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In the FAQ section I will do my best to answer the questions I am asked time and again at home in Austria or in Turkey.

Do you believe in God? Are you a Christian?

I am asked this question (or related ones) much more frequently in Turkey than in the West. I am not sure why. Perhaps one reason is because in Turkey religion is not considered a private matter to the extent it is in my native country. For many people, faith really does influence their everyday lives.

I believe in God and am a Christian, but this was not always the case. Although I grew up in a Catholic family and my mother made a great effort to see I had a Christian upbringing, I did not encounter God personally until I was twenty years old.

Until I reached my teenage years it was normal for me to go to church every day and take these things seriously. I can still clearly remember that I was often relieved after confession (with a priest) and resolutely decided to do better in the future. However, this euphoria was usually very short-lived because I kept on doing the things I did not want to.

When I reached the age of about fourteen, I gradually gave up trying to please God, although.

I still believed that God existed and that one day I would have to give an account of my life to him. Consequently, I did not live a “godless” life, but tried to live by a moral code. I believed that God must actually be quite satisfied with me – compared to other people. During these years I was able to fulfil some of my dreams and desires (through travel, enjoying the Great Outdoors and sport) and did not consider myself unhappy.

On the other hand, I did have a nagging feeling that my life lacked a deeper meaning and a suspicion that I did not really have what I was looking for.

There was a New Testament on my book shelf at the time and sometimes I would read parts of it, but it seemed abstract and I did not get much from it. This changed when I started my military service and met an enthusiastic Christian. I found I was getting to know a person very like myself, but there was a crucial difference: he had discovered the meaning of life.

The answers that Manfred, and other young people like him, gave about life and death made a great impression on me. I soon realized that God had played a very minor role in my life up to that point.

These Christians read the Bible and prayed because they wanted to communicate with their God and to me it made sense that a relationship with a person (or even God) should have a tangible effect.

After all, if you really love someone, you talk frequently and look forward to every letter. Well, the result was that I began to read the Bible and I started in the New Testament. To my surprise, the Gospels were far from boring. Many things were challenging and it seemed as if I were hearing them for the first time.

One example is Jesus’ statement in the Book of John:

“I am the way the truth and the life.”

Another is

“If a person is not born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God”.

During these months I became convinced that the Bible really was the Word of God and even I, a “decent” person, had been going the wrong way.

I realised that there were only two options: to live my life with God and allow Him to direct me, or to live life my own way and be separated from Him for ever. For the very first time I understood that Jesus had died on the cross so that I my sins could be forgiven: he had taken the punishment personally.

Even after I realised that Jesus Christ offered me new hope, it still took quite some time before I was ready to receive this gift. I was afraid of being laughed at and losing friends. Twenty-five years later, I can honestly say that the decision to receive Jesus as my Lord and Saviour and follow him is one I have never regretted. It changed my life. Do you want to know more about the Bible and about believing in Jesus? Here is a good address: The most important decision of your life

Are you a (Christian) fundamentalist?

Yes, I am. I think it is good to have principles and to live by them. But don’t worry. A fundamentalist is only dangerous when his foundations are bad. It is not stupid to base your life on good foundations.

Jesus said:

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.

And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand.

And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it."

Christian “fundamentalists” are people, who trust the Bible. If this is the case, I am proud to say I am a fundamentalist.

When was your first visit to Turkey?

My first visit was between leaving school and starting military service – around 1976. I hitchhiked. Even then, I thought I would like to go back sometime. Somehow it was fifteen years before this happened, but I now consider it my second home.

What do you like about Turkey?

This is the type of question you can anticipate and one of particular interest to Turkish people. I often have the impression that they are genuinely interested in your answer and are not just asking out of politeness. I usually say, “"Türkiye çok güzel" (Turkey is very beautiful), or something like that and I really mean it.

People who think that Turkey only consists of beaches, head coverings and semi-desert are displaying their ignorance of the country. I am not going to tell you about the exceptionally beautiful natural landscape and cultural treasures - although there are more than you might imagine! – but I will explain the many other reasons I love Turkey.

