUNTY, EH?

>> YES.

>> Rosendo: WHY DO THEY COVER UP THE ROOTS LIKE THIS?

>> IN WINTER, TEMPERATURE HERE GOES DOWN TO FREEZING LEVEL.

>> Rosendo: UH-HUH.

>> SO THEY COVER THE ROOTS OF THE PLANT TO PREVENT THEM FROM FREEZING.

>> Rosendo: YOU KNOW, IS THERE GONNA BE A TIME FOR US TO BE ABLE TO DRINK AND TASTE SOME OF THIS?

>> SURE.

WITH PLEASURE.

>> Rosendo: ALL RIGHT.

WINE PRODUCTION IN TURKEY GOES BACK TO BIBLICAL TIMES.

THESE DAYS, THERE ARE MORE THAN A MILLION ACRES PRODUCING HUNDREDS OF INDIGENOUS GRAPE VARIETIES.

AT THE TURASAN WINERY IN URGUP, I SAMPLE CAPPADOCIA'S HOMEGROWN VARIETAL, EMIR.

HEY.

DO YOU MIND IF I HAVE SOME WITH YOU TODAY?

>> OF COURSE.

>> Rosendo: THANK YOU.

SO WHAT IS THIS?

WHITE WINE?

>> WHITE WINE.

THAT IS A CAPPADOCIA GRAPE VARIETY.

>> Rosendo: EMIR.

>> YES, EMIR.

>> Rosendo: HOW DO YOU SAY "PROST" IN... >> all: SEREFE.

>> Rosendo: SEREFE, SEREFE, SEREFE.

SEREFE.

OKAY, LET'S SEE.

DO YOU LIKE THIS WINE?

>> YEAH.

>> Rosendo: YEAH?

WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT IT?

>> ITS GOOD TASTE.

>> Rosendo: YEAH.

THAT'S--THAT'S-- >> I THINK IT HAS A GOOD MINERALITY.

>> Rosendo: IT HAS MINERALITY.

YOU'RE RIGHT.

IT IS A VERY-- IT'S NICE AND DRY.

>> YES.

>> I THINK THE WHITE WINE IS MUCH BETTER THAN RED WINE.

>> Rosendo: HERE IN THIS REGION, YEAH.

DO YOU GUYS DO THIS FOR FUN, SOMETIMES GO OUT WINE TASTING?

>> YES.

>> Rosendo: HEY, THEIR GLASSES ARE EMPTY.

>> YEAH.

>> Rosendo: HEY, HEY.

COME ON.

OKAY, HERE WE GO.

>> CHEERS.

>> Rosendo: AND ALSO, YOU.

[laughter] >> CHEERS.

>> Rosendo: MUSTAFA'S TAKING US DOWN INTO THE CELLARS.

LET'S GO.

>> THIS IS OUR FRENCH WINEMAKER.

>> Rosendo: BONJOUR.

>> HELLO.

>> Rosendo: HE WAS TELLING ME ABOUT SOME OF THE SPECIAL WINES AND GRAPES FROM HERE IN TURKEY THAT I'VE NEVER HEARD OF BEFORE.

>> YEAH, WE HAVE-- WE HAVE GOT SOME OKUZGOZU.

>> Rosendo: KUZGOZU?

>> OKUZGOZU, YES.

A GREAT VARIETY.

IT MEANS "BULL'S EYES," BECAUSE BERRIES ARE VERY BIG.

THIS GRAPE VARIETY COME FROM THE EAST OF TURKEY.

>> Rosendo: WELL, LET'S TASTE IT.

>> FIRST OF ALL, YOU CAN SEE THAT COLOR IS VERY DARK.

>> Rosendo: WHOA, IT SURE IS VERY, VERY DARK.

[sniffs] MMM, VERY NICE NOSE, THOUGH.

>> SOME CHERRY FLAVORS AND ALSO SOME COFFEE FLAVORS.

>> Rosendo: OOH.

THAT'S VERY NICE.

THAT'S SURPRISINGLY GOOD, YEAH.

SO I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THE TURKISH PEOPLE ARE QUITE WINE LOVERS.

>> AH, OF COURSE, THEY LIKE WINE.

>> Rosendo: WELL, IF THE WINE TASTES LIKE THIS, I KNOW WHY THEY CAN BECOME WINE LOVERS AS WELL.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Rosendo: SLAINTE.

