The city goes down for 8 floors (100m down) and covers a vast area.  It must have been quite a feat to cart all of the dirt out when it was being made, not to mention carry in and out all the everyday requirements.  Apparently it was only used in times of war when the whole population of the area moved underground and lived a communal subterranean existence.  Each family had its own living space but there were communal kitchens, laundry and washing area.  There was also a large central meeting room (which has been turned into a night club and which was closed for winter).  The whole city apparently provided refuge for approximately 10,000 people.  An altogether impressive place. 

The remainder of the day was taken up driving North to Goreme – the land of the ‘Fairy Chimneys’ and rock houses.  The landscape is volcanic and is extremely weird when you first lay eyes on it.  In fact, I’m not even sure if I can describe it – have a look at the photos instead!  We booked into a fantastic and friendly hotel, the Hotel Phoenix.  Enjoyed a cup of Turkish tea, a chat and advice on what to see and where to go locally.  We then set out to see the rock dwellings (still lived in) for ourselves.  A most unusual place!