There have been better days …

Hello!

I’m writing from our cave room at Sultan Cave Suites – suite 312 – in Goreme (Cappadocia), which, fortunately, has some semblance of heat as well as real satellite TV – Eurosport 1, 2 and many others!  So … the story of today.

We were up about 7:30 and down to breakfast about 8 am, as this was our last day in Kayseri.  It was interesting, as the hotel has set up a big booth in the lobby, and I think they are passing out all sorts of information about skiing in the area.  The breakfast room was certainly filled with skiers and snowboarders.  Back to the room after breakfast, and reassembled and ready to go down about 9:30.  We both went down to check out, and while I dealt with the bill, Robert and a bellman went upstairs to get our luggage.  As it turns out, while all this time we were thinking our little Peugeot was safe and warmish and dry in a garage, he was, in actuality, directly in front of the hotel, with icicles and about 3” of snow all over him.  One of the bellmen tried sweeping him off, but the 3 TL ice scraper that we bought as a lark was really more use.   

Early morning view from our window!

Loaded up the luggage, and on the road.  The first problem we had was that there was absolutely NO heat coming out of the vents.  [This was the first clue of the coming problem.] 

On the road to Goreme

L

Lots of snow...

Seriously – we could see our breath, and it was truly freezing.   Something on the order of -7, which would be like 18 degrees F.  As we were driving, knowing that we had to do something about lack of heat, suddenly, in the middle of the control panel in front of me came the big red word: STOP.  Even I know what that means, but what was the problem?  As it turns out, the water light went on at the same time, and while I tried to nurse the car along, hoping to get to the Kayseri airport where we figured we could get some help, the car just died … I was able to turn off the highway and on to a secondary road, where I pulled up and stopped in front of a pastrami shop.  (Pastrami is apparently a very big thing in Kayseri, and they claim to have originated it!)  Robert went inside the shop, and actually found a very helpful gentleman whose English was pretty good.  They called the car rental place (in Istanbul) and explained the situation.  By this time, I had moved into the pastrami shop, and the lovely ladies inside found me some very hot chocolate to drink; that helped a bit. 

Nice mountain peaks

Goreme fairy chimney!

We also made contact with the consolidator with whom we had arranged for the car rental.  The wonders of cell phones the world over!

Finally got word that there was help coming – seriously, I had contemplated leaving the car right where it was until spring or later!  And in a very short time, up pulled a platform tow truck that was able to hoist the car onto its back.  Then back into the bowels of Kayseri we went.  Once there, between Robert’s German and one of the managers German and slight English, they were able to look the car over.  Apparently, the car was in dire need of fluids – out of water, antifreeze, etc.  And, hard to believe, but within an hour, they had the car up and running again.  We, of course, got to pay the bill – 150 TL, which equates to something like $40, which we will collect from the rental car company.  They also washed the car for us, which it desperately needed, and in an hour or so, we were on our way to Goreme in Cappadocia. 

Our king room, 312

Spacious and COLD!

The main problem, that they pointed out to us, was that the car does NOT have snow tires on it, and we were definitely in a snow area!  So … to Goreme.

The D300 was actually in excellent shape, and most of the way to Goreme (about an hour’s drive from Kayseri) was fine.  However, when we got to Goreme, we realized that under NO circumstances could I get that car with those tires up the hill.  So, we went back to the center of town (not far), parked the car and took a cab up the steep hill to Sultan Cave Suites.  Very, very nice reception there, and into our room, 312.  This is our second visit to Sultan Cave Suites, and the people here are really lovely.  They showed us to our room, which isn’t Hattusas cold, but not warm by any means.  The heater has been working full-time, and this evening, we’re going to make a fire in the fireplace, so hopefully we won’t freeze! 

View from our balcony

Brrrrrr....

The manager did run us down the hill to town, and we walked around for 15-20 minutes.  But seriously, it is SO cold that it is uncomfortable to be outside at all!  We’ll see how my silk long johns work tomorrow!  As I say, we looked around town a bit, and then grabbed another cab (10 TL approx. $2.50) to get back.  Decided that glasses of red wine would work better on getting us warm, so went into Seten, the hotel’s wonderful restaurant, for two glasses of excellent dry red Turkish wine.  We’ll be heading back down to the restaurant (which literally is beneath our room!) soon for what I know will be a wonderful dinner.  Right now, I could use some Advil for my headache!  So, with that, I will turn the blog over to Robert for a few words!  Oh, and Katy, where we’re staying, it’s 3,730 feet; Kayseri was 3,440 feet.

All of this could make for a pretty discouraging day but you work the problem and move on.

Cold it is but the snow-covered countryside is beautiful in its own way. 

Lovely Seten Restaurant

And a little red wine always helps!

We do feel rather spoiled when we think about how people dealt with the heat and cold before air conditioning and furnaces.  Actually, though, we prefer being modern softies.

m

xxx

View out the restaurant window!

Slightly warmer...

Great soup!

R's beef and accompaniments

My chicken stuffed with spinach and mushrooms!

Back from a truly lovely dinner at Seten Restaurant, here at the hotel.  For starters, we both had big bowls of hot tomato/lentil soup.  Just what the doctor ordered!  Robert followed with steak cooked rare and served over a bed of French fries and yogurt.  I had the stuffed chicken breast with spinach and mushrooms – it was fabulous!  All washed down with an excellent Turkish red wine – kinda like a Zinfandel.  No room even left for dessert!  Back in our not-quite-so-cold room, with a fire starting up…I’m thinking of sleeping in my silk long undies with sweat pants and hat … wow!

m

xxx