Today was such an amazing day !
(Well all days in Cappadocia were..)
Today, we had the chance to meet an actual cave home owner.
This family had fought for their right to own this home, and now they also use it for tourism.
Even though it has been their house since the beginning, they have to pay the government to live there.
The man we spoke to was actually born in this house, and remembers carving rooms with his father.
The paintings found on these homes were used to protect against evil spirits.
The houses go back to 13th century ad.
Carpets are used to decorate the walls (as well as keep the rooms warmer).
We asked him questions how he was able to keep the house stabilized- well that's something they learned growing up- how to fix cracks, etc.
Also, before they start caving shelving or rooms, they use sound to see if it is okay to carve or not, while using lights and shadows to make sure the carving is straight.
In this particular house, 12 people could live here (and did in the past). During the winters, the man and his wife live in the city, but during the summertime they enjoy living here. He would like to live in the cave home 24/7 because now they have the possibility of running water and electricity.
What we all found extremely shocking was that the government is actually tearing down these cave homes to build hotels... The first thing I thought of was the states. Anything remotely historic is saved and untouchable by anyone except to restore it.
How long does it take to build a room? He said about one cubic meter in two days. He remembers carving a storage room for apples and food when he was younger.
He keeps this cave home stabilized, but the others are just sitting there waiting for destruction.
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