8 March 2015 - Pamukkale: The Hieropolis and Limestone Terraces

Misty sunshine heralded a fine day ahead.  We enjoyed a magnificent Turkish breakfast here - well everyone but Luke enjoyed it - and there is always lashings of bread to fill up on.  I loved the olives and cheese and apple chai.  Pamukkale is in southwest Anatolia, near to the ancient region of Phrygia.  The lime stone terraces, the travertines, are often seen on advertisements for Turkey and they are less than a km from us!

Breakfast laid on!

Luke protesting and Tim hoeing in - pretty normal

Annika loving it and Karl deciding on apple chai

Feeling like a queen!

Can't complain!

Our squeezy but warm room

Courtesy of the hotel we were driven to the South Gate of the ancient Roman city Hieropolis in Phrygia which was really quite a distance away so we were glad of the transport.  My knee from the other day's fall on the main street of Bodrum is still bruised and sore and there were lots of hills before us!

Earthquake victim?

Hillside tomb

Very few tourists in sight, which was good for us but not so good for the Turkish tourist industry.  25 Lira each for admission to the amazing day before us, was excellent value.

South Gate - a splendid monolith supported  arch

Looking over to the snow capped Anatolian Mountains

Ruins and snow capped mountains

Poppy!

Poppies and ruins

Theatre pillars and carvings

Theatre and facade

We proceeded up another rocky hill to the theatre.  We were so excited to see the theatre in Bodrum but now it pales in comparison to the theatres we've seen since!  This one was the most intact theatre yet and once the resotoration is finished, it will be stunning.  Two of four goddess statues remain: Hera, Aphrodite, Demeter and Persephone.  Hera, goddess of marriage and queen of gods, Aphrodite, goddess of beauty, love and passion, Demeter, goddess of harvest and Persephone, goddess of spring growth and queen of the underworld.   It is easy to get an idea of the height of the building and it was huge!  Apparently, this theatre was also used for aquatic events as well as Greek plays.  They even had public latrines.

Steps up to St Philip's Martyrion

Bath house for pilgrims en route to the Octagonal Church

Remains of the Sanctuary Fountain

We moved on to the Martyrion of St Philip which was built in 5th Century AD in memory of Philip who was martyred here in 80 AD.  His tomb has not been found but there are plenty of tombs around.  There is the octagonal church with 8 arches still standing.  What I found fascinating is the precise calculations needed to build an octagonal structure and the skill in which it was done. It is perched on a hillside, looking out at snow caped mountains and limestone terraces - such beauty!  Pilgrims came here and walked over St Philip's bridge, had a cleansing bath in the bath house and then ascended the 70 m of steps to reach the church.

St Philip's tomb

Church of the Holy Sepulchre

One of several crosses from pillars now standing at ground level

The nave of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Four of the eight arches of the octagonal church.  They.are all still standing but unable to capture all at once on a photo.

The views are magnificent.  The snow capped  mountains were a bit obscured by clouds.

On top of the world!

Pillar sitter

Just enjoying my ancient seat in church!

In amongst the ruins and tombs are red poppies galore - how can they flourish here in the wild and yet I can't ever get them to grow at home!

So many ruins, Mum!

Tombs

We made our way down the rocky little paths, under the shadow of a dozen paragliders catching the thermals, to  the Agora and on to Frontius Street to the Northern Gate.  The paved road was quite wide and the latrine facility well planned for the townsfolk. 

Poppies galore

The Agora

Looking back to the Agora

The North Gate at the end of Frontius Street with its elaborate drains and latrines.

Snack on the latrine wall!

Latrines with proper drainage and running water.

What a place it was and had been!  The necropolis and Bath Basilica still standing in a recognisable form despite the tremendous earthquakes which have struck the region over the centuries. It was again, a feast for our senses.

Down the path among rocks and poppies

Gatehouse

Necropolis

Trying to capture the surrounding beauty

The travertines - limestone terraces

Not snow or salt but limestone!

 Having walked this far, to the end of Hieropolis, we turned back to walk along the travertines (lime stone terraces) in search of the warm swimming pool we had heard about.  Disappointingly, these terraces didn't have water in them apart from a small gushing stream.  We thought we'd been sold a bad deal and THEN we saw the terraces of the postcards and tourist brochures!  Vast white limestone pools of crystal clear aquamarine water.  Our shoes came off very quickly as we hurriedly stepped on the white marble base of the watery slope.

Not at all slippery

The kids and I went on a reconnaissance mission to the base of the huge slope while Karl happily read his tablet and minded our shoes.  It was surprisingly unslippery and so exciting to be paddling through the pools which, on the whole, were warm.  At the base we asked the guard if we could swim and he said: "of course!"  We raced back up the slope.  The kids were bursting to change into bathers and be off again.

One just HAS to step through the inviting water!

So clear

Warm spring water

Squelching through limey mud, so soft!

Need sunglasses for sure!

Checking which pool is warmer as they differ in temperature.

Catching warm drips!

As the only available changing facilities were at Cleopatra's Pool, we had a sneak peak of the thermally heated pool complex.  It was nice, but not worth paying 32 Lira for when we could be leaping in and out of the magnificent limestone pools on the slope.

We all descended, Karl and I carrying all the shoes and gear (of course) and kids forgetting their hunger (very inflated prices within the complex) and eagerly testing pools for warmth.  Not all of the pools are warm, so we had to be choosy.  It is only just Spring and although fine, the day wasn't particularly warm.

We were the only bathers today!

SO SO SO much fun!

Looking over the edge of a pool!

Luke giving me a mud pack or two!

 Karl chose not to dunk himself in the pools but the rest of us had a ball smearing ourselves with the white limey mud and floating in the warm pools.  I am so glad to have had this experience.  Truly a wonderful day.

Getting out is the tough part after being so warm!

Mud packs for Annika, too!

 By reaching the base of the slope this way, we had the option to exit the site rather than go back along the road.  We washed our feet off in warm spring water and put our shoes back on.

Checkers while waiting for uber lunch!

My lahmucun - spinach and cheese pancake

Lahmucun griddle and cook!

Lunch at last!!

It was 3 PM and uber lunch time!  Fortunately, we found a quaint cave-like little cafe. the Ottoman Palace, for bread kebabs, chips and a lahmucun (spinach pancake) for me.  It was such a cosy little spot with carpet and memorabilia on the wall that I really wasn't in a hurry to leave....but as we had our bathers on under our clothes, we really did need to get back and change.

Local shaggy sheep

We sat in the common room here at Dort Mevsim Hotel and had a welcomed cuppa.  We walked back to the Ottoman Palace for dinner (40 Lira) and then wandered around the spectacular lake at the base of the travertines munching our favourite Tutlu biscuits!  Loving this place and loving Turkey! It was certainly worth the bus ride to get here and spending a few days instead of rushing around.