>> SLAINTE.

>> Rosendo: SEREFE.

>> SEREFE.

>> Rosendo: PEOPLE HAVE LIVED IN CAPPADOCIA'S FANTASTIC FORMATIONS FOR EONS.

THE CAPPADOCIA CAVE SUITES GIVES THE MODERN-DAY ADVENTURER A CHANCE TO EXPERIENCE LIFE IN A FAIRY CHIMNEY IN COMFORT AND LUXURY.

THE IRON-RICH CLAY FROM THE BANKS OF THE KIZILIRMAK, OR RED RIVER, TURKEY'S LONGEST RIVER, HAS MADE AVANOS A CENTER OF POTTERY PRODUCTION THROUGH THE AGES.

THE TRADITION LIVES ON AT OMURLU CERAMIC.

GOOD DAY.

>> GOOD DAY.

>> Rosendo: NIHAT?

>> YES, SIR.

>> Rosendo: OKAY, GREAT.

HERE'S YOUR UNCLE HERE.

>> YES, HE'S MY UNCLE.

>> Rosendo: AND WE'RE IN THE TOWN OF AVANOS.

>> AVANOS.

>> Rosendo: WHICH IS FAMOUS FOR ITS POTTERY, I UNDERSTAND.

>> POTTERY, OF COURSE.

ACTUALLY STARTED BY THE HITTITES ABOUT 4,000 YEARS AGO... >> Rosendo: OH, MY GOSH.

>> HERE IN THIS TOWN.

AND WE STILL USE THIS ART FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION.

>> Rosendo: THIS IS USING THE OLD POTTER'S WHEEL.

>> THIS IS A KICK WHEEL, YES.

IT'S ALSO INVENTED BY THEM.

>> Rosendo: REALLY?

>> YES.

>> Rosendo: FROM 4,000 YEARS AGO?

>> 4,000 YEARS AGO, YEAH.

>> Rosendo: THAT'S THE LID.

>> THAT'S THE LID, YES.

AND AFTER HE FINISH PREPARE, WE DRY IT FIVE DAYS.

WE USE A WOODEN KILN FOR THE RED CLAY, ELECTRICAL KILN FOR THE WHITE CLAY.

MANY YEARS AGO IN THIS TOWN, IF A MAN DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO MAKE A POTTERY, HE COULDN'T EVEN GET MARRIED.

>> Rosendo: HE COULDN'T GET MARRIED?

>> NO.

>> Rosendo: 'CAUSE HE COULDN'T MAKE THE DISHES FOR HIS WIFE.

>> YEAH.

NOW WE WILL SEE IF THE LID WILL FIT ON TOP OR NOT.

>> Rosendo: I'M SURE IT FITS, BUT IT'S MAGICAL THAT IT DOES FIT.

LOOK AT THAT.

>> SEE?

[applause] >> Rosendo: FABULOUS.

IT'S A WORK OF ART.

NOW, IS THERE A SPECIAL COLOR THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH THIS AREA?

>> ACTUALLY, NOT THE COLOR BUT DESIGN.

WE NORMALLY USE THE TULIPS AND CARNATION, WHICH IS OUR NATIONAL FLOWERS.

>> Rosendo: NOW, I'VE NEVER DONE THIS.

YOU'RE GONNA--YOU'RE GONNA REALLY HAVE TO HELP ME.

>> TURN.

>> Rosendo: TURN?

>> YES.

>> TURN, TURN, TURN, TURN.

>> KICK THE WHEEL.

>> WATER.

>> Rosendo: WATER?

>> TURN, TURN, TURN.

>> Rosendo: AH, OKAY.

>> TURN, TURN, TURN.

>> OKAY, LEAVE YOUR FOOT OVER THERE.

JUST RELAX.

>> Rosendo: THANK YOU.

>> TURN, TURN, TURN.

>> Rosendo: NOW WHAT AM I DOING?

TURN, TURN, TURN.

HE'S GOT ME TURNING HERE.

TURN, TURN, TURN.

>> IT'S GETTING A LITTLE BIT WIDER.

>> IT'S A NICE BOWL.

>> Rosendo: YEAH?

>> LOOKS LIKE A BOWL.

