I figured that group travel would be more palatable as an obvious tourist, paying upfront in exchange for a drop-off at the best attractions for exactly as long as I need to appreciate it, high-end gift shops selling magnet and the t-shirts that the locals wear, and all-you-can-eat buffets.
However, the Exchange Commission seemed to have given the hired bus driver an itinerary, a busload of 60 students, a paycheck, but no (English-speaking) guide. We were dropped off at a roadside strand of souvenir shops selling evil eye keychains and pashmina scarves across from a random but amazing rock formation or cave series, and we'd climb until the bus started honking at which point we'd climb down and allow ourselves to be shuttled to the next stop.
Unsatisfied with the time limits on my rock scampering, I decided to forgo the Outdoor Museum (series of churches carved into the rock and their frescoes) and instead climbed the trails and rocks surrounding the museum's land with another American. We ended up looking down on the museum's paths from about 200m up and could see across the canyons to Uçhisar Castle, local big deal.
Seeing a woman meditating 50m below us, we each found a ledge where we also sat cross-legged to meditate. Unable to concentrate on my inner peace, I started people-watching and realized that three instances of [ most anything ] constitutes a literary pattern and that three instances of meditators on rock cliffs overlooking a historically significant site full of camera-happy busloads constitutes a photo op.
I expect to be much scrapbooked in the coming weeks.
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