We did.
Honestly.
We swam in the petrified Lime Cascades of Pamukkale.

AND LOVED IT!

Floating in that spectacular pale blue water, looking out over the magnificent scenery stretched out below us as the ruins of Hierapolis towered above.

You don't get any better than this.

I am seriously considering naming this ...
"The Best Day Ever!"

Then we swam in the crystal clear waters of the Antique Pool, floating over marble ruins and stopping for the occasional rest standing on an ancient, marble, Roman column.

Seriously, we can't stop grinning!

We have a full day on the bus tomorrow so will write it up then.
I am sitting by the pool at the hotel at 2pm.
We have been in the hot, iron springs next to the pool.
Great, great, great day.

We got a fairly early start to beat the heat.
8.30am and a short drive to the Cascades and the ruins of Hierapolis.
( Founded at the end of the 2nd Century BC.)

The heat didn't worry either Emily or I.
We just kept going from one pool of water to the next!

This site was so different from all the other ruins we have visited.
With the added attraction of the Cascades perhaps, and water too...
Gardens.
Magnificently maintained gardens.

So you get of the bus and start the walk through the first ruins section and then you hit magnificent big trees with green lawn, flowers in garden beds everywhere.
And, still following the path, with gardens both sides, the view over the edge to the Cascades appears.

The Turkish name Pamukkale, meaning “cotton castle”, is derived from this striking landscape.

The whole place is stunning.
There is a large wooden boardwalk along the edge of the cliff, gardens behind you as you look out.
Then directly opposite the easy site to start to walk down the lime hill, there is an open air cafe,
slightly raised up on a terrace, under enormous pine trees.
It is a lovely spot to sit and watch.
And the huge amount of shade is wonderful.

So, barefooted and "Be careful. It's slippery." ... Off we set.
The dry lime is not slippery at all and very nice to walk on.
Not soft but not like walking on rough rock.

When you step into a pool you have to be careful as there is soft, powdery lime sediment on the bottom and you could slip.

So we paddled.
Gazed at the view.
Took photos.
And wandered.

Then at a rather large pool, we noticed girls, in bikinis, paddling.
( Not swimming, mind. Just paddling.)

Emily said, "That's it. I'm in."
And ripped of her shorts and Tee to her bathers.

Now I had read before I came that no swimming was allowed.
So me, being me, had to ask.
( Very friendly guard.)
"Of course. Swim. Swim."
( He didn't have to tell me twice.)

And in I went.
It was only about 20 inches deep and a little cool at first.
And very chalky.
But wonderful.
So there we were, grinning and doing breaststroke in the pale blue water of the Lime Cascades of Pamukkale.
Pretty cool.

We had worn our bathers because we were going to the Antique Pool later.
But this was such a highlight.
You could float there looking down at the other pale blue pools and out over the view of the countryside.

We swam for about 15 minutes and then had to head back up.
People in our group have taken photos of us together swimming.
We just have to wait for them to be sent through.

We sat in the shade of the cafe for a few moments, taking in the sights and talking to everyone who were so thrilled that we swam.

Then a short walk.
Past more gardens and smallish ruins to The Antique Pool.

And we got wet again.

Now, this is called The Antique Pool but I forget how long this one has been in the present form.
Apparently, there has been a swimming hole/pool here for centuries.
Anyway, this one is magnificent.
Crystal clear warm water.
And I mean CRYSTAL clear water.
Not like our clean, clean pools.
This water just sparkled all the way to the pebbled bottom.
And you had to watch your knees and shins because littered on the bottom of the pool were old Roman columns.
Marble columns.
Big ones.
And large slabs of marble.
And decorative bits of marble.

I sat on a Roman column in the brilliant sunshine in The Antique Pool of Pamukkale!

We swam everywhere in this pool.
It is big.
And there is an area with no old marble rubble (!) that is very deep for serious swimming.
We went under a bridge, lay under the hot water pouring into the pool.
There are big trees growing on the absolute edge with their roots into the water.
The whole edge of the pool is just plants and trees.
So there are shady parts of this sparkling pool.

Internet:
Especially in The Roman Empire period, Hierapolis and its site were a health center. In those years, thousands of people used to come to the baths, of which there are more than 15, and they found their remedy in those baths. Today's Antique Pool was shaped by the earthquake which happened in the 7th century AD. The marble portico with Ionic arrangement fell into the spring during that earthquake.

The official photographer was there taking photos.
That was great because we bought them later and great to have the shots of us together.
I took photos of them and they are the ones I have on the blog.
We had an hour at the pool.

So an ice cream later ... 3 scoops.
We took the shuttle slowly past the remainder of the site.
Large ruins, huge stadium and they have discovered another but haven't started work on it yet.

I think I may have really enjoyed this site because there was so much to see as well as the ruins.
Also, we were both in wet bathers, tees and wet shorts.
So I found the tour very cool.
And the gardens and greenery was such a welcome touch.

Back to the town for a bit of lunch and a wander.
And I bought 2 pendants.
One photo on here.
The other will have to wait for a chain.
Then the hotel.
Nice hotel.
Lovely room.
Balcony view over the hot iron water pools.
And the pool is lovely.
We just sat at tables in the shade by the pool and enjoyed the company and the water.