Mersin: A Cave With a Cure for Asthma
The natural wonders found in caves are distinct from any other environment, providing a rare and special experience. While visiting Mersin, we explored the depths of the Astım (Asthma) Cave. With the hot Mersin sun beating down on us, it was so refreshing to escape to the coolness of the dark cavern.
The descent into the cave is possible by a spiral staircase of almost a hundred steps. Since the cave is roughly fifteen meters deep, the fresh air is rumored to cure asthma and other illnesses. The cave is often referred to as the Dilek (Wish) Cave for this very reason. There were so many stalagmites and stalactites throughout the two-hundred-meter length of the cave. We took our time walking around and snapping pictures of the otherworldly surroundings. In all transparency, we also strolled in part to keep from slipping on the wet rock! I was pretty proud of my clumsy self for managing not to bust it while exploring.
We noticed the strong echoes that bounced around the cave when we spoke, which we further demonstrated by bursting into song! After wandering around the cave, we began trudging back up to the top. After conquering the stairs, we rewarded ourselves with some much-needed water. Especially in Mersin, it’s better to hydrate than diedrate! If you find yourself near Mersin, be sure to brave the caves! And who knows, you may breathe with more ease than ever before!
To our friends in the West, keep looking East!
Becca Conner
Becca spent her childhood between Virginia and California, before settling down in Huntsville, Alabama. She attends school in Louisville, Kentucky, where she is pursuing a degree in Global Studies. Becca loves learning about different cultures, and spending time with people from all different backgrounds. She can frequently be found watching Gilmore Girls, eating granola bars or apples and peanut butter, or on a hike with her little brother/best friend, Charlie. She is obsessed with musical theater, particularly Newsies, and has been known to burst into song at completely random times. Becca is as adaptable as they come, spending four months living in Guatemala before she was even 18. She is always down for a new adventure, whether it involves exploring a new place or meeting new people.