Thursday, August 8, 2013

A Dream Within A Dream

If Dr. Seuss was a Turk he'd most definitely be from Cappadocia. What a strange and beautiful place. The "fairy chimney" formations are remarkable shapes of whimsy, dollops of cream stone, pinnacles, castles, fat phallus forms, balanced rocks, witch hats, and many carved into years ago as homes, monasteries, churches, pigeon houses, storage areas. The history of the region goes back to 8,000 BC. Some of the rock hewn churches have original paintings inside that are 100s of years old when the Xtians moved in. It is all very mind-boggling. Cappadocia should be a number one choice for any traveler into art, history and nature. Walking through some of the valleys has been a perfect antidote to time in busy Istanbul. I am reminded of a mix of Death Valley, Zion and Bryce but all with it's own specialness. Four days was a good way to wind things down.

But I must admit that much of how I feel is dream-like. The walk seems so very distant now. It too does not seem real. How can something so long and arduous and indelible feel so far away? It's nearly as if it never happened. Someone explain this too me. Sure, I get a flash of a moment from my walk during the daytime but I have also gotten that from some of my vivid dreams too. Which is real? Maybe it has to do with the stopping of movement. When I walked the past several days in the valleys of Cappadocia I have felt very happy and invigorated again. Thoughts flowed freely. But when I've stopped for periods during my waking hours I have felt more muddled, unclear, not sure of who I am or where I am or where I was, what I did. Maybe I just need some time to ease back into a non-walking road life. I know I adjusted to life on the road, to a life of full, daily motion. And that took weeks.

I leave in a few hours for a bus to Ankara and then wait at the airport for an early AM flight(s) back to the US. It has only been 5 months that I have been away but it feels like a year. My body is looking forward to just sitting around for 24 hours but my mind is dreading it. At least the planes I will fly will be traveling at great speeds even if I will rest comfortably in a still chair.






1 comment:

  1. Your sleep waves are likely scrambled. This study isn't exactly on point but likely some things apply:

    http://bjsportmed.com/content/18/3/173.full.pdf

    Let us know when you are home safe! I KNEW you were going to look at those wild chimneys! -stacey

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