Pamukkale

Had a great time in Pamukkale, traversing the Travertine. . . Well, maybe not such a great time. Glad I've done it once, but didn't expect to have to walk 700 metres up a wet limestone slope in the middle of winter, without shoes.

Cold, it was, and I'm a tenderfoot. I never walk about in bare feet in Sydney, not even in the house.


I guess visitors have to climb barefoot to protect the limestone slope. It's a Unesco world heritage site. Stunning sight it is. When I first clapped eyes on it from the restaurant of the Melrose Viewpoint Hotel, I thought it was a mountain covered with snow.

When the Clingon and I got to the top of the slope, we walked around for a bit among the ruins of Hierapolis of Phrygia. The Clingon was cold and unhappy, so he sloped off down the limestone again, supplied with lunch money. I thought all my birthdays had come at once. I could spend as long as I liked taking each photo. I didn't have to listen to whining and complaining: hurry up! you've already taken a photo of that; come on; let's go; etc., etc.



The other spot of luck was the weather. It wasn't warm, and it looked like rain all day, and did rain lightly a couple of times. Good for me because it kept the other tourists away. I wandered around the ruins, not having to contort myself or stand on rocks to avoid having a French tour group in my shot. The only time I shot other tourists was when they were an asset to my composition.
Hierapolis was impressive. Would love to go back again and see it at sunset, but that won't be on this trip. Next time I might come in spring, or autumn again, as we did this time. I wouldn't come back in summer. Too crowded; too many tour buses.


We got the local bus from Pamukkale to Selçuk this morning. Beautiful sunny day, blue sky. Tomorrow we're looking round Ephesus and a few of the other places close to here. Hope the weather is not as nice as it was today.

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