>> Rosendo: IT LOOKS LIKE A BOWL.

>> [speaks native language] >> HE SAYS YOU'RE DOING GOOD JOB.

>> Rosendo: [gasps] OH.

>> YOU WILL GET HIRED.

>> Rosendo: TESEKKURLER.

>> NOW LIFT IT UP.

[clapping] AH, BRAVO.

>> Rosendo: THERE'S A HOLE AT THE BOTTOM, SO SOMETHING WAS DONE WRONG.

>> OH, A HOLE AT THE BOTTOM.

>> Rosendo: I THINK I WENT A LITTLE BIT TOO FAR.

OH, WELL.

WELL, TESEKKURLER.

THIS IS VERY, VERY NICE.

AND IT'S SO WONDERFUL TO BE A PART OF SUCH AN ANCIENT TRADITION.

>> TESEKKURLER.

>> Rosendo: I WON'T SHAKE YOUR-- >> TESEKKURLER.

>> Rosendo: OH, OKAY.

>> SHAKE HANDS.

>> Rosendo: TWO POTTERS SHAKING HANDS.

>> TWO POTTERS SHAKING HANDS.

YES.

>> Rosendo: TESEKKURLER.

FROM THE COCOONS OF THE MULBERRY SILK MOTH, ANOTHER ONE OF CAPPADOCIA'S FAMOUS ANCIENT CRAFTS IS MADE.

MR. TARKAN.

>> HELLO.

>> Rosendo: MR. TARKAN IS WITH THE YUKSEL CARPETS.

HE'S A CARPET EXPERT.

AND I UNDERSTAND YOUR SILK HAND-KNOTTED CARPETS START RIGHT HERE.

>> AH, YES.

YES, 'CAUSE THE MAIN THING IS TO PICK UP THE SILK FIBERS OUT OF COCOON.

>> Rosendo: LOOK AT THIS.

>> SEE, ONE COCOON HAS ONE CONTINUOUS FIBER UP TO 1 1/2 MILES IN LENGTH.

>> Rosendo: MY GOSH.

>> YES, ONLY ONE FIBER.

SO WHAT HE HAS TO DO IS, HE HAS TO COLLECT THIS SILK FIBER OUT OF COCOON CONTINUOUSLY WITHOUT BREAKING THAT.

BUT IF HE TRIES TO DO IT DIRECTLY, IT'S GOING TO BE BROKEN EASILY, BECAUSE AT THE SAME TIME, THERE'S A NATURAL GLUE WHICH KEEPS THESE FIBERS TOGETHER.

SO THAT'S WHY HE PUTS ALL THESE COCOONS INTO THIS HOT WATER, AND THEN HE USES THAT PRIMITIVE BRUSH, SO WHEN HE HOLDS IT UP, YOU WILL SEE ALL THE FIBERS ATTACHED TO THAT BRUSH, JUST LIKE THAT.

>> Rosendo: OH, MY GOSH.

LOOK AT THAT.

>> AND TO BE ABLE TO GET THE FIRST SILK THREAD, HE HAS TO PUT 25 FIBERS TOGETHER.

>> Rosendo: IT LOOKS SO DELICATE, BUT IT'S A VERY STRONG FIBER.

>> THIS IS THE SECOND STRONGEST ORGANIC FIBER OF THE WORLD.

THE STRONGEST ONE IS SPIDER WEB.

SEE THE COCOONS?

>> Rosendo: THEY'RE UNRAVELING RIGHT FROM THE COCOON.

>> LET'S SEE IT.

>> Rosendo: OH, MY GOSH.

IT FEELS ALIVE.

>> FOR ABOUT 1 1/2 MILES.

>> Rosendo: AS IT UNRAVELS, IT FEELS ALIVE.

SO NOW, HOW MANY COCOONS WILL IT TAKE TO MAKE A RUG?

>> JUST IMAGINE, FOR SUCH THICKNESS, WE NEED ABOUT 500 SILK FIBERS.

THAT MEANS 500 COCOONS ONLY FOR ONE SINGLE SILK THREAD.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT 360,000 COCOONS ONLY FOR... >> Rosendo: ONE LINE.

>> THREE FEET, YES.

>> Rosendo: MY GOD.

SO NOW WE KNOW HOW WE GOT TO HERE.

