Day 3: Pamukkale the Cotton Castle and Hierapolis

Next, my story continues to Day 3.. Sorry about the Bangkok story previously.. couldn't help it, I'm too excited with shopping in Bangkok, hahahahahaa .. as I mentioned earlier, I'm here for work so at night I'm quite free, so I use this time to continue writing as I know once I'm back in Cyberjaya, there will be no time to write. Lots of commitment waiting for me at home and work place.

Back to our roadtrip, after the longest driving ever in our journey, we reached Denizli around 8 in the morning.. we drove a little further to Pamukkale and from far you can see the cotton castle up above the hill.. purely covered with white terraces of carbonate minerals left by the flowing water .. we can't wait to go there but before that, we need to find a police station in Pamukkale. I already told about it in the previous post so not going to elaborate more..

We look for the hotel we found in the internet, Algau-Algau Hotel.. a small hotel managed by the local people. the owner can speak fluent english and the wife were so friendly..  we checked in for 45lira per person for 2 rooms and I got the room to myself..there are also other hotels nearby.. up to you which hotel you want.. but I can recommend this hotel as it's clean and warm .. :)

Finally, bed for the night..

As it's already morning, we dumped our bags and continue to the police station, had our breakfast with the handsome policeman and then continue to Pamukkale - the cotton castle and Hierapolis, an old spa behind Pamukkale. Cost for both entrance is 20lira.

Can you see my friend fall down at the background? Hahahahaaa.. it was funny though!!!!

Be careful while walking in this area.. it's slippery.. I never thought we captured this moment, we only knew he fell down when he told us later.. then I saw this photos and I can't stop laughing.. hahahaa..

Pamukkale, Feb 2013

At the entrance.. you have to take off your shoes to protect the color of the place..

The best spa ever!!!! Hot spring..

Then you walk to the back of Pamukkale and you will see Hierapolis.. Both Hierapolis and Pamukkale has been identified as UNESCO World Heritage.. Hierapolis means sacred city in greek.. it was a spa, and now still a spa with 35lira to swim in the hot water inside the spa.. However, according to Wikipedia, the hot springs there have been used as a spa since the 2nd century BC, and people came to soothe their ailments, with many of them retiring or dying here.

The map of Hierapolis.. Imagine how beautiful it was hundred of years before.. love this!!!!

The great baths were constructed with huge stone blocks without the use of cement, and consisted of various closed or open sections linked together. There are deep niches in the inner section of the bath, library, gymnasium and other closed or open locations. The complex, which was constructed in the 2nd century BCE, constitutes a good example of vault type architecture. The complex is now an archaeological museum. (also from WIKI) - The museum closed on MONDAY, on the day we were there.. too bad for us.. hmmmmm... but that's ok.. ;)

Walk a little further, you can see this huge theater  .. beautiful .. and huge!!! (ohh i already mentioned that).. hehehehee...

The huge theater at Hierapolis

I noticed all the historical theater in Turkey are huge!!! At first, by reading in the internet, I always thought that I will never be amaze by all this historical buildings.. but I WAS WRONG!!!!!! I felt the history and the story behind each buildings.. and I love being there.. We spent all our day just here.. admiring both Pamukkale and Hierapolis.. it was superb .. and it makes me fall in love with Turkey even more!!!

Finding our way home.. hehehee

If you drive yourself to this place.. make sure you went out the same way you came it.. Don't do the same mistake like we did.. because once you're out, there's no way to re-enter without paying another 20 lira.. hahahahaa..  at first we were trying to find our way down thru the hills then we realized it's not possible... we need to use the normal road..

We took a cab going down for 18lira.. and we kind of regret it because it was not that far and going downhill.. as a marathoner themselves, both my friends can easily walk for 5-10 km .. so, if a taxi driver tell you it took 5km to walk, or 3 hours to walk.. don't believe him.. it definitely less than that.. we learned not in a good way.. hahahhaa ..

Then, we get to our car. Put our bags and start walking again looking for food. We went inside the first restaurant we saw..

I had Lachmachun.. I like it.. simple pizza

This is the restaurant.. they were really friendly .. Love this place!!!

With Ozzie and her sister (i think).. hehehee

At 5pm, we went back to our hotel and straight away to the bed.. we haven't had proper sleep since day 1 .. so you can imagine how tired we are at that time.. At around 8pm, I wake up to check on the boys, and found them sleeping like a baby.. and of course, they didn't locked the door.. Wake them up to lock the door, scared that someone might come at night and stole things, and then went back to my room to sleep as well..

The next morning, all 3 of us woke up at 5am.. get ready, waited for Subuh at 630am ... left a Thank You note to Algau-Algau owner, and drive to our next destination, Kusadasi .. to see the great Ephesus..

to be continue...