I came here to see the Travertines, a mineral deposit that comes from the water. Ducks swim in it, fish do all sorts of stuff in it and we can swim in it but the water here has this whit stuff in it and it deposits all over the place. When the water comes out of the ground it is hot so the stream running down the side is like a foot spa. There is an actual 2000 year old pool at the top they used to use for healing and just swimming. Today it cost 32lira to have a go. I walked around the place for about 5hr to try to see everything. In places, up the back, I was on my own. The place is huge. Behind the Travertines is Hierapolis. The ruins date from about the second century. Christians, Muslims and Budhists are all the same aren't they? They always build the good stuff at the top of a huge hill. This place is just the same. Most of the place is the usual Turkish... near enough is good enough, but the theatre was worth the walk. They also have a museum up there full of guess what? That's right the statues from up there but put in a museum so you can pay an extra 5 lira to see them. They say Philip the Apostle is buried up there but I went to his tomb and it is empty. There was a lot of very ugly people up there in bikini and budgie smugglers.
One thing I never expected to see here is snow. The mountains here still have snow on them. Today the weather has been hot (I think in the 30s) but there is still a bit of snow on the mountains.
they do hang gliding here. I think they must make a fortune cos there is always someone coming down and often 4 - 6 at a time. It seems a perfect place for it and I think I got some shots of the ruins with hang gliders in the background.
This town is the most expensive I have been to. A can of coke is usually 2l here it is 4-6l. Last night dinner, Turkish pizza and a couple of beers, cost me 40lira. Kebab here is 9-15lira. In Istanbul it is 3-9 lira. My hotel room is expensive but really nice and the biggest I have had.
Tomorrow I am on the midnite horror. I am on the night bus from here to Goreme in Cappadocia then bus to Ankara and train back to Istanbul by 13th.