Beats and Boulders in Göreme: A Drummer’s Wild Ride
just rolled back into civilization after getting lost in the lunar landscapes of göreme. man, my arms still ache from hauling cymbals up those dusty trails, but my soul’s buzzing like a snare at full volume. you know how it is when you’ve been chasing rhythms through ancient valleys-every stone feels like a hi-hat, every echo a backbeat.
i just checked and it’s biting cold out here, hope you packed your wooliest socks. that humidity at 61%? makes everything feel like playing in a steam room after a downpour. and the air? thinner than my wallet after festival season.
if you get cabin fever, nevşehir and ıhlara canyon are basically next door. drive 20 minutes and you’re in a whole new rabbit hole of caves and rivers.
“heard some backpacker yelling at a pottery merchant ‘i didn’t come to turkey to buy overpriced ashtrays!’”
someone told me the cave hotels here have thinner walls than my practice pad. turns out they’re not soundproof. imagine trying to sleep while some dude’s practicing paradiddles at 2am.
“overheard in a mezze joint: ‘testi kebab? nah, mate. that’s goat in a jug. you want the eggplant rolls.’”
the sunrise here? unreal. caught this *red rock formation glowing like a tom-tom rim at dawn. worth dragging my drum throne up a hill for, even if the neighbors thought i’d lost my marbles.
found this local café with walls covered in band posters. ended up in a drum circle with guys who barely spoke english but played like session pros. yelp won’t tell you about these hidden jams.
that steering wheel pic? mine after accidentally driving a rental through a goat herder’s shortcut. tripadvisor doesn’t warn you about unmarked dirt roads*.
pro tip: bring earplugs for those cave tours. the acoustics will make your fill sound like an earthquake. and for god’s sake, avoid the balloon tours if you’ve got gear-trust me. göreme travel board will sell you on it, but i’m saving your back.
so yeah, if you’re a drummer or just someone who likes their scenery with extra percussion, come here. just maybe leave the crash cymbal at home.