Day 18 & 19...funny how things can get out of hand

We woke up relatively early this morning to begin our long drive to Cappadocia. This is an old Byzantine city that was later taken over by the Greeks and finally the Turks who came rolling in. Its about a 5 hour drive from Ankara, but before we left we made a stop at the European Union Embassy. This was such an important part of the trip that it makes me sick!

The EU delegation was so welcoming and the building was so huge. It was a huge difference from the American Embassy. I mean, the American Embassy was a fort, but the EU building was a 12 story tower! It was so out in the open, so inviting, so friendly, that it made me worried. Not about safety, good heavens no. People are scared of me, not the other way around. Erock does not fear people. The security was the very tight. They wanted passports just like the US embassy. There were still the background checks, the ID cards that we had to wear and the surveillance, but it was not nearly as humiliating as walking into the US embassy. That hurt. Low blow fo sho. Think about it. It was easier for me as an American to walk into the EU Commission Building, the same building that is determining Turkey's fate on entering the European Union, than it was for me to walk into my own embassy! That's not cool. Think of the message that it sends to the Turks. Here is the EU building out in the open, inviting, and attractive, compared to the US Embassy, behind high walls, gates, armed guards and heavy security. If I were Turkish, and I'm not, but if I was, I would be thinking..."Europeans = friendly, America = not."

Any who, the EU representative, Diego (I know, fine name, for a fine looking man. He's Spanish. You know how I feel about dark skinned Spanish men. Holy Guacamole!) He was great. I mean not just to look at, but he was great. He was so knowledge about the situation in Turkey and the current political crisis. He answered all of our questions with sincerity. The guy really wanted to do his job, but let us know that he liked doing it to. He didn't seem bothered that 20 Americans had just shown up to poke and prod at his work. We like Diego and the EU!

After we left the EU (sniff, sniff) we continued on our way to Cappadocia. About two hours before the city are the famous salt lakes of Turkey. Its no joke. This is some mean salt too. It was everywhere, just like the Dead Sea, but it hurt to walk on. Let's just say that Erock got some free exfoliation for my toes. They're so pretty now!

We finally arrived at Cappadocia and will be spending the next four days in an old Ottoman House that was converted to a hotel somewhat recently. Its nice. There are three of us in the room this time and the added company is great. Kristin is a nice addition so Adrienne and I don't mind having her along for the ride. Having Kristin here helps to keep us in our place. Adrienne and I have gotten so use to be in hotel rooms together and sharing the tiniest bathrooms in the world that we can be a little too much. A short from going to the bathroom with the door open and using the sink in the bathroom while someone else is in the shower, nothing bothers us any more. However, Kristin is not accustomed to our barbarity so its good that she's here otherwise I'd go back home and continue my absurdity.

Our first day in Cappadocia was very unusual. There seems to be a stomach flu going around or something because everyone has been sick. Everyone in the group, with the exception of Adrienne, Kristin, our professor, Marianne and myself, have had at least one round of diarrhea, while some are on their second or third round. Some have driven themselves to the point of dehydration that they've had to spend days at a time in the hotel room. There also seems to be a regular flu going around as well. People are beginning to complain of soar throats and nausea. Jeff was our latest victim. After spending 2 days in the hotel we decided to take him to the hospital today. Patricia may be next to go. I checked on her twice today and she hasn't improved. She's also complaining of new symptoms. Its tough when you're in a foreign country because everyone has heard of hospital horror stories in other countries, but when you're sick, you're sick. No excuses.

After the trip to drop Jeff off at the hospital the tours had to continue. Cappadocia is a small city, but famous worldwide for its underground cities and dome rock formations. Most of these were built right out of the mountains because they were cheap, cool and easy to maintain, but the underground cities were built out of necessity. People who needed to hide, mainly early Christians when Christianity was the minority religion during the Roman and Greek Gods era, built the underground cities sometimes 6 stories underground! The are huge tunnels that have bedrooms, churches, cemeteries, kitchens, and living rooms. Others are a little less useful, like a wine room for example. I'm not much for subterranean living, but I gave it a try. It was just gross honestly. Something else that bothers me is the fact that Turkey sits on moving tectonic plates. Yep! The kind that produce earthquakes and they happen frequently. The usually are very violent as well. The issue is that Turkey hasn't had one in almost ten years so the time is ripe for another one...soon. So being 4 stories underground in rock caves on moving tectonic plates...call me crazy...but I'd have better chances with terrorists. I know...I sound like a Greek Chorus right now "Gloom and Doom...Gloom and Doom."

Well, that's enough adventures from this Indiana Jones. I'm going to dinner shortly and then we should be ready for some craziness in the morning!

Quote of the Day:
Tour Guide in the underground city: "After the pagans had left, the Christians then had to hide from the invading Turks and sometimes Arabs who came through the land. Look at how many doors there are in here. They are not secret escape doors. This is one purpose. Those hiding down here, Christian or not, would let their enemies come in, down the first level, the down the second level. Then they would lock the doors on the first and second levels and on the fourth levels, trapping their enemies on the third to kill them. I'm telling you, if I was an Arab, I would not want to come down here."

EROCK:"Is he saying I shouldn't be down here?"

Frankie: "Yeah, I'm getting that impression too."

EROCK: "Huh. Good to know." Shall we continue?"