Denizli

........it is!

Bang! You are straight from `Little house on the praire` to `hard bitten industrial city`. Our apartment is opposite the bus terminal. Perfect. Check in is at the hotel opposite. Couldn't be easier. Breakfast here is part of the package.

The apartment. Wow, what a space. Think big open space with the kitchen, bathroom etc in a block in the middle with everything else around it. It had two big comfy double beds, and lovely lounge and dining area and a washing machine. I go into overdrive. That washing machine gets a thrashing!

Outside its a different story. This is a big industrial city. The population is very `muslim`. A trip to the local supermarket is revealing. NO ALCOHOL! Alcohol is available from the Tekel (kiosk) where it feels like you are doing a drugs deal. (Getting used to this!). We go off for a wander. People (men) are looking at me. Suddenly I realise I am very European looking, my hair has grown long and is blonde/white and is not restrained in a head scarf. I am wearing fitted clothes (jogging bottoms and a t shirt). I dont fit in! I pull on my hoody which helps slightly. I feel a bit uncomfortable to be honest. But everyone is lovely. No nasty vibes, its just curiosity.

Why are we in Denizli? For Hierapolis & Pamukkale is the answer.

Dolmus are plentiful and cheap. Gone are the days when they were tatty old minibuses full of chickens and goats ( however I am sure in the very rural areas it is possible to take your goat on the bus). The dolmus to Pamukkale takes 25 minutes and costs 4TL (50p), it runs back and forth about every 20 minutes. The village of Pammukale is a bit dissapointing, its out of season so its feels a bit empty and drab. I am glad we chose to stay in Denizli now!

There are times that we go out without the camera. This is one of those times. We just fancied a beer, a bar, a glass of wine. Not looking for anywhere swanky, just a chill out place. Our apartment is fabulous but we need a bit of company. So google `a bar near me`! Google comes up with `Woop`! I make a mental and written note of where it is and off we go. We get lost! Ask a couple of guys on the pavement. Show them the address (little book), lots of quick fire Turkish. I cant keep up. Finally one says `come with me`' OK. Off we go, round this back street, up another, a gentle pace uphill. Finally after about 15 minutes we pop out onto a fairly modern pedestrian boulevard. When I say `pedestrian` I mean this loosely, there are scooters, bikes etc. Our guide points to the bar and says `here` shakes our hands, smiles and walks away. How kind. Would that happen at home? So, here we are at`Woop`.

Woop. Should be called Wow! Its upstairs above the street. Perfect people watching area. Lots of fancy shops below. Its open at the sides but as the evening cools the glass walls raise the protect from the cold. We are shown to a table inside, but our waiter says as soon as a street edge table becomes available he will move us. Ok. We order a bottle of white wine. It arrives, it is delicious. It is accompanied by a board of fruits. Pineapple, grapefruit, apple, figs, mandarin, banana, pomegranate, grapes all drizzled in chocolate. Its a work of art. And a bowl of mixed fresh nuts. And a glass of ice with chocolate pieces on top.Then they put an indoor firework in it! Oh, bloody hell! We only expected a drink. We are moved to the street edge seats! I was quite happy where we were to be honest (temperature has plumetted ) but off we go. Need not have worried, the glass walls are heated! I would like to be a lizard! I would stick myself to that glass, it is so warm. Bliss. Having a sneeky look at other tables, this is seriously a top notch bar. People are having coffee and cake - serious cake, no Mr Kipling here. Food looks fabulous. Why did we find this on our last night!!!!

Hierapolis.

Hierapolis was a huge city built around the springs found on the hills around 20k from Denizli. The original city was destroyed in an earthquake in about 60AD. It was rebuilt in the Roman style, but subsequently was destroyed again by further earthquakes. The theatre is the most stunning structure left. The views are breathtaking. There is also a museum of artifacts which is well worth a visit.

Pamukkale.

Hot springs bearing minerals have formed fantastic pools which are supposed to be health giving. In the village of Karahayit, the minerals are iron so the basins and pools are orange and brown. But the most famous `Cotton palace` is Pamukkale its self. Here the deposits are calcium and are therefore white. Petrified waterfalls tumble down the hill side and the pools of water reflect the sky so are a perfect blue. You can paddle in the travertines (pools), which would have been fun, but my goodness it is slippery and I am still concerned about my ankle, so we just watch. There is a deeper pool called Cleopatras bath where you can actually swim. We had planned to do this but the drop in air temperature put us off. The water is blissfully warm but when you get out the air is freezing. So, its all about the views for us.

The trouble with Turkey is the history is so rich, you trip over ancient ruins at every turn. Travelling along in the bus you see another ruin of columns etc. In the plains below both Ephasus and Hierapolis there are archeological sights a few feet down yet to be discovered. These would have been poorer houses of farmers and workers. They probably hold some interesting things but they can't all be excavated, so the authorities have quite strict rules about how deep you can dig foundations for houses, or till the land.