This morning we saw two varying landscapes in one place. One vast and green, and the other a massive white plain with a breathtaking view. We visited the Hierapolis and the Pamukkale, and I got to check off one of the things I could only have once dreamed of on my bucket list.
The ruins of the city of Hierapolis was located adjacent to the Pamukkale travertines. Pamukkale means ‘cotton castle’ in Turkish and the terraces which the area is famous for are made of travertine, a light coloured or in this case, white sedimentary rock deposited by water from the hot springs. There were little known facts about the origins of the city, but in 2nd century BC, Hierapolis was founded as a thermal spa, taking advantage of the natural hot springs nearby.
For centuries, people have bathed in these pools of semi-hot water. Unfortunately it was wintertime and we weren’t equipped to laze in the pools, dipping my toes in the water was good enough for me. The Hierapolis landscape was too much of a beauty to miss photo taking opportunities. Of course, before we left the place, we HAD to take some fun photos.
Before heading down to the base of the travertines, we decided to get some ice cream from a friendly man who, true to the nature of Turkish ice cream, took me (or rather my ice cream) on a roller coaster ride before I could enjoy eating it. The nice man agreed to pose with us, and while we each held a cone in our hands, he totally won by sticking out a whole block of chocolate ice cream that didn’t slide and splat.
The view from the base of the travertines were no less magnificent.The water at the base wasn’t hot spring material, and I doubt anyone could swim in there but I saw the biggest ducks I’ve ever encountered in my entire life and boy, were they unfriendly. They posed for a few pictures and quacked my way before waddling off, shaking their feathered butts.
It was 10 degrees out, enjoying our ice cream and I had absentmindedly left my winter jacket in the bus. I did have a death wish. But I survived! The ice cream was a treat to what was about to come…. the dreaded long-ass journey to Cappadoccia is next.
