refugees

Oh Cappadocia may have been my favorite place that we visited throughout the course of the trip through Turkey.  We explored endless caves carved by individuals all throughout the past 2000 years.  They cut houses, cities, monastaries, and churches out of soft volcanic rock. The one underground city we visited was 7 levels deep underground.  We climbed through rooms and houses, into churches, through narrow shafts and poking our head out of small windows opening into what had been a dangerous world outside.  This was a land filled with people in hiding.  Perpetually attacked by Romans or Arab raiders, the people often lived in fear for their lives.

One of my best memories was talking to a Turkish man at the carpet factory.  He began talking to me about how fast Turkey is changing.  "This counry," he said "has changed faster than any time before it.  I can understand my grand father's generation a little.  But my children are so far removed."  He said that when he brought his kids to the caves where their ancestors lived, he had to explain that they had no electiricity.  Upon hearing this, his son asked, "But dad, then how did they use their computers?"