The name means "Land of Beautiful Horses." But it might just as well have been called the "Land of Fantastic Shapes," the "Land of Rock Hewn Churches" or the "Land of Underground Cities." Its out-of-this-world landscapes led George Lucas to consider using it as a setting in Episode I of Star Wars.

I have wanted to visit Turkey's Kapadokya region (known in the West as Cappadocia) for years, ever since friends told me about its fantastic rock formations. It seemed like a photographer's paradise. But with Turkey bordering on Syria, Iraq and Iran, and it being a predominantly Muslim country, I had reservations about making the trip. When I told friends I wanted to visit there, their eyes would open wide and they'd say "Oh no! Isn't there a travel warning for Turkey?" Then I met some people who had been there recently and who said my fears were totally unfounded. Turkey, they said, was a warm and welcoming country — and no more dangerous than a visit to New York City.

Even so, I didn't feel like making the trip without expert guidance. Most of my photographic travels have been with a sole partner, and I like exploring on my own. I didn't really want to be dragged from tourist trap to scenic overlook by a tour guide. When a friend told me about a tour company that emphasized interaction with the local culture, I took the plunge.I couldn't be happier with the result.

TURKEY: A UNIQUE SOCIETY

Turkey is a fascinating country. It is predominantly Muslim, but most of its people practice a very moderate form of Sunni Islam. There are Christians, Jews and agnostics as well. In Istanbul alone there are 157 churches and 17 synagogues. Turkish citizens have the right to adhere to any religion or philosophical belief, but not to wear religious symbols such as headscarves or crosses in governmental or public institutions. Only civil marriages are legal. Religious marriages are optional and must be in addition to civil marriage. Many Turkish Muslims drink liquor. In short, Turkish Muslims are unique. They would probably be considered infidels in other Muslim countries such as Iraq or Saudi Arabia.

The Turkish Constitution requires that the government be secular, and attempts to bring religion into it have been strongly resisted by the educated middle class and the military.

Turkish women have had the right to vote and hold elective office since the early 1930s. The constitution guarantees "freedom of expression" (It's ok to "criticize" the government, but not to "insult" it) and prohibits editorial control of news media by the government.

Like any country, Turkey does have its extremists. As for Turks on the street, they are as friendly and hospitable as people anywhere.

Turks are not Arabs. Many are descendants of nomads from Central Asia and are quick to make this distinction. The Turkish language is included in the Altaic language group, along with Mongolian, Korean and Japanese.

Turkey is home to an amazing amount of history and peoples: Hittites, Persians, Greeks, Romans, early Christians and Ottomans. Most of the sites mentioned in the Old Testament are in Turkey. Turkey's New Testament sites include Tarsus (the birthplace of St. Paul) and Myra, where St. Nicholas (aka Santa Claus) served as a bishop in the 4th century. Meryamana, near Ephesus, was supposedly the last home of the ageing Virgin Mary. The True Cross is said to be buried in Istanbul at the site of what is now the museum St. Sophia. Last but not least, Turkey is the home of the classical city of Troy.

My tour included many of these historic sites, and led to many interesting photographic opportunities. But the main focus of my travel was Kapadokya.

KAPADOKYA

Kapadokya's origins lie millions of years ago in a huge volcanic eruption that spewed lava and pumice over hundreds of miles in central Turkey or Anatolia. Since then, the effects of wind, rain, and temperature extremes have carved the landscape into fantastic shapes. During the eruption a soft under-layer of tufa, or solidified volcanic ash, was covered with a much harder layer of lava. The soft underlayer has eroded, leaving "caps" at the top of tall mushroom like formations. The tufa is soft until it comes into contact with air, making it ideal for sculpting homes, hideaways and churches out of living rock. Most of the resulting dwellings and churches were abandoned hundreds of years ago in favor of more modern structures. But some people still live in the excavated spaces, which provide a temperate retreat from bitterly cold winters and sweltering summers. A few ancient structures have even been converted into hotels.

There are around 600 rock-carved churches in Kapadokya, and more are still being discovered. During the Roman era, until the reign of Emperor Constantine, Kapadokya was a sanctuary for Christians trying to escape persecution. Churches and small monasteries literally carved their way into isolation and safety. With the Arab invasions of the 7th through 9th centuries, entire underground cities were carved. Some go as deep as eight floors, to a depth of 180 feet. These cities were places for the early Christians to spread their faith safely away from invaders. They included missionary schools, baptism pools, kitchens, food pantries, warehouses, wells, wine cellars, graves, stables, sleeping quarters and heavy stone doors to keep out intruders.

A TURKISH WELCOME

After a few days of visiting historical sites in Istanbul, our group boarded a plane to Kayseri, where we transferred to a motor coach that would take us on the rest of our journey. Our first stop was at a small village of Alawite Muslims. The Alawites are Shiites, and although they make up about a third of Turkey's population, they are considered a religious minority.

Our arrival was clearly a big deal. We were welcomed by the village headman and the chief of police, who served us tea in their little headquarters. A small wood stove stood in the middle of the room. Pictures and busts of the founder of the modern Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk ("Father Turk"), were prominently displayed. After a short question and answer period translated by our guide, Nigar Aksu, we piled back on the bus and traveled to a small group of houses standing in the middle of vast agricultural fields. There, a small group of middle-aged women stood waiting for us. The women all wore headscarves and heavy sweaters, and looked very much like people you might see in Russia. We broke into small groups and followed our individual hostesses to their homes to be served a home-cooked meal.

The home I visited was neat, clean and very modest. Shoes came off at the door to maintain cleanliness. There was not a lot in the way of personal belongings — just the bare essentials. We were shown around with great pride. My hostess was particularly proud of her recently remodeled kitchen. She now has a gas stove standing beside her ancient wood-burning one, and was anxious for us to take pictures.

