We set off at 8:30am and after a 15 minute drive we reached the whit calcium terraces of Pamukkale. Burhan gave us two and a half hours to explore the terraces and wander around the ruins of the ancient town of Hierapolis (Holy City?). The area is all World Heritage and there were several whistleblowers ensuring that the large number of visitors kept to the controlled areas on he terraces, to minimise damage. Until you put your bare foot on the surface (no shoes allowed) you can believe it is cold snow.
Some of the ruins date to 2300 years ago, some are Roman and some Byzantium. This was the Temple of Apollo.
A colourful bird sat on a wall.
We walked up a big hill to the church where the apostle Philip's body was entombed. He was hung upside down and stoned to death for preaching the gospel of forgiveness. A group of seven archeologists were examining the slope next to it.
A group of Asian tourists were looking at ruins near the church.
We climbed the steps to see the actual church.
It was a ten minute walk across to the Hierapolis Theatre which was built into the hillside and seated a huge number of people with a large stage at the bottom. It is constantly being renovated and could still be used for performances.
After lunch we drove to a small town which consisted of about a hundred shops in bazaar style. They sold a lot of handmade craft and clothing. At the entrance to the town is the Christian Church of St Demetriou and John the Baptist. It is no longer used because there are no Christians in the town, but the local authorities have renovated it because of its historical value.
Our KayaIzmir Hotel is the best we have been in on this trip. A pianist plays the grand in the lobby and the transparent lifts look over the lounge area. Our bedroom is large and well fitted. There are pools, thermal pools, spas, massage rooms, etc.
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