There are many aspects of Turkish life, which are unknown or rare in Austria. I do not only mean the numerous small corner shops, the many forgotten professions, lanes teeming with craftsmen, and vibrant weekly markets.

I am also thinking of the warmth (not temperature) of hospitality and the time which people have for one another.

If you come from an egocentric and individualistic society in central Europe as I do, a lot of things in Turkey will seem almost unreal.

What we Westerners find difficult – arranging a time for a group activity, for example – is easy in Turkey. Doing something with a group of people is far more straightforward there and can be arranged without too much fuss. Turkish people enjoy one another’s company and take pleasure in small things. Spending time with friends is a priority.

Turkish children playing with a simple “toy” in a back street seem to have more fun than our kids who can go to the most high-tech adventure playgrounds.

Do you need to look in on an acquaintance? In Turkey there is no need to make a prior arrangement. And it’s no problem if you bring a friend along. They will be made just as welcome as you are! If you consider time and attention to be among the greatest gifts people can give one another, you will be richly rewarded in Turkey!

In rural Anatolia, especially, people are refreshingly down to earth, modest and not conceited. Even though Turkish people do pursue money and possessions, as we do, and you hear the word “para” (money) quite frequently, to me people seem less driven by materialism. And there are many other things, which impress me.

Parents and older people are respected and honoured. The elderly and the handicapped are not so marginalized in society and are more integrated in normal life than they are in Austria.

You might claim that the impressive way families and extended families hold together, and several generations live and work together, is necessitated by economic factors, or other reasons. This may well be true.

However, it also shows that our prosperity (or unbridled capitalism) does not mean that everything is better; and it can actually be destructive.

Do you look forward to getting mail? To be honest I don’t because 98% is not personal mail with news from friends (maybe I spend too little time developing friendships!), but junk mail telling me about the products, which will make my life complete, if only I had them.

How different it is when the postman does his rounds in Ortahisar. Just imagine, there are no advertising flyers and the postman only delivers personal mail!

How often to you do you meet a friend or acquaintance in the street, who not only takes the trouble to stop and chat, but also invites you for a cup of tea? Not very often, I expect.

Even if we did have the inclination, we probably would not have the time. There are many more things which I admire about Turkey. Naturally enough, there are some things I do not like. I’ll say more about those later on.

What is the best season to visit Cappadocia?

The prospect of good weather is found all year round and therefore any season would make a suitable time to visit.

To be sure of optimal weather conditions, the summer months are your best bet.

Almost every month brings its own charm to this abundant agricultural area.

So far I have enjoyed every season there, even 3 fantastic winter weeks in February.

The warmest months here are also July and August. I do not find the dry daytime heat here unbearable. A shady spot can always be found somewhere and in high summer it cools down pleasantly each evening.

Spring (from mid April) and autumn (until the middle or sometimes end of November) are ideal times to visit.

It is at these times of the year that ovens are generally dismantled and you do not need to heat. From mid November until the beginning of April it is advisable to ensure there will be adequate heating when choosing your accommodation. I have endured freezing temperatures.

In May and June there are beautiful wild flowers to admire. The blossom of the numerous fruit trees appears a little earlier.

In the rather hotter month of August, apricots, laid out to dry on the flat roofs, provide a dash of colour in the landscape. From the middle or end of September the autumnal atmosphere in the valleys is very attractive. If you ask me, you can go to Cappadocia at any time of the year!

Don’t you find it boring to go on holiday always to the same place?

Not at all, although in some ways I’m surprised about this myself. It’s great to have a second homeland (or a third, if I include the heavenly one).

When I bought the house in 1997, I initially thought I would use it as a base for exploring other areas of the country. At that time I did not realise how much I would come to love Ortahisar. I have seen other fascinating areas and would go there again, also. (And there are countless areas still to explore!) To this day, Cappadocia has lost none of its magic for me and will probably continue to fascinate me for some time yet.

Can I visit you in Ortahisar?

Yes, this is possible and I enjoy having visitors. However, I am not Turkish enough to be able to host people for long periods of time free of charge. (I am not in a position to sponsor holidays for people without money – or more specifically – for those who don’t want to spend any money on their holiday.)

