Cappadocia, Kapadokya.

If I were to use words such as "breathtaking", "magnificent", "beautiful" or "intriguing" to describe the natural wonder that is Cappadocia, none of them would do it justice. Truth is, I'd already seen a fair share of vloggers and bloggers stepped on this whimsical land before I decided to make this journey to Turkey. I was captivated by the sheer natural beauty and organic rawness of Cappadocia I saw in numerous photos taken by other explorers online. Then this place was officially on my travel bucket list. Little did I know this day would come so fast.

Cappadocia lies in central Anatolia, in the heartland of modern-day Turkey. According to historical facts, the earliest records of Cappadocia date back from 6th Century BC. The then Old Persian name is Haspaduya, which according to some researchers is derived from Iranian, meaning "the land of beautiful horses".

Now Cappadocia is very much popular among international travelers and explorers alike. Everyone wants to witness firsthand of the eccentric and one-of-a-kind geographical landscape and the so-called Fairy Chimney Rock Formations. A hot air balloon ride overlooking the entire Cappadocia is also undoubtedly a must-do for most visitors traveling thousands of miles to be here. You could also choose to dine in one of the Cave Restaurants or book a reservation for a stay at the Cave Hotel and experience what it was like living in one of these peculiar and interesting caves inside the rocks.

The nearby Goreme National Park and Goreme Open Air Museum are also on the top of the traveler's itinerary. If you are passionate about Byzantine art or history in general, Goreme Open Air Museum is a must-go for you. This outdoor museum contains the remains of many churches carved into the distinguished Cappadocia rocks formation. Inside each church, chapel, and monastery, the walls are covered with beautiful fresco and mosaic paintings that tell the stories of the lives of Jesus, Christian bibles, and historic events. It's definitely a feast for your eyes.

Cappadocia is a place where you will feel so otherworldly. Everything you see and touch date back so long ago that it would seem as though you'd opened a door and entered another realm, or somehow walked into a page in a history textbook. It's a place where you could let your imagination runs wild and inspire you in ways that you had never even begin to think about.

I came to Cappadocia and Goreme with the great expectation to be blown away by mother nature's masterpiece and to be educated about the history and culture of this land. Alas, so I did. I left feeling utterly inspired and beyond satisfied. Sad as it was because I wasn't ready to depart Cappadocia, yet I was excited by the unknown roads and wonders that await us in our upcoming destinations.

“The journey not the arrival matters.” – T.S. Eliot