Paşabağ and Devrent Valleys

We thought we were done for the day, but Togay had two more stops in mind, and assured us they would be quick.

Paşabağ Valley

We had seen the strange rock towers from above during our balloon ride - they looked like giant mushrooms. Now we would see them from below. Although there are fairy chimneys all over Cappadocia, Paşabağ (pah-shah-bah) Valley is known for its large clusters - a veritable forest - of these fanciful rock formations. It’s also called Monks Valley, for the Christian hermits who lived here long ago, in dwellings carved into the soft rock.

We wandered along the paved path and goggled at the fairy chimneys. Some of the “stems” were surprisingly slender, and we wondered how much longer they would last before the wind eroded them and their basalt “caps” collapsed.

Devrent Valley

Next was a scenic overlook with unusual pink rock formations. One was popularly known as The Camel - though I agree with Togay that it looked more like a snail. There were too many vehicles for the tiny parking area, but Mahmut handily found a spot, and we jumped out to enjoy the view for a few minutes.