NOW LET'S GO AND SEE HOW THIS BECOMES A TURKISH CARPET.

>> SO LET'S GO TO WORKSHOP THEN.

NOW, PLEASE, HAVE A LOOK AT HER FINGERS.

THIS IS THE MAIN DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MACHINE MADE AND HANDMADE CARPET.

I MEAN, THOSE TIES CAN BE FOUND ONLY ON HANDMADE ONES.

AND I'LL TELL HER TO MAKE IT SLOWLY.

[speaks native language] SHE GETS TWO THREADS.

AND THEN SHE FORMS TWO LOOPS AROUND TWO OF THOSE THREADS.

THEN SHE PULLS THAT DOWN AND CUTS IT AT THE BOTTOM.

THIS IS ONE DOUBLE KNOT.

THEN SHE WILL BEAT THEM DOWN WITH THIS IRON COMB.

[comb thumping] THE FINAL PROCESS IS GOING TO BE TRIMMING THESE BY USING SCISSORS.

>> Rosendo: HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO FINISH ONE OF THESE CARPETS?

>> IF YOU TALK ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR PIECE OVER HERE, WE NEED TWO, TWO AND A HALF MONTHS.

>> Rosendo: LET'S GO LOOK AT THE FINISHED PRODUCT.

>> OF COURSE.

THIS IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST END OF CARPET PRODUCING OR CARPET WEAVING.

I MEAN, WE WORK WITH 1,800 WEAVERS, BUT ONLY 2 OF THOSE LADIES CAN WEAVE THIS CARPET.

THIS CARPET HAS 1,089 DOUBLE KNOTS IN A SQUARE CENTIMETER.

>> Rosendo: THIS IS A MASTERPIECE.

>> THE WEAVER OF THIS IS NOT A WEAVER ANYMORE.

SHE IS AN ARTIST.

SHE IS THE VIRTUOSO OF WEAVING TECHNIQUE.

IF YOU ARE NOT AN EXPERT, TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHICH CARPET HAS MORE OR LESS KNOTS, THE BEST TO LOOK AT THE BACK OF IT.

>> Rosendo: THANK YOU FOR SHOWING ME THIS.

I'D NEVER THOUGHT OF CARPET MAKING ON THIS LEVEL.

>> IT'S MY PLEASURE.

[chuckles] >> Rosendo: WHILE ARTS AND CRAFTS ARE IMPORTANT TO THE CULTURE, MOST OF THE TURKISH PEOPLE MAKE THEIR LIVING OFF THE LAND.

WHEN IT COMES TO FOOD, TURKEY IS ONE OF THE FEW SELF-RELIANT NATIONS IN THE WORLD.

PEPPERS, EGGPLANT, GARLIC, AND POTATOES.

>> BEANS, ARUGULA.

>> Rosendo: STRAWBERRIES, LOQUATS, PLUMS.

I'M SURPRISED AT ALL THE DIFFERENT CROPS THAT ARE GROWN HERE IN THIS LOCAL AREA.

IT'S LIKE A LITTLE BIT OF EDEN.

>> YES.

>> Rosendo: PARADISE.

>> CHERRIES.

>> Rosendo: CHERRIES.

>> YOU KNOW, THE HOME COUNTRY OF THE CHERRY IS TURKEY.

>> Rosendo: YOU KNOW, I'M BEGINNING TO THINK THAT THERE ISN'T ANY FRUIT THAT ISN'T GROWN IN TURKEY, EXCEPT MAYBE BANANAS.

>> WE GROW BANANAS SOUTH OF CAPPADOCIA.

WE GROW LEMON.

WE GROW KIWIS.

OUR KIWIS ARE MORE DELICIOUS THAN NEW ZEALANDERS' KIWIS.

>> Rosendo: ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE NOTICED IN ALL THE MARKETS ARE THE TEA SELLERS.

AND THEY OBVIOUSLY GO TO THE DIFFERENT SHOPS.

THEY GET ORDERS FOR TEA.

THEY GO BACK TO THEIR TEA SHOP.

THEY COME OUT TO DELIVER IT.

EVERYBODY HAS THEIR VERY IMPORTANT TURKISH TEA.

THIS IS WONDERFUL SERVICE.

>> IT'S VERY NATURAL.

>> Rosendo: VERY NATURAL.

VERY NATURAL.