I can say this openly is because I am not Turkish and have spent most of my life in Austria. But you needn’t fear that I am trying to make a lot of money through my “guest house”.

Also, I now have two orchards and, since the spring of 2002, Garip (the name means odd, strange but also foreign, alone). This beautiful and fitting name for my mule was chosen by Zübeyde. Some days I am busy in the orchards and cannot be a “tour guide”, but there are positive sides to this for visitors, also.

If you really want to visit me, there are some things you should know. My home in Cappadocia is not a 5-star hotel. You can read more about that on the website. It is also advisable to get in touch with me before your visit.

I don’t find Turkey that amazing. Don’t you ever have any problems?

I am not blind and I don’t like everything. Every time I fly to Turkey with the Turkish charter company I am amazed by the lack of common courtesy, in queues or other stressful situations, shown by people who are normally so helpful and polite.

If you are an animal lover, environmentalist or love the German sense of order you will have problems in Turkey.

Turkish traffic is a problem, especially for the less able members of the society. In extreme cases, it is hazardous for unwary pedestrians. And even if you are able-bodied and alert, you might be better advised to stay at home. You might not notice car, a hole in the road, or some other obstacle (which would have been swiftly dealt with in Austria). Paying due care and attention like a native is worth it, because you would probably be shocked at conditions in regular Turkish hospitals situated in rural areas.

And if you like television, watching repeats, primitive action movies and violence, you will get your money’s worth. Even the smallest cottage has a television and it is often left on for your benefit (people want to do you a good turn and ensure you will not be bored). Violence is not limited to the small screen. Weddings and other occasions provide ample opportunity (“honour” means a lot and is quickly wounded). Despite this, I have to say that I feel safe in Turkey. It is inconceivable that anyone would be assaulted in the street and passers by look away, as is possible in Austria. And when two people do get into a scuffle, there are usually enough people around to avoid the worst occurring and to separate the combatants.

An otherwise enjoyable holiday for many people is spoiled by the inflated “tourist prices”. Not everybody likes to discover they have paid several times the normal retail price! Unfortunately a “yabanci” (foreigner) must reconcile himself to this happening a few times. Ironically, in this “crazy” country, you can experience the opposite: as a foreigner you may get preferential treatment and pay less than is customary (or even receive a gift!). Turkey is a land of surprises, not only in World Cup football.

I am continually surprised at how little school children speak English, despite the fact that they have 2-3 hours of English per week, are highly motivated and rarely miss an opportunity to try out what they have learned. I don’t know what the lessons are like, but given the minimum wage that teachers are paid, I have to admit it must require a lot of idealism to generate enough motivation for the job.

Having bought a house and two pieces of land, I also know that paying a “tip” in certain circumstances is an accepted practice and speeds up the process. No one seems to find anything remotely wrong about this. Also, to many people, it seems crazy to declare the correct (actual) price so that tax can be levied.

One matter, which I (apparently) encounter more than others concerns lending money and running up debts. It appears to me that it is considered normal to be in debt and to incur further debt in order to settle older outstanding payments. Given the high inflation rate of the Turkish Lira, having a large dept may actually be quite a shrewd move. In the long run, the only people who do not benefit are those who do not want any debts and the ones who land money.

The likelihood of getting your money repaid in the foreseeable (or not even) future, is 50% or less, in my experience. Concluding these negative comments about my favourite country (which it remains despite all this!) I now come to the issue, which challenges me most. I learned relatively quickly, that, in this otherwise wonderful country, words are taken less literally than in Austria. To have a look at the first entry in the guest book (which I have contributed), click here.

It seems that Turkish people can cite a long list of reasons to explain why telling the truth is not felt to be the best or most appropriate course of action. Here is an example. You go to a cattle dealer to buy a donkey (or in my case a mule!). You have never done anything like this before so you take along two friends, who have some experience in these matters. Since these animals can sometimes be quite old, you are particularly keen to ascertain the animal’s age. The dealer tells you it is between 8 and 10 years old. One of my companions, who is well acquainted with such matters, looks more closely at Garip’s (my future friend) teeth and confirms that the animal is closer to 10 years. To me, Garip looks even older, but because I am the least knowledgeable person present, I say nothing.

