Cappadocia - Fairy Chimneys and Underground cities

Cappadocia - Fairy Chimneys and Underground Cities.
We caught a bus to Avonos in Appadocia to see the Fairy Chimneys and underground cities.  Unfortunately the bus people were very rough with Mike’s bike and they broke the gear cable which he then had to repair. We were hosted by a Canas and  Alcam who already had two other couples staying with them, one from France the other from Austria, all foodies so we had great meals while we were here. The Fairy Chimneys were formed by erosion of lava exposing the formations that are the Fairy Chimneys.  The chimneys come in all sizes and shapes and thousands scatter the landscape. All along the roadside and into the distant mountains the chimneys can be seen and explored, people lived in them and doors, windows, cupboards and wine storage are still there. This is a World Heritage area and UNESCO have preserved some of the chimneys in the outdoor museum.  The chimneys in the museum are the remains of a religious settlement and includes a number of churches with frescoes which have been defaced but are now being preserved.  The refectory, where about 20 monks lived  has a table cut from stone. Also in this area are a number of underground cities where Christians hid in times of persecution from the Romans.  These cities were cut into the mountain and hollowed out to allow people to live in them for months at a time.  The porous rock absorbed the smoke from the fires, air holes ventilated the area, narrow paths with stone discs which could be rolled across to block entrances all served to keep people hidden and safe.
Canas has adopted a valley nearby and encourages his guests to buy a tree and plant it, so we now have a vested interest in Cappadocia in the form of a peach and a nectarine tree.
Our hosts left to go on a bike ride themselves, so we house sat until another couple arrived, enjoying the opportunity to have a break from camping and hotels.  The landscape is dry and dusty for the next 500 kilometres and it is very hot so we have decided to be kind to ourselves and catch a bus to Antalya on the Mediterranean Sea.