>> WOULD YOU LIKE DRINK TEA?

>> Rosendo: WELL, SURE.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

>> MINIMUM TWO, IF THERE'S SUGAR INSIDE.

>> Rosendo: TWO PIECES OF SUGAR.

>> IT'S NOT REAL, TWO PIECES.

>> Rosendo: IT'S NOT REAL IF IT DOESN'T HAVE TWO PIECES.

>> YEAH, OTHER PEOPLE: TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX, SEVEN.

>> Rosendo: TWO IS GOOD.

TWO IS GOOD.

IT'S WONDERFUL.

>> YES.

>> Rosendo: TESEKKURLER.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> WELCOME.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

>> Rosendo: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[men shouting in native language] I KEEP HEARING THE VENDORS YELLING OUT.

WHAT ARE THEY SAYING TO US?

>> THEY ARE SAYING, "BUYURUN."

>> BUYURUN, BUYURUN, BUYURUN.

>> IT MEANS, "YES, PLEASE.

YES, PLEASE."

>> Rosendo: YES, PLEASE, YES-- [man shouting] WHAT'S HE SAYING?

>> HE'S JUST CALLING OUT THE NAME OF THE VEGETABLE HE'S SELLING AND THE PRICE.

>> Rosendo: OKAY.

SO... [man speaking native language] >> HE SAY, "IT'S VERY DELICIOUS, VERY DELICIOUS, VERY DELICIOUS."

>> Rosendo: DELICIOUS, DELICIOUS, DELICIOUS.

THAT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE AN INVITATION TO A TURKISH FEAST.

AH.

>> WE HAVE TRADITIONAL TURKISH COOKING HERE CALLED KEBAB: CHICKEN, LAMB, SPICY MINCED MEAT.

>> Rosendo: WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO EAT THIS?

>> GET LITTLE BIT OF EACH DISH TOO ON YOUR PLATE.

AND WITH YOUR BREAD, JUST HAVE IT.

>> Rosendo: WHAT DO WE HAVE HERE?

>> WE HAVE HUMMUS, BABA GHANOUSH, YOGURT ON THAT ONE.

>> Rosendo: MMM.

VERY GOOD.

TESEKKURLER.

HOW DO YOU SAY "BON APPETIT" IN TURKEY?

>> AFIYET OLSUN.

>> Rosendo: AFIYET OLSUN.

AFIYET OLSUN.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Rosendo: TURKEY IS RICHLY INFLUENCED BY MANY CULTURES, EVEN THE NAME CAPPADOCIA IS A GIFT.

IT DATES BACK TO THE PERSIAN CONQUEST AND MEANS "LAND OF BEAUTIFUL HORSES."

THE HORSES ARE STILL BEAUTIFUL AND RIDING THEM, YET ANOTHER CAPPADOCIA PLEASURE.

WOW.

THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE, AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL TO SEE ON HORSEBACK.

>> YEAH.

>> Rosendo: NOW I UNDERSTAND WHY THE OLD NAME OF CAPPADOCIA MEANT "THE LAND OF THE HORSES."

THE STORY OF CAPPADOCIA CAN BE TOLD IN TWO PARTS.

THE FIRST PART IS THE GEOLOGY OF THE AREA, THESE FANTASTIC FAIRY CHIMNEYS.

THE SECOND PART IS ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO LIVED HERE AND WHO ARE LIVING HERE STILL.

PEOPLE HAVE LIVED IN THIS AREA FOR 5,000 YEARS.

IN THE FIRST CENTURY, THE EARLY CHRISTIANS CAME HERE AND TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE FORMATIONS AS PLACES TO HIDE FROM THE PERSECUTING ROMANS.

IN THE FOURTH CENTURY, SAINT BASIL, WHO WAS BORN NEARBY, ESTABLISHED THIS MONASTERY HERE, WHICH IS NOW THE GOREME OPEN-AIR MUSEUM.

>> THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST PRESERVED CHURCH OF CAPPADOCIA, KNOWN AS DARK CHURCH.

>> Rosendo: UH-HUH.

>> BETWEEN 11 AND 13 CENTURY, THESE PEOPLE DRAW THESE IMAGES.

ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR BYZANTINE SCENE IS LAST JUDGMENT DAY.

>> Rosendo: AND IT'S VERY WELL-PRESERVED.

