Pammukale April 7-9

2006-05-08T05:33:00.000-07:00

So, if you want to know what Pammukkale looks like, go to http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&sa=N&resnum=0&q=pamukkale&spell=1&tab=wi and ignore the photos. The water hasnt been in the travertines for years. The ads and mag pics just leave it in there to keep people going. Its interesting but not a scratch on what it must have looked like when it was full of water from the hot spring at the top of the hill. The ancient city of Hierapolis at the top of the travertines http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=hierapolis , and the ancient city of Aphrodisias http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=aphrodisias , both accessible from Pammukale which we did trips to, make staying in Pammukale worthwhile. In a small synchronicity, I am reading a John Irving novel called A Prayer for Owen Meany while travelling in this area. The main character refers to the author Thomas Hardy saying ¨Life rarely meets our expectations of it¨ and Pammukale was evidence.

Aphrodisias though was another thing altogether. Sometimes, life more than exceeds your expectations - like my son Jett for example. Aphrodisias is a case in point. I visited Ephesus last time I was in Turkey and did so again this trip, and Aphrodisias is the only thing that comes close in terms of well maintained ancient sites anywhere in Europe. Amazing that they are only a few hours away from each other, and both in Turkey. Early the next day we are on our way to Ephesus itself.

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