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This morning we got up relatively early, as we wanted to visit the limestone terraces. The entrance opens at 8 o’clock, and we wanted to be there before opening time to avoid standing in a long line. After getting up, we had a quick breakfast and made some sandwiches for lunch, and through the kitchen window we even saw hot-air balloons landing. Eventually, we headed out.
When we arrived at the entrance of the terraces, it turned out we were the first ones there and had to wait until the gates opened. After buying a (rather expensive) ticket, we walked upwards until a security guard stopped us: we weren’t allowed to go up with shoes on, we had to walk barefoot over the calcified stone (which is not exactly comfortable, it feels like walking over coral, and it looks a bit like that too). But it’s definitely a beautiful sight: the water a striking turquoise, the limestone a dazzling white! Once at the top, we visited the nearby Hierapolis, a vast ruined city from Roman and Byzantine times, with the grandest amphitheater I’ve ever seen. Before exploring the amphitheater, we visited the museum, which houses all sorts of relics, both large (fragments of statues and tombstones) and small (pots, pans, jewelry, accessories, etc.). After that, we headed to the amphitheater itself, where we sat on the top row in the shade for a while, enjoying a refreshing breeze. We also saw paragliders flying overhead. Via a narrow donkey path, we climbed the hill to the ruins of a church, where we saw the tomb of Saint Philip (Philip the Evangelist). From there we descended on the other side of the hill, passing through the ancient necropolis, and ended up in a small oasis of pine trees. Along the way, I even came across two lizards. We sat in the shade there for a break while I ate my sandwiches. Once rested, we made our way back to the limestone terraces to descend into the village again. There we quickly stopped at a supermarket for some groceries before heading back to the apartment, where I took a siesta. By the time I woke up, it was already late in the afternoon, so I did a bit of puzzling before we headed out again for dinner. We ate at the same restaurant as yesterday, though this time I ordered something different (but still treated myself to the same delicious chocolate pudding!). After dinner, it was already dark, and we went to see the limestone terraces at night, as they are lit up. This turned out to be a bit underwhelming, so we went back to the apartment. Tomorrow we’ll leave Pamukkale and drive to Konya. It’s quite a long car journey, so the day will mostly be spent on the road. In Konya, we’ll be staying for two nights.
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