Wednesday--January 26--Pamukkale

Wednesday--January 25--Pamukkale

I’m up at 7:30 and downstairs by 8:10 to see if breakfast is any better than dinner.  The coffee isn’t too bad.  I’m not saying anything else about the food.

During my conversation the evening before with Ayca, I am told that it is a 3 hour drive to Pamukkale.  I am astounded.  How much time will we spend there I wonder.

The same driver, “the captain”, who picked me up from the bus arrives with the tour guide, Seda.  There is one other man who is from Korea at my hotel going with us and we need to make two other stops for the other three people.  We pick up a couple at another hotel in Kusadasi and then drive to Selcuk for another man from Japan.  

Here we are the five tourists traveling to Pamukkale: the couple from Singapore; both engineers and speak perfect English (but speak Chinese to each other), the guy from Korea is a police man on holiday from his “assignment” in Moscow training with the Russian police, speaks fairly good English, the Japanese guy is 27, just traveling no job and doesn’t speak much English and me.

Pamukkale, meaning "cotton castle" in Turkish, is a natural site in Denizli Province in south-western Turkey. The city contains hot springs and travertines, terraces of carbonate minerals left by the flowing water. It is located in Turkey's Inner Aegean region, in the River Menderes valley, which has a temperate climate for most of the year.

The ancient city of Hierapolis was built on top of the white "castle" which is in total about 2,700 metres (8,860 ft) long, 600 m (1,970 ft) wide and 160 m (525 ft) high. It can be seen from the hills on the opposite side of the valley in the town of Denizli, 20 km away.

In this area, there are 17 hot water springs in which the temperature ranges from 35 °C (95 °F) to 100 °C (212 °F). The water that emerges from the spring is transported 320 metres (1,050 ft) to the head of the travertine terraces and deposits calcium carbonate on a section 60 to 70 metres (200 to 230 ft) long covering an expanse of 240 metres (790 ft) to 300 metres (980 ft). When the water, supersaturated with calcium carbonate, reaches the surface, carbon dioxide degases from it, and calcium carbonate is deposited. The depositing continues until the carbon dioxide in the water balances the carbon dioxide in the air.Calcium carbonate is deposited by the water as a soft jelly, but this eventually hardens into travertine.

Seda, the tour guide tells us the travel time to Pamukkale is 3 hours and after 1 1/2 hours we will stop for a “pause” and then continue on to Pamukkale.  I do not correct her word “pause” for “break” as I find the word rather endearing.

The drive is fairly uneventful and within her time frame we do stop at a “tourist” rest stop.  They have bathrooms, a restaurant and a  shop the size of half a football field filled with souvenirs of Pamukkale and other things from the area.  I have to remind myself that in the summer the place is crawling with tourists. Seda tells us that this area is known for agriculture especially figs and olive oil.  

The couple from Singapore buy 6 boxes of dried figs.  I have a pomegranate/orange juice and use the restroom.  The guide and driver have breakfast.

We continue driving and as we approach the area Seda points out the white mountain in the distance.  It doesn’t seem like much but as we get closer you can see how amazing it is. 

Outside the entrance gates are several souvenir shops.  I take a photo to remind myself what I’m not buying.

What I'm not buying

Upon entering you walk through the Roman Ruins of Hierapolis.

The weather has dramatically changed as we are more in the mountains.  I’m glad I have 3 layers on today.  

We go to the edge of the tavertine mountain and Seda tells us that there is no water flowing today and therefore there aren’t any pools of water sitting on the white surface.  Apparently the water is controlled and when it is cold it isn’t good to let it flow.  

“We will come back and walk on it later, Seda says, but first we will go to the pools.”

We walked over to the “pools” where supposedly Cleopatra came to bathe.  The water in the pools is from the natural hot springs and the water is like soda water.   

There are fountains that you can drink the water and it tastes heavily carbonated but good.  Seda says it’s very good for your body to drink the water.  I can see that it would settle an upset stomach.

On our walk to the pools we see lots and lots of trucks.  I see one of the trucks has a picture of a boom on it, like ones that are used when making movies. 

I say to the group, “these trucks look like they are from a movie studio.”

When we are inside the pool area, Seda asks someone what the trucks are and she is told that yes a movie is being made.  ‘Ghost Rider 2’ with Nicholas Cage.  I had heard when I was in Istanbul that Nicholas Cage was in Turkey filming this movie but was in Cappadocia.  There must be hundreds of people here associated with the movie.  I guess it’s a good time to come here since it’s off season and there aren’t many tourists.

There were only three people in the pool as it isn’t exactly swimming weather.  Although I did bring my suit thinking I might be able to feel the natural spring water.  

After our visit to the pools Seda asks if anyone is interesting in walking up to the outdoor theater.  We all agree to go.  When we come out of the pool we see a shuttle bus but Seda says they charge for that.  I guess it’s like the mules in Petra.

We walk up to the theater which is only a 10 minute walk.  The area around has many ruins but Seda says they are mostly under excavation and not for visiting.  This area had approx. 100,000 people who lived here back in the day as compared with Ephesus which had 250,000 to 300,000.

When we arrive at the entrance to the theater we are told we can’t go in because of the filming.  They aren’t filming but only setting up and they didn’t want to let anyone in.  I was not too happy.  Save the movies for Hollywood, don’t rain on my parade.  I’ve traveled a long way and I would like to see the site.  

I stuck my nose in to have a quick look and was able to see the stage and the statues that are standing on the stage.  Obviously I can’t take photos.   We were the last people even able to poke our noses in.  When we turned around to leave I heard the guards close the gates.

We walk back down the hill very disappointed. 

 I take a photo of the truck to remind me that due to the making of this movie I was unable to visit the Roman theater which looked like one of the best preserved I’ve seen so far. 

We continue back to the travertine mountain and Seda says we can walk on it for 1/2 hour and then we will go to lunch.  

I start to walk with my shoes on and many people are yelling at me.  I don’t realize that I need to take my shoes off. So I go back and take off my shoes.

I’m walking in my bear feet and the water feels so warm.  I walk with the group (they are nice people and I enjoy being with others.   I certainly would never have come here on my own.  I’m glad I decided to take this tour.) for a while taking photos of this amazing place.  It’s hard to describe and because it’s so white it’s difficult to photograph.  It must be easier to take photos when there is more water so there is some contrast.  

Although it’s so cold outside, I don’t feel cold because my feet are so warm from the water.  

me and my buds

The level of the water is about as deep as my foot.  You need to walk carefully as the rocks are slippery.

We are all hungry and decide it’s time to go back.  We wipe off our feet and put our shoes back on.  We walk back to the van and off to lunch we go.  We arrive at a “tourist” restaurant where there is a buffet and all the other tourists we saw at Pamukkale.  I can only imagine what it’s like in the high season.  Herding the people in and out all day long.  The lunch was o.k. definitely better than the Palm Hotel.   

At lunch we were talking about traveling the world and the man (you know I’m bad at names and have no idea what his name was) from Singapore starts talking about the 7 wonders of the world and asks me how many of them I’ve seen.  I’m not sure about that.  I go on my Blackberry to find the 7 wonders of the world.  I couldn’t find ‘one’ list so then we get into a whole discussion on the different interpretations of the 7 wonders of the world.  There are the 7 “ancient” wonders, there are the 7 “natural” wonders (grand canyon, great barrier reef, etc), there are the 7 “architectural” wonders, 7 “modern” wonders, etc.  Did you know that?  I sure learned something especially that I couldn’t find “the” list.  

Anyway, Ephesus is one of the “ancient” wonders and recently Petra was added.  Did you know the Golden Gate Bridge is on some lists as well.  Well Google it and you’ll see what I mean. 

After lunch it was about 2:30 and Seda says she was going to take us to a shopping place and then bring the other people back to Pamukkale for their bus.  The four other people needed to wait in Pamukkale until 9:00 p.m. for their bus to Cappadocia and we had a 3 hour drive back to Kusadasi.  

We arrive at this place that was the size of a department store but  was for tourists.  It had all kinds of towels (both cotton and bamboo), bathrobes, sheets, clothes, bathsuits, etc.  Cotton is grown in this area of Turkey and most of these items are manufactured around here too.  Seda told me that during the season the Russians gobble up this stuff.  There were no deals.  The first towel I picked up was $10.00 and it was a hand towel.  The woman of the store said it was made from bamboo that’s why it was so expensive.  Really.  

We didn’t stay long.  No one in the group was buying but actually the driver, “captain”, bought his eight year old daughter a bathrobe and slippers.  

Back in the van.  10 minutes back down the road and we drop off my four buddies at a travel agency office.  I can’t imagine waiting in this one street town for five hours and then spend the night on a bus.  We all pick our poison.

The drive back to Kusadasi was filled with conversation between “the captain”, Seda and myself.  Seda sat in the back with me saying it was more comfortable than sitting in the front.  I think she wanted to talk.  I learned that she went to college to train to be a tour guide.  I also learned that in Turkey you take a test for college/university and the score you get determines which college/university you can enter (not so different from the U.S.).  Obviously the better score you get the better university you can go to.  University is not very expensive in Turkey as it is greatly subsidized by the government.  However, that seems to be changing as that is one of the things being protested.

We talk about the Turkish culture and it’s politics.  Seda tells me that her mother and sister are more religious than she is and they wear head scarves.  It isn’t until much later in our conversation that I learn Seda is married.  She is only 23 years old and has been married for 2 years.  Her husband is an accountant for a 5 star hotel in Kusadasi, that’s why they live there.  When I tell Seda about Emily being 18 years old and living in Israel she can’t believe it.  She says that would never happen in Turkey.  You live with your family until you get married.  No one would think to live on their own if they are single, especially a girl.  

“Don’t you think 18 is young?”, she asks me.

“No, In America it’s very accepted that at 18 kids want to move out of their parents house.”  I explain.

When you go to college in Turkey you live in a dorm for all four years.  No apartment junior year and no junior year abroad.  A much more traditional life.  I’m not sure it’s all bad.  

Seda also said that the people in Turkey save their money to first buy a car, then a house/apartment and then if they have more money they will travel.  Seda said she doesn’t have a passport and has never left the country.  She has traveled a great deal within Turkey especially when she was studying because she had to learn about the historical sights.  Not only do they need to learn the history of each important tourist sight but also need to learn to speak English.  There are people who come here from all over the world and the one common ground is English.  I did see a large Japanese group with a Japanese speaking guide, a German group with a German guide and a Spanish guide with Spanish speaking people.  But these are large groups.  The small groups all had English speaking guides.  

I admire Seda’s hard work.  I know how hard it is to learn English and she has done a fine job.  Americans, myself included, are lazy when it comes to speaking other languages.  I tell you it’s been hard to learn how to say thank you in Turkish.  The “captain” gave me a lesson to make it easy--tea, sugar, a dream--teshacure adarim.  That did help.  Seda said some Turkish guy wrote a book with lots of phrases using the English words like (the tea sugar a dream) to make it easier for people of other languages to learn how to speak Turkish.

I am very impressed with the Turkish people I have met so far.  Most of the people I have come in contact with are working very hard to make the impression that they are NOT arabs and even though there are many muslims in Turkey they are NOT a muslim country.  I think the secular people want to believe this.  I have been told many times this week that when Turkey became a republic it was very important for the country to be seem as a “western” country not a middle eastern country.  It truly is on the border between Europe and Asia.  It would be very interesting to take the silk road.

On the return we stopped at the same place we stopped on the way to Pamukkale.  At first I said no we don’t need to stop and then I realized maybe I need to go to the bathroom.  They really needed their tea.  I also had a tea.

Another very strong tradition in Turkey is drinking tea.  Those tiny little cups.  The “captain” and Seda said they drink about 4-5 cups of tea a day and they do not coffee.  They were trying to explain that tea doesn’t have caffeine like coffee so it was o.k. to drink so much tea.  I ask Seda if she will be the guide for Ephesus tomorrow and she tells me no.  She is an independent contractor and when 

We arrived back in Kusadasi near 7:00 p.m. and they took me to the travel agent office so I could meet with Ayca.

I discussed with Ayca my options for traveling to Bodrum and then to Greece.  She said she would arrange all this for me and change my hotel here in Kusadasi.  When I asked her again why she had put me in the Palm Hotel she did not give me an answer.  She said I could move this evening if I wanted but I decided it was too much to do and it was late.

I was taken back to the Palm Hotel.  

The dinner was a tad better.  The man in the restaurant pointed out the fish on the buffet, telling me he really enjoys the fish and I should try it.  I do.  Even though it is fried and looks like Mrs. Paul’s kitchen, it’s not bad.  I think I’m tired and hungry.

I’m feeling happier because I know I am leaving this hotel and I have a plan for the next week.