Pretty Pamukkale

After three and a half days at sea, we're back online.  Before filling you in on our (unbelievably awesome) blue voyage, a few photos from Pamukkale - one of our favourite stops so far.

Pamukkale has two main highlights - some amazing ruins that sit atop bleached out, saucer like calcite travertines.  Ruins are ruins, but the travertines were unlike anything I've ever seen.

(Note from Chad: Romans invariably chose to place their cities atop hot springs, because Romans = baths. These cliffs have such springs on top, which served the (now ruined) city.  The springs contain a lot of dissolved minerals, including calcium, which is how the white calcite (CaCO₃) rock forms on the cliffs.  Apparently they had to jackhammer through several feet of calcite to uncover parts of the ruins.  It's very pleasing to both look at and touch.)

The photos don't really show the water streaming over the rocks, which is warm or cold depending where you step.

It may look like we have the place to ourselves.  We assuredly did not, though the crowds had thinned out a bit by the time we got there at 3 pm.  We waited until later in the day as the sun dazzles off the white and the water, making it hot and hard to see if you go midday.

Large sections are cordoned off, and you have to walk barefoot.  The site was designated a World Heritage Site in 1988 and they've spent a lot of time and money cleaning it up and keeping it white since then.

Cauliflower?  Brains?  Awesome!

Ready for a dip in one of the many blue pools.

The ruins atop are also pretty impressive - a whole city dating back to at least the 1st century A.D.  The theatre actually appeared larger than the one at Ephesus, though whether that was an optical illusion or not I can't say (and am too lazy right now to google search :)).

We finished the day hanging out on our hotel patio, Chad taking a swim in the pool, and enjoying a lovely sunset.  Pamukkale isn't worth more than a day, but it's well worth that!