Friday, April 13, 2012

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.