Day 7: A Natural Fit

Walking had been largely our modus operandi to this point.  As we walked we delighted in walking under a tree only to look up and see what type it was--olive? Pomegranate?  Fig? All the while, the cicadas droned on in waves seemingly surrounding our heads and reverberating down our spines--aurally burrowing down into the fibers of our being.  

We were met with disbelief from other tourists in Turkey we'd encountered when we told them the extents to which we'd walked.  Our willingness to hoof it is not just an aversion to potentially getting ripped off after failing to communicate and haggle with a taxi driver--more than anything it stems from a belief that it's one key part of getting to know a place and the people there.

But, alas, on this day and for the next day as well driving was necessary for extended amounts of time. Two hours and 50 minutes from Kusadasi to Pamukkale, then three hours and fifty minutes from Pamukkale to Kas the day after.

Pamukkale was the part of this whole trip we'd changed on the fly after news of the earthquake broke.  We'd sent a late night email to the Hotel Dort Mevsim ("The Four Seasons" [charmingly, no relation at all to the big 'un]) hoping there was room at the inn. We'd heard that despite the rooms being "simple", the food was inspired.  Once we got word we were good to go, we made the trek to Pamukkale.  

As we pulled into the hotel complex, it was beautiful. The facade of the building was lined with an ornate trim. There was a good-sized and incredibly clean swimming pool with an inviting bright blue hue in the sunlight. Meanwhile, two women--who we later learned were the hotel owner's (Hassan's) wife and daughter--were hanging sheets and towels out to dry in the midday sun.  We got out of the car and we were greeted enthusiastically by the hotel manager speaking very good English. Eventually came the question "Where are you from?" We replied. "Ah! America!", he said. "My dream country".  In this picturesque setting, the reply that escaped my lips was, "Really?"  "Yes," he responded, "but not in this life, unfortunately."  

A short time later, the United States came up again.  He was talking about how two-to-three years ago, many American tourists came through Pamukkale and their hotel, but more recently--hardly any at all. We'd heard this from most folks thus far on our trip.  "Fear" is a word mentioned in each of those conversations as a potential explanation, and (admittedly, now that we're here and we've been here)--that just seems silly.  Becca and I and Uncle Nick have had this conversation many times, the U.S. is more dangerous than most places in the world and this is particularly true in Turkey's case.

At any rate, we chilled in the pool and waited until the heat relented on some level (it never actually did) before heading out to explore the city's wonders.

Eventually, the hotel owner's daughter gave us a ride up to the main attraction--white travertine terraces holding pools of mineral-rich thermal waters flowing downward from a hilltop nearby our hotel. Driving up, the hillside appeared to be covered in snow.  Many throughout time have called it cotton-esque in appearance, our readings had suggested. It was amazing, but more so the closer we got.

Also included in the entry fee was access to Hierapolis, an ancient spa city founded around 190 B.C. where aging ancient folk would supposedly go to retire.  We peeked in at what Hierapolis had to offer in somewhat cursory fashion--seeing what there was to be seen from the main pathways (since we were dressed for a day at the beach and not hiking through the ruins of an ancient city, but also we were too excited to see the travertine terraces to linger long).

People, lots of them, swarmed this UNESCO World Heritage Site, and for good reason. Even as unbelievable as the photos appear--this natural wonder must be seen and felt in person to truly be believed.  After entering, you start at the top of the hill where there are many small travertine terraces that aren't for human entry for preservation sake. Then, once you remove your shoes, you can walk your way down the larger travertine terraces and bathe and frolic in them as you please.  The best pool is the one which is directly under the flow-down from the source waters and--if you stand right up against the travertine face--you get pummeled by the cascading calcite-rich waterfall. It's gloriously therapeutic.

We tried to take some decent photos using a waterproof bag over an iPhone--and while we got some decent shots--it was a fool's errand endeavoring to document this experience.

After we got our fill of the natural wonder Pamukkale had to offer we walked back to the Four Seasons.  We cleaned up and quite literally chilled out in our room before we descended the stairs for the dinner we'd hoped for.  Hassan's wife has offered her home-style cooking to hotel and restaurant guests for 25 years.  She and her daughter made us a lamb and vegetable "casserole" (similar to the menemen egg dish we'd had for breakfast, but with lamb), an eggplant side dish with garlic that was outstanding, and yoghurt with cucumber and mint.  We rehydrated after a long day in the sun and also dehydrated with an Efes or two to wash it all down.

The Pamukkale for Akyaka adaptation to our itinerary played out better than we'd hoped and was a no-brainer in retrospect.