Turkey's natural treasures

Let’s start with Pamukkale. I almost have no words.. but am going to have to find some! The day was warm, very very warm. Just shy of 40 degrees celsius. We had been riding the bus for some time when I finally looked up from my Kindle (Last Train to Istanbul - great read by the way!) and out in the middle of a gorgeous green landscape was what looked very much like a mountain covered in a LOT of snow.

Not knowing nearly enough about our destination, out came Wikipedia. Pamukkale is famous for it’s travertines which are ‘terraces of carbonate minerals’ made from the water that is so full of calcium carbonate that it ‘de-gases’ when it reaches the surface. Anyhow, I’m no geologist but the result is a stunning landscape of white rock with pools of water and hot springs. In order not to harm the delicate mineral landscape, you can only walk on the surface in bare feet. This is initially very disconcerting as it looks like you're walking on ice, however the rocks are actually not very slippery and relatively easy to navigate.

On top of the springs are the ancient ruins of a city. According to our tour guide the story behind the city goes as follows…

A long time ago there was a girl that was so disfigured by a skin ailment that she one day decided it was so hideous she no longer wanted to live. As she tried to drown herself in one of these pools a Prince (I think it was a Prince… it sounds better if it was a Prince…) rode by and saved her. When he asked her why such a beautiful young girl would no longer want to live, she became angry that he would tease her so. She protested that she was hideous and so the Prince (?) led her to the water to see her reflection. When she looked in the water she saw a beautiful girl with perfect skin and hair. The springs had clearly healed her. When people heard of this miracle, they decided that the top of the springs would be a great place to live and the city of Hierapolis was born! In any case, the ruins are fantastic although it seems like an incredibly inconvenient place for a city.

We swam in man made pools as well as the natural hot springs or ‘Cleopatra’s baths’. We explored the city and napped under the shade of the trees over looking the almost alien views. And finally we walked back down the hill as the sun was setting - a truly unforgettable site.

The next morning we set off for the ghost town of Kayakoy. Famous for being a place that Turks and Greeks lived side by side, eventually a combination of war and an earthquake that caused significant damage to the town saw the entire town abandoned. There is an eery but beautiful feeling in this place where the remains of stone houses sit on a hill staring back a what is now primarily tourist town.

These buildings were the starting point for our 6km hike along the Lycyan Way to the Oludeniz beach. The trail was gorgeous, in particular the stunning views over the water.

While the fitness levels within our group were varied, my hiking buddies were super fit and set a stellar pace. They also tackled the rocky upwards and downwards slopes like mountain goats (ladies if you’re reading - that is a compliment!). I mostly managed to keep up and we finished the hike in just over an hour. The destination was well worth the walk. The aqua blue water (known as the Blue Lagoon) was the perfect temperature and we spent a wonderful day alternating between lazing on the pebbled beach, eating fresh fruit and snacks and swimming.

Our accommodation in Kayakoy was wonderful. We enjoyed a lovely pool, nice rooms and with no shortage of dogs, cats, chickens and even a little frog that chose to share my room - it was a definite departure from the busy cities we had experienced prior. My only complaint were the roosters, who had no internal clock and needed some serious singing lessons!!

Speaking of which, I had better get in a couple of hours sleep before they start their chatter. It's also my last night on land for a couple of days - tomorrow we are off to experience life on a gulet boat.