Since the mule can pull a plough and a cart and I am offered a donkey cart complete with fixtures and fittings, I buy this as part of the deal. It was a good thing that I didn’t do this deal alone and took knowledgeable friends with me! The next day, when I discover that the cart and dishes do not go together, a fact confirmed by my advisors, I finally summon up the courage to ask whether they didn’t notice this the day before. One of my friends explains that he couldn’t have spoken the truth openly in front of the dealer, who was from the same village.

The beautiful horse drawn cart (or donkey cart) has been put to good use to decorate the courtyard, even if this is somewhat removed from its actual purpose. I am very pleased with Garip, my loyal friend, even if I am now convinced that he is at least twice as old as the dealer claimed. The whole experience has given me a personal taste of am instance where the truth is a stranger.

Incidentally, do you know what a mule is (or a donkey mule)? If not, you can learn here.

The fact that people do not trust one another, does not surprise me too much. Perhaps in this respect (trust and honesty) Turkish people could learn from “Europeans”, although I am not claiming that bribery and dishonesty are not problems in western Europe. After my experiences in Turkey, I have become more sensitive to such things and often discover the same in Austria (even if they occur less blatantly)!

Do any other foreigners own houses in Cappadocia apart from you?

Yes, there are many of us. I am not the only foreign property owner in Ortahisar. But perhaps you will only understand crazy people like us, who have bought an “earth or cave dwelling” and are happy with this, if you, too, have been there.

Do you have some sort of dream job which allows you to take 3 months off work each year to go to Turkey?

I work for the Austrian Railways (ÖBB) at Dornbirn Station. Although staff get additional time off for working consecutive shifts (I work at the ticket counter), I also rely on being able to add time off in lieu for overtime hours I have worked. Even that would be too little to give me 3 months free to spend in Turkey, if my colleagues were not so understanding of my passion for Turkey. Generally I can gain a few more days off by exchanging shifts with understanding and amenable colleagues.

Your home page looks better on your computer than on my screen. Why?

The optimal resolution is 1024x768. If you have the same resolution the discrepancy may be due to the setting of the fonts. I have used the “normal” (small) font, which can be altered in the Control Panel, under Display Properties, Settings, Advanced, small font (normal size, 96 dpi). Perhaps you are using a browser which displays my site a little differently (with Internet Explorer or Netscape Communicator it should be alright).

I looked at your home page. It is good, but the pictures take a long time to load, or do not load (or some are missing). Can you do something about this?

At the moment I regret to say I cannot. The slowness is because of the number of pictures (many of very high quality) on one single page with your Internet connection, which may not be particularly fast. Pictures are probably missing because the home page was produced using only a word processing program (Word 2000), which is not specifically designed for building websites. Unfortunately I learned too late that it is better not to use Word for a website. I am not a computer freak – anything but – (born in 1957 and PC-less until 2000) and I am quite proud to have got the home page, such as it is, onto the Web with help from Tom. Hopefully, one day I will have time to redo it using better software. Until then the many photos will stay on the site, because they were the actual reason for the home page in the first place and all the work it involved. I was often asked what could be so beautiful in central Turkey far from inflatable boats and the sea. I wanted my friends to be able to have a mental picture of my “dreamland” and that is not so easily done through a text alone.

Are you married?

This is the question which inevitably follows the one about what you like about Turkey. If you say you are married, you will then be asked how many children you have. As a single person – particularly in rural areas – you are considered to be very exotic and unfathomable. I have also been asked what will happen to my house and gardens if I die and have no children.

In truth, this line of thought is not a bad one and the logic of the "köylü" (villagers) often impresses me. If I had been born in Anatolia 45 years ago instead of in Austria, I would certainly have had a family with a few children by now, perhaps even grandchildren! However, in Austria where parents and relatives do not arrange marriages, and there is no social pressure to marry, it is possible to “miss” opportunities and remain single. However, you can live a meaningful, happy and fulfilled life as a single person, if you believe in Jesus.

