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The Turkish crew efficiently set up the balloon. They pack the tourists (us) into the basket while we fiddle with our cameras. The pilot fires the burners and the crew releases the ground handling line. Up we go.
The dusty ground drops away surprisingly quickly. In no time at all the famous Cappadocian landscape slides into view.
The muezzins sing out the call to prayer from the mosques below. Their different voices mix together and waft up to us in the silence between burns.
Afterwards we land and, as with all balloon flights, enjoy a celebratory Champagne. Only we’re in Turkey, which is an Islamic country, so we have juice. It’s still nice.
© 2026 Jace K