Photo left: City wall of Hierapolis. The Domitian Gate, with one massive tower, can be seen in the background. Carol Tulpar, 2006Today's sad anniversary is a good time to consider healing.
Hierapolis was a Roman spa town, famed for its healing waters. The pools feel lovely bathe in, to say nothing of the spectacular view. But since the minerals make the edges quite slippery, one must be careful not to fall.
We took a tour from Marmaris, and after stopping at Efes (Ephesus), where we were shown a Roman perspective on that ancient city, we arrived at this World Heritage Site of Pamukkale--the Turkish word means cotton castle, a lovely metaphor--at dusk. Our guide, Ahmed, led us up the hill to wade in the mineral pools, which gleamed a brilliant white as darkness fell.
The photo below shows Pamukkale -- only the edge of a huge system of natural mineral pools that overlook the valley and are still considered to have healing properties. The small black specks are, of course, bathers seeking healing, or at least, an enjoyable experience.
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