Day 8

Sunday, May 14

Pamukkale

 We visited the gleaming white calcium formations (travertines) filled with warm calcium-rich mineral water of Pamukkale. Toured Hierapolis, a cure center founded around 190 BC that is now in ruins. After noon we visited the town of Buldan where locals still use traditional looms to produce cloth that the region is famous for.

This photo illustrates how the hot calcium-laden mineral waters form snowy white travertines (waterfalls of white stone) as they cool after they spring out of the ground .

An overhead shot of the pools and calcium formations.

This pool at the Pamukkale Motel features submerged fragments of fluted marble columns and was a sacred pool of the Romans in Hierapolis. It is available for visitors to swim in at $4.50 (US) for a two-hour swim. The Turkish government says they are going to raze the motel that houses this pool (they would leave the pool intact) and others to promote a more park-like atomosphere, but they haven't done so yet.

We could have gone for a swim in the pool, but none of us did.

 

Hierapolis, founded around 190 BC, was a cure center that was located here to take advantage of the hot, calcium rich water source. Earthquakes have occured several times at this location and after one in 1334, people decided it was not such a healthy place to live. Photos of the ruins of Hierapolis follow. The first features an ancient carving over an arch in the Hierapolis ruins.

Our guide took this group shot of us inside the Roman theater at Hierapolis. The theater can seat 7000 persons. It was restored by stone cutters in 1970's. We are from left to right: Marlene Breu, Margie Geasler, Rebecca Rochet, Julie Yoder, Roberta Cianciolo, Kasia Slewinski, Kate, Crosby, Pat Viard, Maija Petersons, Melodye James and Naradain James.

 

 

This tomb is found in the large necropolis (cemetery) of Hierapolis. Presumably people came to be healed after they were already quite ill and ended up dying here. That explains the very large cemetery in a cure center.

 

 

Before visiting Buldan, the hand weaving town, we had lunch in another delightful outdoor restaurant.Lamb kebobs were a favorite.

 

After lunch we visited Buldan, where locals still use traditional looms to produce cloth that the region is famous for. Several of our group tried their hand at weaving.

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