I woke up bright and early this morning at 6:00 AM and initially planned to walk in through the main gate. However, the gate didn't open until 8:00 AM, but you could enter through the south gate. So, I had to walk home and drive up. A heartwarming incident occurred. It turns out the package we bought only allowed one entry into the park, and since we had already been in yesterday, we needed to buy another ticket. I didn't have my wallet with me, so I had to drive home to get it. The ticket collector, understanding my situation, was accommodating and allowed me in. It was so heartwarming because going back to get it would have been a waste of time, and I was so surprised to have a little angel helping me out.
Embedded Files
Opposite the entrance to the gate, there is a sign in Chinese that says Chinatown Hotel.
I didn’t know there were hot air balloons in Pamukkale.
This little dog, who made the white rock his home, has been following me faithfully all the way. Here's a close-up of him as a souvenir.
It was just after 7am when I entered the south entrance. Of course, there were very few tourists this early, but I was afraid that more and more tourists would arrive later, so I walked quickly in the direction with fewer people. I passed a pool of water and fell because the ground was very slippery. My left leg was slightly bruised, but I endured the pain to seize the opportunity and started taking a series of selfies. The tripod I brought with me this time was a very simple monopod. It was very light and I could stand and take selfies (although it was not very stable). I took a lot of close-up photos of myself, which was something I had never done before.
Hierapolis Ancient City
Hierapolis is located just above Pamukkale. Both are UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Turkey. While most tourists only visit Pamukkale, the ruins above are also worth a visit. Coming from the south entrance of Pamukkale, you'll pass the museum. Continue along the road until you reach the square with the rooster sculpture, which marks the entrance to the Antique Pool.
Antique Pool
Entrance to the Antique Pool is free, but swimming in the ancient pool requires a ticket of 50 lire per person. You should bring your own towel or purchase one. The Antique Pool served as a spa center for the ancient city of Hierapolis during the Greco-Roman era. Later, an earthquake caused the collapse of Roman columns, creating the opportunity to swim within the ancient ruins. The shallow depth of the pool, combined with the presence of ancient ruins within, allows visitors to experience and enjoy the ancient heritage.
In the Book of Revelation, Jesus introduces each of the seven churches by praising, rebuking, or encouraging them based on their geographical location, historical background, and cultural characteristics. Throughout these letters, I have been deeply struck by Jesus' rebuke of the church in Laodicea, calling them "lukewarm." Laodicea is actually located near Hierapolis and Colossae (Colossae), near Pamukkale. When the hot springs from Pamukkale reach this area, they are already lukewarm and difficult to drink. Therefore, Jesus said to this church, "Because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth." — Revelation 3:16.
Hierapolis Museum
Rooster. You can often see the rooster symbol in this Pamukkale. The reason has not been found yet? But it stands in front of the ancient swimming pool.
Pamukkale Adventure
I entered the south entrance at around 7:00 in the morning and finished filming around 8:30. As we were driving down the mountain, something unfortunate happened. The road forks before the south entrance. If you go left, you'll go straight through the park and continue up the mountain. The drive from the parking lot back to the hotel should take about 5 minutes, but it took me almost 2 hours to get there. As I was driving down, a group of police officers stopped me. They said the road was blocked for a cycling race. They refused to let me pass, repeatedly telling me to turn back. Since we couldn't communicate, I insisted I had to get back to the hotel because I had more things to do. They ignored me, saying the road was closed until 3:00 PM. Oh my god! What should I do? There was another car behind me. They were a young couple from England. They drove right, suggesting they had brought their car from England. They said there was a way back up the mountain. I had no choice but to head up. Do you know? The car was driving higher and higher, almost reaching the top of the mountain, but there was no end. The GPS kept telling me to turn back, but I had no choice but to drive up. After driving for a while, I saw a police car that was also stopping cars. I could drive out, but others couldn't drive in. I just kept driving forward, but it felt more and more wrong. It seemed like there was no end to the upward drive. I became more and more scared. I decided to go back. It was another difficult process. I got out of the car and went to the police car that had just stopped me. I asked if the road up could lead back to the city. Since they didn't speak English, we all used Google Translate to communicate. In the end, we concluded that it was right to keep going up and there was a way back. I had no choice but to go back. (The photo on the left is a souvenir photo with them.)
After driving continuously upwards, I finally reached an intersection. I was lost! Which way should I go? The GPS kept telling me to go back the way I came. At this moment, I prayed inwardly, wondering what to do. Suddenly, I saw my savior: the police car I had encountered earlier. They had just switched shifts and another police car was coming. They finally told me which direction to go. I was so grateful; otherwise, I would have been stuck there. I hadn't eaten or drunk anything all morning, and I was starving and thirsty. I had no money and didn't speak the language. It was really frustrating. I prayed inwardly that an angel would appear and give me something to eat. But I kept thinking it was wishful thinking. How could that happen in the middle of nowhere in Turkey?
This time, I felt like I was driving in the right direction, heading downhill. My GPS was working, sometimes not, and I figured if I came across a gas station, I'd stop in to use the restroom and ask for directions. An elderly gentleman approached me and pointed out that I needed to turn right 400 meters ahead to return to Pamukkale. When I came out of the restroom, the gentleman actually handed me some apricots. An elderly Turkish gentleman actually gave me apricots—what else could be better? Apricots are filling and hydrating, killing two birds with one stone. Thanks to God's guidance and provision, I finally found my way back to the hotel safely (even after numerous roadblocks). It was almost 10:30.
The red strokes indicate the original 5-minute route back to the hotel, while the blue strokes indicate the route that was forced back to the hotel and took 2 hours on the mountain road.
Bellamaritimo Hotel was our guesthouse this time. It had simple amenities and reasonable prices, and the owner was very friendly. When we asked if dinner was available now (4:30 PM), he initially said it wouldn't start until 5:30 PM, but to keep things moving, he quickly said he could make it for us. We ordered lamb chops and meatballs. Their meatballs were flat, but they were both quite tasty. The rice was especially delicious; the owner explained that he added olive oil and seasonings when cooking. In Pamukkale, eating out is limited to the street across from the central entrance; there's generally no food available in the accommodation area. This is why hotels offer a simple menu.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse