Pamukkale, Turkey.
Pamukkale, Turkey is a small town and its main attraction is Hierapolis, or “holy city.” Making our way there to stay the night was worth it. Pamukkale (“pah-MOO-kuh-luh) is unique in its combination of sites: ruins of a centuries-old city next to a hillside of icy blue travertine hot spring pools.
After touring the city ruins, especially awed by the massive theater, we headed to the hot springs. It’s curious looking, visually stunning, and interesting to walk. The surface is calcified carbon, so porous, not slippery. Though we wore our swimsuits, there were no hot springs for bathing, which was disappointing. Still, a stunning stop.
 
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
      entering Helipolis
 
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
      about the amphitheater
 
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
      theater capacity: 15,000
 
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
      putting the pieces together
 
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
      olive press
 
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
      ruins from a Roman bath
 
          
        
          
          
        
      creepy face
 
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
      just down the mountain...
 
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
       
          
        
          
          
        
      Hierapolis from a distance
 
          
        
          
          
        
      truck of watermelons
 
          
        
          
          
        
      a bite by the roadside
Hierapolis panorama
walking around Pamukkale hot spring steps
Hierapolis hillside
looking out over the hot springs