Would you like to settle in Turkey for good?

Yes, I am keen to do this, at the latest when I retire. But in reality I cannot say with any certainty what the coming days will hold and so it is better to say: “If the Lord wishes, maybe we will live and do this or that.” This is true and is a verse from my favorite book in the Bible.

How long have you been learning Turkish? Isn’t it a difficult language?

I first started learning Turkish about 10 years ago. Unfortunately I have not found it an easy language. Perseverance and genuine motivation are necessary to make progress. However, there are now many good teaching materials available (especially in English). You’ll find my recommendations on the Links page under Language/Culture.

Level 1 of LinguaMemory Turkish complements the excellent book "Elementary Turkish " by Lewis V. Thomas, revised and edited by Norman Itzkowitz.  I recommend that you obtain a copy. This book is really only of use if you are committed to learning the language and prepared to invest time and energy.

A simpler way to learn Turkish is with ROSETTA STONE. Contrary to the advertising hype, I do not believe picture book methods are sufficient to teach the language properly, but it is possible to learn basics relatively quickly and effortlessly. If you can afford it (or want to), it is a good complement to another course.

Learning Practical Turkish is not a proper language course in itself, but nevertheless a good complement. (It is worth buying the CD).

I highly recommend Susan Özel’s language course. You can download the audio data files here.

The “unpublished companion text”, which is a very good “book”, can only be obtained directly from the author in the USA. If you are in the USA, I would encourage you to get a hold of it. If you live in Europe certain other costs (shipping) will apply in addition to the purchase price, but it is still well worth the expense.

Can you give some hiking tips?

So far I have regrettably not managed to get anything useful down on paper for friends (probably somewhere between a collection of ideas and a precise route description).

If only conditions in Cappadocia were a little more like those in the Austrian mountains…

In central Anatolia hardly any hiking trails have been prepared for walkers and markings, sign posts and the like are (perhaps thankfully) almost unknown.

This has advantages and disadvantages. One consequence is that it is not easy to describe a route over
terrain, which frequently lacks identifying features from which to pinpoint your exact location.

One good attempt at this (but in German!) is shown here. I am hoping to do something similar myself later this year, focusing on Ortahisar (my favorite) and surrounding area. I hope it will be a good complement to Martin’s tips.

If you do not have much time and are paying your first visit to Cappadocia, I would recommend Göreme as a starting point for beautiful walks. Although Göreme is not my personal favorite because there are a lot of tourists (tourism and money seem to have a detrimental effect on the local people), there is still much to recommend the place, which draws so many touring hikers. Göreme is a good base for a first visit and for getting oriented because:

It is situated centrally in the beautiful Göreme National Park.

It provides direct access to some of the most impressive locations and hikes.

The village caters for guests offering facilities for money changing, bank machines, Internet, cycle and scooter hire.

Outline sketches of the surrounding countryside and of hiking trails are available free. However, most of these maps given out by guest houses and tourist offices prove to be of only limited use because the information is imprecise.

Due to the number of tourists it attracts, Göreme is more readily accessible by bus than other locations. (direct buses to Göreme from Istanbul or other parts of Turkey)

There are many guest houses, some very beautiful, in traditional old houses.

You can get by without any knowledge of Turkish.

Despite this (or maybe partly because of this), on my first visit to the area I moved on to Çavusin and then Ortahisar after a few days. Çavusin is also a first class location for hiking and much quieter than Göreme.

Ortahisar is my personal favorite, certainly because the village (and people) have been markedly less impacted by tourism compared to Göreme a few kilometers away.

The reason may be that the cliff formations here are less spectacular and that income is generated from numerous subterranean storage areas, hewn out of the rock.

Many scenic hikes can be undertaken from Ortahisar (in the direction of Ürgüp, Ibrahimpasa und Göreme), but finding your way is more difficult if you do not have good knowledge of the area.

As well as the “heart” of Cappadocia, there are, of course, other beauty spots, particularly the Ihlara valley. This is an excellent hike, which is probably best undertaken over two days.

There is also the valley at Soganli.

One of the churches in the Ihlara valley is shown in the photograph on the left.

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