Yazilikaya, "Jungle Gym"

This weekend we traveled to Yazilikaya for the first of our weekend trips.  We explored tombs, mosques, and “Midas City.” Midas City is believed to have been a cultic and settlement center of the Phrygian’s (they comprised a kingdom of western modern day Turkey (aka Anatolia) around 800 BC (fyi that’s old)). You may be familiar with King Midas the “guy who turned stuff to gold,” although this particular  settlement is named after a different King Midas who ruled Phrygia at the time.
TLDR-Turkey is beautiful. 

Good looking dude lookin. 

Summer pic from Mehmet, our guide, before restoration began on this 600 B.C (600 BC!!!!!) monument at Midas City. 

View of mosques and tombs before the trek up.

Spherical domes, one for each mosque in this first settlement we toured. 

Chauncey! Spotted some Turkish beehives on the hillside during a break. Looks like 1 deep on each hive and only 1 has a super, so maybe the honey flow hasn't started yet (it is so dry). But what do I know, all my bees are dead. 

Checking out some tombs.

Same tomb. Different view.

Baling hay, by hand. 

Hiking up to the "jungle gym." We climbed all over this giant rock formation that had many nooks and crannies carved out by early inhabitants. 

I desire a Nikon D3000 (or D3100 or D5000).

What a view. Took a series of photos that I will try to stitch together later for a panoramic. 

Climbing out of cavernous structure designed to hold water for the inhabitants of Midas City.

Great view and a cool breeze on a cloudy day. 

Lunch time sacrifice at one of the many monuments or alters. Check out Caroline's blog about here time here in Turkey, don't worry it's much better than mine.

Bad habit #1. This stuff is everywhere and I cannot stop eating it.