SOME OF THE FIGURES IN HERE HAVE BEEN VANDALIZED.

>> BETWEEN 1924 TILL 1960, THESE PLACES WERE ABANDONED.

>> Rosendo: THAT'S TOO BAD.

>> AND A LOCAL VANDALIZER OFFENDED BY THE FACES, AND THEY DEFACES THESE IMAGES BETWEEN THESE TIME.

>> Rosendo: THESE FIGURES TELL THE STORIES FROM THE BIBLE, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT FIGURE.

I'M NOT A BIBLICAL SCHOLAR, BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT STORY.

>> THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING STORY.

YOU SEE GREEK PAGAN LEGEND MIXED WITH THE CHRISTIAN STORY.

>> Rosendo: OH.

>> IN THIS CASE, YOU SEE JESUS CHRIST TAKING THE ADAM AND EVE FROM THE UNDERGROUND WORLD OF HADES.

ACCORDING TO BIBLE, ADAM AND EVE COMMITTED THE FIRST SIN.

>> Rosendo: RIGHT.

THE ORIGINAL SIN, YES.

AND THEY WERE SENT TO HELL, AND THEN JESUS GOES BACK TO GET THEM.

NO, I DON'T REMEMBER THAT IN THE BIBLE.

YOU'RE RIGHT.

>> THIS IS UNOFFICIAL RECORD OR UNOFFICIAL STORIES TOLD BY THESE LOCAL PEOPLE IN CAPPADOCIA.

>> Rosendo: AND THEY WERE ABLE TO INCLUDE THEIR OTHER MYTHOLOGY.

THAT HAPPENS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD IN MANY PLACES THAT WE'VE TRAVELED.

IT'S A SYNCRETISM, IF YOU WILL.

FASCINATING THAT IT'S ALSO HAPPENING HERE.

>> YES.

>> Rosendo: THE ANCIENT CHRISTIAN PRESENCE LITERALLY FORMS THE FOUNDATION OF PRESENT-DAY CAPPADOCIA.

>> BELIEVE IT OR NOT, INSIDE OF THIS ROCK, THERE IS A HUGE CHURCH.

TAKE A LOOK.

>> Rosendo: THIS IS EXTRAORDINARY.

>> AMAZING, ISN'T IT?

>> Rosendo: THIS WAS A SOLID ROCK, AND THEY CARVED ALL THE ARCHES, ALL THE PILLARS, THE DOME, RIGHT OUT OF THE ROCK.

>> EXACTLY.

CAN YOU IMAGINE THE ENGINEERING?

THE CONCEPT AND THE PLANNING THEY HAVE IN HERE IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE BUILDING A ORDINARY CHURCH OR BUILDING OUTSIDE.

THESE PEOPLE, THEY CARVED THEIR CHURCHES, THEIR HOUSES, THEIR STABLES AND EVERYTHING.

AND THEY HAD A INCREDIBLE LIFE HERE.

>> Rosendo: LIVING UNDERGROUND.

>> LIVING UNDERGROUND.

>> Rosendo: AS WE'VE SEEN, THE COMPRESSED VOLCANIC ASH THAT MAKES UP THE CAPPADOCIA REGION CAN BE CARVED BY WIND AND RAIN INTO THESE FANTASTIC FORMATIONS AND ALSO CARVED INTO CAVE DWELLINGS AND STORAGE VAULTS.

WELL, THAT'S JUST THE BEGINNING.

THERE ARE MORE THAN 30 UNDERGROUND CITIES HERE, SOME THAT THEY ESTIMATE COULD HOLD UP TO 30,000 PEOPLE.

WE'RE AT DERINKUYU, ONE OF THE MOST EXTENSIVELY EXCAVATED OF THE CITIES.

SOME PEOPLE SAY THAT THESE UNDERGROUND CITIES WERE FIRST BUILT BY THE HITTITE CIVILIZATION ALMOST 4,000 YEARS AGO.

THEY WERE AN AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY, AND ONE OF THEIR PRODUCTS THEY PRODUCED WAS WINE.

THIS WOULD BE A VAULT ON THE BACK OF WHERE THE WINE GRAPES WOULD BE SQUEEZED AND CRUSHED, AND THE GRAPE JUICE WOULD COME OUT THROUGH THIS SPOUT HERE TO BE COLLECTED AND TAKEN OFF TO BE FERMENTED AND ULTIMATELY DRUNK.

