19 Feb 2023
Our day with Mr. Umit was very meaningful to us. It was only a few days after the Kahramanmaras earthquake devastated so much in southern Turkiye. He shared that they could feel the earthquake, but nothing was destroyed in the Cappadocia region. He took us to visit a farming family in a small village for lunch. This was the BEST meal we had on our trip. The family grew everything they served. We got a more intimate understanding of the earthquake's effect on local people by meeting this family and Umit's other friends in a local cafe and businesses. We were humbled by the kindness we received by them all in the midst of personal loss and grief. I can only imagine how wonderful it would be to spend the day with Umit and his friends at a time when they did not have heavy hearts. I highly recommend this activity, as you will see a cave house left as it was since the family moved out only 20 years ago, visit a hipster cafe with coffee made over a wood fire and learn about the region from a lovely man who grew up there.