At lunch our hostess was quite concerned that we were cold, so she lit a fire in the little wood stove near where we ate. The food was wonderful: lentil soup, rice rolled in grape leaves, chicken and halva for dessert. We had been told to expect everyday fare, but this was clearly something special.

As our bus pulled away, one woman stepped forward and threw a cupful of water after us. Nigar explained that the gesture expressed the wish we would return before the water dried. I wished I could.

ROCKS OF AGES

After lunch, we traveled to the Goreme Open Air Museum, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There we explored early Christian churches carved out of the tufa hillsides nearly a thousand years ago. Inside were paintings and brilliant frescoes depicting scenes from the New Testament. Nearby rock-hewn monasteries contained rooms for the monks, with tables and benches carved from solid rock. These holy hideaways and others like them once housed the largest community of Christian monks in Asia Minor. From here, missionaries spread Christianity as far away as Ethiopia.

The next day brought further subterranean adventures. The first stop was the underground city of Kaymakli. Like many other underground cities in the area, this one was built by Christians seeking refuge from Arab, Roman and Mongolian marauders. Although the city goes down more than eight stories, only four have been cleared of rubble and are open to visitors. As our guide said, only extreme fear would cause someone to live under such conditions for months or years on end. Its residents must have developed permanent stoops from living in such cramped quarters. I was happy to be able to straighten up after only 30 minutes of exploration.

LOCAL ARTISTS

Our next stop was a pottery artisans' workshop. Contained entirely within a cave carved into a hillside, this workshop was devoted to the traditional pottery of the area. As I entered the cave, I was struck by how comfortable it was. Unlike the underground city I had just visited, there was plenty of space to stand upright and walk around. It was also dry and pleasantly cool. Not at all a bad place to work.

We observed the artisans creating and painting clay objects. A couple of us even tried operating a traditional potters' kick wheel — with embarrassing results. Most impressive was the process of painting intricate designs on the pottery. Every piece was an individual work of art.

Kapadokya is also known for its hand-woven carpets, or kilims. The Turks were nomads and needed a thick, rugged carpet to protect them from the earth they camped on. Consequently, they developed a unique double or symmetrical knot technique that distinguishes their carpets from those intended for use on floors.

Hand-weaving a single fine Turkish carpet can take the better part of a year. The carpet cooperative we visited had about a dozen looms for women to create their carpets. Kneeling on small padded benches and working from patterns posted above them, their hands moved so quickly it was difficult to see how they tied the knots. Most of the women were young, and I wondered how long they could keep up the tedious work before developing repetitive stress injuries.

In the showroom, we were invited to walk on beautiful carpets costing thousands of dollars. The supervisor explained that walking on them brings out the oils in the wool and enhances the sheen. I still felt funny using my shoes to walk on such works of art.

FLYING HIGH

The next day began with a hot-air balloon ride over the fantastic Kapadokya landscape. All flights are made in early morning to avoid the thermal updrafts present when the sun begins to heat the land. I was warned that it would be cold, so I layered up with two undershirts, a shirt, a sweater and a windbreaker. It was just about right.

There are now 16 hot-air balloon companies providing flights over Kapadokya. Each balloon carries a wicker gondola with standing room for about 20 people. As my balloon was being readied, I climbed to the top of a nearby hill and looked off in the early-morning light. For miles around, I could see other balloons being prepared for launching.

Aboard the balloon, we were briefed on how to brace ourselves in the event of a rough landing. There were anxious looks all around. Our pilot told us not to worry, then joked that he had only one injured person in his 18 years of flying. That person, he said with a grin, had panicked and jumped out during landing.

Liftoff was as gentle as the wind lifting a feather. As the balloon drifted upward, the only sound was the occasional blast of gas jets heating the air inside it. Everyone watched in silence as a fantastic landscape unfolded before us. We could see churches and dwellings carved into the tufa, dormant vineyards and blooming apricot trees. A few minutes later, the sun came up, casting dramatic highlights and shadows on the strange geological formations. Other balloons joined our airspace, and we could hear the pilots coordinating their positions. Our pilot continually turned the gondola so that everyone could see the same view.

The 45-minute flight was over much too soon. As we started to descend, there was anxious talk about the landing. Would we have to brace ourselves as instructed? There was nothing to fear. Our pilot brought us safely down atop the trailer used to haul the balloon. We barely knew we had landed. The most dangerous part was getting off the trailer.

LOCAL STYLE

Perhaps the most enjoyable experiences were with the Turkish children. Anxious to practice their limited English, they would crowd around us smiling and yelling "What's your name?" at the top of their lungs. Amid lots of laughter, we would answer back first in English and then in our limited Turkish. It made us feel like ambassadors of good will.

Interaction with Turkish adults was also a pleasure. Whether trying out a water pipe for the first time or experiencing an "ear burning" in a barbershop, the Turks seemed to enjoy our company as much as we enjoyed theirs. (Every haircut includes a free procedure in which the tiny hairs on men's ears are burned off with a quick flick of a lit swab.)

HOSCHAKAL (GOODBYE)

As we prepared to leave Kapadokya for other locations on the tour, I wished I could have stayed a little longer. I didn't see any beautiful horses, but here were so many other exciting and unusual places to see that I am sure I could have spent several weeks exploring and photographing. I also felt a great sense of satisfaction that I had finally experienced a place that I had waited years to visit. I am glad I didn't wait any longer.

Would I go to Turkey again? You bet! Next year, I want to assemble a group of fellow photographers for a more in-depth visit to the "Land of Beautiful Horses."

The author can be reached at JBY@hawaii.rr.com. Additional pictures from his visit to Turkey are at www.homepage.mac.com/jbyphoto/Turkey.