Turkey... and no rugs!

Hi again
I am much less grumpy today, so I thought I would post again in apology for last time! But in my defence, you have no idea how frustrating it is to have the keyboard letters in the wrong place. Call me a creature of habit, but I like my I to be where the I is supposed to be, not somewhere off near the enter key!!!
I am writing this in Goreme, Turkey, in a small hotel that looks like a traditional house. The owner reminds us a little bit of Manuel from Fawlty Towers... if you can imagine what he would be like freed of Basil Fawlty! All over the place! But he just gave us a flower each and an apple tea, bless. Argh, he's looking over my shoulder! Loves my photos, which have taken me hours to upload, feel lucky, people!!!
Turkey is incredibly different from Syria. It's almost like magic... you cross the border and everything changes. It's greener for starters and you actually see women with uncovered hair (weird!)
We've been through a couple of places but here is my fave, so I'll tell you about Goreme.
It's in an area known as Capadoccia. You might have heard of the fairy chimneys... that's what's in the photo at the top. They are formed from volcanic ash then eroded by water and time into what you see. Ancients carved them into homes, stables, churches... it's completely incredible. Somehow, though, the Smurf theme song keeps going through my head!
We've done some lovely walks and it's been great to get into greenery again afer the desert. So beautiful, too, wildflowers and those amazing chimneys, underground cities and temples. I've crawled through caves and hopped over rocks.
Outside nature there have been some other temptations, namely pottery (the photo of me at the top was taken in a pottery factory, using a kick wheel to throw a pot, sort of!) Fortunately all the pottery was very expensive and I was easily able to resist. Perhaps in Istanbul! Also today we went to a rug place where we were entranced by beautiful carpets. No I don't NEED one, but I WANTED one! Still, I resisted (thanks Mum for the blunt and timely text message!!! no I cannot afford one, you are SO right!) but I am a little tiny bit sad at the loss of such a lovely thing.
Anyway, I should really go as we are off to what our excellent leader Nina affecionately calls Tacky Turkish Night, complete with dancing and buffet.
Love to all,
D x x