My goodness, these are some stretches here. When we look at the map, we can hardly make any progress. We want to get out in the east of the country and also have to go to Ankara to pick up our visa. Then we want to drive along the coast because it's so beautiful. At the same time, however, we also want to see a few things in the interior of the country that have been tempting us. And we are only allowed to stay in Turkey for 90 days.
So we drive, make the journey. The nice thing is that there are pretty good roads here, which are almost empty (except in city centres with chronically overcrowded 2nd parking rows) and are real overland routes.
I would like to see Pamukkale. I often read and hear that you can do without it. It's completely overcrowded and not worth the effort. In Çeşme, while Gerd is feeding all the cats, I meet a Turkish couple who speak very good English. No wonder, as they have lived in Australia for 40 years. They come from the Pamukkale region and say that we absolutely have to go there. It's especially beautiful there in winter. Empty and dreamlike. And then they give us a tip for the small Pamukkale. Less than 7 kilometres away, open to the public, just as healing and
not so crowded.
So we drive to Pamukkale. I lead Gerd to an empty meadow right in front of the white mountain. As we arrive in the evening, it somehow looks like a floodlit ski slope in Switzerland. We are almost 300 metres above sea level and our meadow is a wonderful vantage point. We fall into bed dead tired. The muezzin is still warbling in the background, but we are already fast asleep.
The howling of jackals wakes us in the night, Gerd's imagination runs wild, for once I'm not afraid. What can jackals do? As it's a full moon, they're probably howling at the moon. We go back to sleep.
In the morning, with the sun still hiding behind the mountains, we are woken by a familiar sound that we haven't heard for a long time: the sound of hot air balloons blowing. Our tired eyes look out of the roof window and see huge balloons flying directly above us.
Oh God, are we parking on their landing site? Quickly get into our clothes and, armed with our mobile phones and cameras, capture the spectacle. Then the balloons fly over the white sinter terraces, over us into a dreamlike sunrise in the mountains. What a way to start the day.
We decide to stay in our meadow today and do nothing. We'll make it until the afternoon. Then we drive the 7 kilometres to the aforementioned "little Pamukkale". It's called Karahayıt Kırmızı Su here. A hot spring.
The Karahayıt thermal springs near Denizli are known for their unique red, healing thermal water and thermal mud with a temperature of 58°C. The red water and thermal mud are also said to be very effective for kidney stones, cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, rheumatism, sciatica, arthrosis, gynaecological and skin diseases, slipped discs, digestive disorders, stomach, intestinal, liver and gallbladder diseases, diabetes, eczema, strengthening the immune system and metabolic disorders.
I see.
I quickly take off my shoes and socks and stand in the hot water. But I'm out again just as quickly. Because 58 degrees is too hot even for me, who always has cold feet. The further away from the spring you stand in the water, the more pleasant it is. That's how I look after my feet and the non-existent illnesses that the thermal water is supposed to help with.
Gerd gets us two glasses of Çay, we enjoy the evening atmosphere and think it's wonderful here. Finally, we are tempted by a small massage parlour near the car park. I have a massage, Gerd meanwhile drinks the umpteenth tea with the owner and the two of them chat incessantly. The fact that the house cat has found its way onto Gerd's lap is standard here!
But I can also have a quick cuddle.
And because today is the full moon, there's a little ritual "between the years". The Christmas undergrowth is burnt at a small bonfire with our farewell wishes for 2023. Here we write down all the things that didn't go so well in 2023, but from which we have learnt and which we no longer want to have on or in us in 2024.
But as the nights are cold here too, it remains a small and "short" campfire, we retire to our Felix and don't know whether we will see the big, real Pamukkale tomorrow.
Source: https://www.kulturportali.gov.tr/turkiye/denizli/gezilecekyer/karahayit
Merci for "travelling with us
We are thinking about taking another break from travelling in the summer and visiting our families in Germany and Switzerland. One of the ideas is to organise a Lecture about our long journey to the Persian Gulf to prepare. If you would like to, what would interest you the most? We will also tell stories here that don't find a place here on the blog. We're thinking of the Bern and Berlin area - simply because we have family there. But other places are also conceivable. Feel free to write to us.
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