IF YOU'RE GONNA LIVE UNDERGROUND, YOU'RE GONNA NEED THREE THINGS.

YOU'RE GONNA NEED FOOD, AIR, AND WATER.

SO HERE'S TWO OF THEM RIGHT HERE.

THIS IS A VENTILATION SHAFT, AND THERE WERE THOUSANDS OF THEM THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

AND OF COURSE, WELLS.

IN FACT, "DERINKUYU" MEANS "DEEP WELL."

PERHAPS THE HITTITE CIVILIZATION AND CERTAINLY THE EARLY CHRISTIANS, WHO WERE HERE IN THE FIRST CENTURY, USED THESE UNDERGROUND CITIES AS DEFENSIVE POSITIONS, PLACES TO HIDE AWAY FROM INVADERS AND THE ROMAN PERSECUTORS.

THEY SEALED OFF THESE PASSAGEWAYS WITH THESE HUGE STONES, WHICH THEY WOULD ROLL ACROSS THE OPENING.

IT MADE THE PASSAGEWAYS IMPENETRABLE.

AND IF YOU INSISTED, THEY'D TAKE A SPEAR AND STICK IT THROUGH THE HOLES AND CONVINCE YOU OTHERWISE.

THE UNDERGROUND CITIES ARE A MAZE OF PASSAGEWAYS AND TUNNELS AND BRIDGES.

THIS ONE, DERINKUYU, GOES DOWN EIGHT STORIES.

MOST OF THE TUNNELS ARE VERY, VERY NARROW.

THIS ONE'S WIDER AND WAS DEEPER.

IT WAS USED BY THE DONKEYS THAT WOULD TAKE GOODS BETWEEN THIS UNDERGROUND CITY AND ANOTHER ONE THAT'S ABOUT 9 KILOMETERS AWAY.

WHILE THE PEOPLE NO LONGER LIVE UNDERGROUND IN CAPPADOCIA, THOUSANDS CONTINUE TO THRIVE IN THE FAIRY CHIMNEYS THAT RISE OUT OF THE LAND.

WHAT'S THE NAME OF THIS LITTLE VILLAGE?

>> UCHISAR.

IT MEANS "POINTED FORTRESS."

BELIEVE IT OR NOT, MY GRANDMOTHER, SHE WAS BORN IN ONE OF THESE CAVE ABOUT 100 YEARS AGO.

>> Rosendo: REALLY?

NOW, FAZLI, SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, I'VE NOTICED A DIFFERENCE.

THINGS HAVE BEEN SLOWING DOWN.

I CAN FEEL VERY CALM AND SERENE.

THE ONLY PLA--TIME I'VE FELT LIKE THIS WAS WHEN I WAS IN MACHU PICCHU IN PERU, UP THERE IN THE ANDES.

IT HAD A SAME FEELING TO IT, A VERY CALMING, PEACEFUL FEELING.

DO THESE ROCKS HAVE ANY CERTAIN QUALITIES?

>> THIS PLACE BEEN ATTRACTING MANY PEOPLE THOUSANDS OF YEARS, AND THEY ALL BELIEVE THAT THEY BECOME MORE CREATIVE IN THIS PLACE.

I AM FROM THIS REGION.

I COME HERE VERY OFTEN.

WHENEVER I COME HERE, I FEEL VERY CALM.

CAPPADOCIA IS GOOD FOR YOU.

>> Rosendo: [laughs] SO IT SEEMS.

I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME I LOOKED AT THE GRAND CANYON, AND I HAD PRETTY MUCH THE SAME TYPE OF FEELING.

THE SCULPTED ROCK, SOMEBODY'S HAND THERE CHIPPING AWAY.

[exotic percussive music] ♪ ♪ I'VE DONE SOME HOT AIR BALLOONING IN THE PAST BUT NEVER IN A PLACE QUITE LIKE THIS.

FEELS LIKE WE'RE IN OZ OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW?

IT'S LIKE DANCING UP HERE.

IT REALLY IS LIKE DANCING.

[fire whooshes] LEAVING THE EARTH.

WE WERE JUST SCRAPING THE GROUND, PRACTICALLY, EARLIER.

