Hierapolis, Turkey

I visited Hierapolis in Turkey, inland from the big tourist destination Ephesus (and just outside Pammukale). It's the furthest I got inland, next time I go inland with guns blazing, but then I was traveling light. I wasn't really ready for anything rugged and wanted to stay near the coast. I caught a dolmuc (Turkish taxi) from Pammukale and spent the afternoon.

Anyway, besides some awesome ruins of the Greek/Roman variety, Hierapolis has phenomenal hot springs. I did a big no-no and drank some of the water from the pool (no ill effects thank God), and it tasted just like bottled Perrier. Awesome to have a nice swimming spot next to a scorching desert, the cliffs drop off sharply at the edge of the pools. The ancient Greeks obviously thought it was cool, too, I'm sure it was just as much of a tourist trap 2000 years ago.

I took an hour walk in the desert to see some old tombs. It was fun, and I'm glad I did it. I paid for my adventurousness,though. When I got back to town, I was nearly collapsing of heat prostration.  The guy selling Cokes at the nearby tourist stand thought I was quite odd when I ordered about half a dozen one after another, draining them, setting down the empty bottle, and opening the next.

Anyway, a couple of pictures of the hot springs and more of the nearby ruins.

Herapolis was - and is - famous for its cliff-side hot springs

   

Roman Theater

Mysterious burial chambers

Ancient cenotaphs

It's actually quite a desert just off the road

Yes, after traipsing about in the desert like a fool, resting int he pool was pleasant!

Some shots I took some time ago on an evening approach to New York City.

Just a few Vegas pictures out in the clear sunlight. The city really is best seen at night, though.

Taken on St. Thomas, Virgin Islands.

A sunny day, a few friends, an empty parking lot... easy to find your own fun in Colorado Springs.

These are the only pictures on this website so far that I didn't take myself. I think they are so epic that I wanted them up here. An East Berlin guard helps a boy escape. Apparently, the guard was spotted and later replaced with a better comrade. I am just old enough to have visited East Berlin on my own, and have the photos to prove it (which I will post eventually). The way the guards looked at you, or rather through you, was truly frightening.

I went in by subway and tried to leave on foot by Checkpoint Charlie, but was politely told you had to leave the same way you came in. I eventually made the long walk back to the subway and stood on an endless line to have my passport examined and be glared at by the guard. I wasn't trapped in any way, shape or form, and there was nothing epic about my experience whatsoever. However, it was weird to have my freedom of movement restricted in that way, something many people (thankfully) will never experience. Crossing the land border between Greece and Turkey was very similar, couldn't go by foot, only by car.

Here's another one, also not by me obviously. Erika, a 15-year-old girl, was a Hungarian Freedom Fighter. Here, she carries a machine gun in Budapest during the 1956 revolution. She eventually was shot by the Soviets. Photo is by Dutch photographer Vagn Hansen.

Nice rock formations.

A few photos I took recently at the Air Force Academy. There are an awful lot of deer there, because it is safe for them (unless they run out in front of your car).

Hidden lake up in the Rampart Range, used by Colorado Springs Utilities, no fishing or other uses allowed. It's actually called Nicolay Reservoir.

It was Party Time in Ventimiglia, Italy

We blew into Ventimiglia, Italy after dark. Found a hotel room in the middle of town, unbelievable luck, considering it was a festival weekend. Wandered out and saw the parade.








Below is a video I took of the festival floats the next morning. They park them near the beach for all to admire. Fortunately, we were staying right up the street. Again, unbelievable luck.




This festival is similar to the Rose Bowl parade in the United States. They make the floats out of roses, in honor of a local incident that occurred long, long ago. The festival is held every June, and the beautiful part is that it also is a nice beach resort town. Some really spectacular floats of Disney characters and the guitarist Slash.