We are based in Avanos for our riding in the area and staying at the lovely Kirkit Pension, a destination where travelers on the EquitrekkingTravel.com Turkey: Cappadocia with Istanbul equestrian vacation may stay. There is great food, live entertainment and a charming courtyard.

Every Friday in Avanos, there is a large market where everything from fruits and vegetables to carpets to spices to household items are sold, so we took a break from the saddle to check it out. Ahmet took us fruit shopping. Now, this is a small town and the market was amazing and huge. The produce was beautiful.

Ahmet introduced me to a woman from a surrounding village who was at the market to sell her produce. She is Alevis, a people whose faith is related to Islam as well as other traditions. There are millions of Alevi in Turkey. Ahmet could recognize her religion and the village where she lives by her dress. I do not know much about the Alevi, so was interested to hear about them and their beliefs.

After the market, we ventured to meet an Avanos’ potter, who specializes in making musical instruments from clay, including the Udu drum. His shop and work center was really neat. He even performed for us, with an impromtu jam session.
Avanos is a big pottery making center in Turkey. By the banks of the longest river in Turkey, which runs through Avanos, potters get red clay that they use to make their pottery. They have done this for a long time.

Learn more about Equitrekking on PBS and the Turkey episodes and learn about exceptional equestrian vacations, including Cappadocia equestrian vacations, at EquitrekkingTravel.com.