OH, LOOK AT THIS VALLEY HERE.

LOOK AT THIS.

WHOO.

YOU CAN REALLY SEE THE GARDENS HERE ON TOP OF THE PLATEAU.

ANOTHER ADVANTAGE OF GETTING UP ON A HOT AIR BALLOON IS YOU GET A GOOD PERSPECTIVE OF ALL THE PLACES YOU'VE BEEN HIKING AROUND AND EXPLORING DOWN BELOW.

BIRD'S-EYE VIEW, I GUESS, IS ONE WAY YOU'D CALL IT.

COMING DOWN QUICKLY.

HE'S GIVING US A LITTLE THRILL RIDE.

WOW.

THIS IS PRETTY NEAT.

PRACTICALLY REACH OUT AND PICK ONE OF THESE FLOWERS.

JUST ABOUT TO HIT GROUND.

THAT'S IT.

THE BIGGEST SHAKING OF THE WHOLE TIME IS THE GUYS PUSHING US ALOFT.

WHAT A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE.

[applause] [cork pops] [mild cheering] >> OH, BRAVO.

>> NICE TO MEET YOU.

OKAY, OKAY.

>> Rosendo: TESEKKURLER.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME ON MY CENTRAL TURKEY ADVENTURE.

TURKEY IS WHERE THE EAST AND WEST COLLIDE.

AND IN THE CAPPADOCIA REGION, IT'S AS IF THE COLLISION HAPPENED HERE, WHERE VOLCANIC ASH FORMATIONS, FAIRY CHIMNEYS, SPROUT OUT OF THE LAND AND TOWER OVER BEAUTIFULLY SCULPTED VALLEYS.

CAPPADOCIA, IN TURKEY'S RURAL HEART, IS A NATURAL WONDER AND A CULTURAL TREASURE CHEST, WHERE LIFE IS SLOWER, THE WELCOME IS WARM, AND THE PLEASURES TRADITIONAL.

AND WHILE THE FAIRY CHIMNEYS ARE FRAGILE AND EVER-CHANGING, AND THE MODERN WORLD THREATENS TO ERODE VILLAGE TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS, IN CAPPADOCIA, THE LAND AND LIFE HAVE SURVIVED AS THEY HAVE FOR MANY MILLENNIA.

TO EXPERIENCE THAT STEADFAST ENDURANCE IS REASON ENOUGH TO COME.

TILL NEXT TIME, THIS IS JOSEPH ROSENDO REMINDING YOU OF THE WORDS OF MARK TWAIN: "TRAVEL IS FATAL TO PREJUDICE, BIGOTRY, AND NARROW-MINDEDNESS"" HAPPY TRAVELING.

>> announcer: TRAVELSCOPE IS MADE POSSIBLE BY DK EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDES.

DK CITY, COUNTRY, AND DRIVING GUIDES FEATURE EVOCATIVE PHOTOS, 3-D MAPPING AND ILLUSTRATIONS FOR KEY SIGHTS, AND TRAVEL ITINERARIES.

DK EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDES: THE GUIDES THAT SHOW YOU WHAT OTHERS ONLY TELL YOU.

FOR A DVD OF TODAY'S SHOW OR ANY OF JOSEPH'S TRAVELSCOPE ADVENTURES, CALL: OR ORDER ONLINE AT: YOU CAN ALSO EMAIL US AT: OR WRITE US AT THE ADDRESS ON YOUR SCREEN.

>> Rosendo: NOW THAT YOU'VE SEEN THE FAIRY CHIMNEYS OF TURKEY, LEARN MORE AT TRAVELSCOPE.NET, WHERE YOU CAN FOLLOW MY WORLDWIDE ADVENTURES THROUGH MY BLOG AND PODCAST.

KEEP IN TOUCH.

NEXT TIME ON TRAVELSCOPE, I HEAD OUT ON SAFARI TO WILD SOUTH AFRICA TO MEET THE PEOPLE AND RUB SHOULDERS WITH CHEETAHS AND ELEPHANTS.

Captioning by CaptionMax www.captionmax.com >> TURN, TURN, TURN.

>> Rosendo: NOW WHAT AM I DOING?

TURN, TURN, TURN.

HE'S GOT ME TURNING HERE.

TURN, TURN, TURN.