Pamukkale

 

This morning we woke up to see hot air balloons in the dawn light gently floating down past the Pamukkale white silica terraces we could see from our hotel window..

Yesterday we took a one hour flight from Istanbul to Denizli airport. Coming in to land at Denizli you realised just how high the plateau is as you fly over snow capped ranges. Then beneath you is an incredible salt marsh, as far as you can see. It's quite a sight to see a salt marsh so high in the mountains, 2,795 ft above sea level.

About an hour's drive from the airport you come to the little village of Pamukkale. It's quite a change from Istanbul with sheep being herded down the little streets. We are staying in a family run hotel and would you believe it the owner Tufan ( think too much fun he says 🙂) has a brother who runs a Turkish restaurant in Kawerau!

Pamukkale is famous for the mineral-rich thermal waters flowing down white silica/ travertine terraces, it looks like melted snow. You have to take your shoes off to walk across the terraces and you can dip your toes in the bubbling hot mineral water.  On the valley floor they grow grapes and almonds and there's a smattering of livestock farming blocks. On the horizon are the snow capped ranges of Western Taurus Mountains, quite a sight.

Some brave souls we're taking a dip in the terrace pools. You had to be very careful as it was quite slippery in places.

At the top of the travertine terraces are the Cleopatra Antique Pools. Cleopatra is said to have bathed here back in the day. 

It's a bit more jazzed up than my last visit over 30yrs ago but still beautiful to see the ancient columns in the steaming hot thermal waters.  

Just behind the pools are the ruins of an ancient Roman and Greek Hierapolis ( Holy City). This is a treasure trove of archeological discoveries dating back to 2nd century BC. 

You can wander down perfectly formed streets and enter what would have been dwellings.

The history here comes alive as you see the engineering and design of baths, cisterns, temples and shrines to the gods.

Interesting to see  one of the world's first olive presses with a big stone to press the olives.

The oil would then run down carved channels into large collection jars, fascinating!

There are ongoing excavations and the fields and hill sides are covered with ruins. 

I love the ancient amphora /oil jars,  they would look great in a garden.

The Hierapolis theatre is a beauty. The stage has the most beautiful carved relief. 

The Temple of Apollo was only discovered in 2014 so they continue to make discoveries in this incredible area. 

But wait, we're not done yet there's an archeological museum too! So much to admire from sarcophagy to fine tools, to ancient pottery and later glass.... fantastic, almost too much to take in.

The area is full of these tiny red flowers, like miniature Ranunculus, so pretty. A good day was had by all and we managed to not slip over on the travertine terraces😁