Day 7 - leaving Cappadocia

It was time to leave Cappadocia. On the way out, we stopped to "meet an Imam". (An Imam is a Moslem religious leader, similar to a pastor or priest.) They refer to this building as a "church mosque". It was originally a church, and then converted to a mosque, but it still has many features of a church.

This stairway led down to the well. There is another underground city in the area and it probably connects to this well. (We didn't go down or visit it.)
a beautiful rose
growing in the garden

a remnant from
church times
What I learned:
Five pillars of Islam:
1. Faith (There is no god but Allah, and Muhammed is Messenger of Allah.)
2. Prayer (five times daily)
3. Fasting (during Ramadan)
4. Charity (giving 2.5% yearly)
5. Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca)

We gathered around, sitting on the floor, and the Imam answered our questions about Islam (translated by Mine). My final question was: "What one thing do you want us to know about Islam?"

His answer: "All the violence you hear about in the name of Islam - that is not Islam. We are instructed not to kill anyone, even ourselves. Please pass this information on."

Medieval Caravanserai on the Silk Road

This was basically a day for traveling. And when we pulled in to caravanserai[*], we felt just like the weary travelers who have stopped here for centuries. It was a stopping point along the Silk Road. (Could Marco Polo have come here?)

Inside, an entire caravan (including animals) could stop to rest for up the three days. The huge rooms were amazingly cool on this hot day, because of the thick stone walls. Take a look at some of the beautiful stone carving.