Balloons with Breakfast
A lovely morning in Cappadocia, Turkey.
At 4:30 AM, we crept up to our rooftop in Cappadocia, Turkey, careful not to disturb the stillness of the night sky. Taking in the vast haze engulfing the darkness above, we could barely make out the mountain silhouette in the distance. But slowly a warm glow began to permeate from the horizon and a calming sensation glided through the air with each shining beam. For just a few moments, there was nothing else to think about. The day ahead was bursting open with each ray that casted into the sky.
Then we saw them - the faint glow of balloons.
Situated in the vast lands of the Central Anatolia region - roughly a nine hour drive east of Istanbul - Cappadocia attracts visitors from all over the world - mostly for the grand show that takes place every morning. Hot air balloons take to the sky everyday and the passive act of watching them fly over the unique landscape of the region was spectacular. Volcanic rock, shaped by erosion, has resulted in long white towers and vast caves spread throughout the area. These have been nicknamed the ‘fairy chimneys’ given their majestic formation and collectively it was one of the more distinct landscapes we’ve seen. In the Byzantine and Islamic eras, homes and places of worship were carved into these formations. Today, many of caves have been renovated into hotels and restaurants to support the growing tourism in the region. We were lucky to book one of these cave hotels that provided pristine views, and like many patrons, we ventured up to the rooftop each morning to see the show.
Listening closely, you could hear the gas fire ignite and see balloons light up in the distance like fire flys at dusk. Suddenly a parade of them formed in the air casting colorful notes against the blue sky. Balloons floated by, some sinking down as low as our eye level and coming within reaching distance. People in baskets would peep down with their hands flailing energetic waves. Over the next 30 minutes, balloons would begin to make their way down, landing almost as quickly as they ascended.
This same routine happens every morning. The rise of the sun greets hundreds of balloons to the sky while guests from below marvel at the spectacle. For the cave hotel patrons, an authentic Turkish breakfast awaits them afterward. We made our way to a small terrace as the balloons began to land. A server approached simply asking us if we would like our breakfast the traditional way. We gave an eager nod of approval as he disappeared to the kitchen.
It wasn’t long before a spread of plates paraded out of the kitchen, expelling sweet, salty, and sour flavors. Here was our first taste of a Turkish breakfast, or ‘kahvalti’ - a variety of bite-sized delicacies we were eager to try. Olives and cheeses were stacked in small ramican bowls perfect for a pre-breakfast appetizer. We then tried Menemen - a Turkish style omelet loaded with peppers and tomatoes - which quickly became our favorite morning dish. Ingredients were slow cooked in a sauce pan, creating a fluffy texture of the eggs with a deep pepper flavor. We sheepishly asked for the recipe from the hotel manager, but he wouldn’t dare divulge his family’s secret recipe. Lastly, we were introduced to Turkish baklava. Being slightly less sweet and a little more nutty, it trumped Michael’s adoration of Greek baklava. My alliance still lie with the Greeks but we proceeded to eat this every day while in Turkey.
The zesty breakfast jolted our tastebuds awake and we were ready to explore the unique rock formations, cave dwellings, and all the other spicy foods Cappadoccia, had to offer.
