I arrived in Denizli Airport early in the morning, and it was freezing.
Took a 30minutes bus ride from the airport to Denizli city center. The view on the bus ride from the airport was fantastic.
I went straight to the hotel which was right behind the bus station.
After checked in, I change my clothes and took another bus to Pamukkale.
Its a 25minute ride that reached Pamukkale around 9.30am. The entrance fee to the whole Pamukale Natural Park is only 25Lira but everything else inside, Ancient Pool, food are different charges.
I actually have mixed feeling about Pamukkale.
The first few steps was not what I expected. I was expecting multiple layered semicircle pools filled with water. But what I saw were huge, one layer at a time semicirle pool some with water and most don't.
I thought all the pools in the pictures were all dried up. There were a lot of those travertines but no water in it.
And also, there were too many people (mostly group tourists) to even took a picture of what's left of the pool.
I expect waters inside all of these travertines.
I guess these might not be it.
I don't know how big the area was. So i just keep on walking to see the whole Natural Park, hoping there are more areas on the other side that I haven't been to.
Further up is the Hierapolis ruins site. This is quite amazing after my earlier frustration.
Further up is the Hierapolis ruins site. This is quite amazing after my earlier frustration.
Then I planned to look for the travertines again. It's quite tiring actually to walk without any shades from the scorching sun in the vast park. So before I go keep on going, I asked a couple of mother daughter who're just returning from the direction I wanted to go, if there are anything further up. They said, nothing much just more ruins.
So I decided not to go further.
In my whole trip, this was the only decision that left bitter taste in my mouth.
I won't say I regret it, because I rarely regrets decisions I made, but it left me wondering that I have the whole day ahead of me, at the time it was around 1pm or 2pm. I could've just walk to wherever the Natural Park ends just to find out if there are other side of the park that contain the travertines I'm looking for.
But I didn't because I'm actually already frustrated, drained due to the hot sun, I almost dozed off afterwards when I rest under the trees. And mainly because the mother daughter said, there are nothing more further up, just more ruins. But I could've just walk, figure it out myself. But I'm already tired. So..hmm..
I've took some decent pictures despite the picture that I've been imagining in my head since before the trip, that I've been looking for, was not there.
I did plan to wait for sunset, but with the hot sun and my expectation not met, I decided to go back.
I've spent only half day there where some spent the whole day until sunset.
There are ancient pool where you can have a bath and spa, but you need to pay another 40Lira for entrance. I'm on budget so, spa/massage are the kind of luxury I can't afford.
So I went back at around 2pm.
Few days later when I went through #pamukkale on Instagram, I saw a guy posted the his photo of him standing on the layered travertines with water in it around the same date I went.
So I commented that stranger's picture, where the hell did he took the picture.
He said it was at the carpark entrance.
I was like, where the hell was the carpark entrance???
I knew there should be carpark somewhere, but I didn't think about some other entrance, plus there were no staff or commity I could ask at the time. I don't know how to feel or think.
I didn't comment further, I was already in Malaysia anyway so I just let it go, maybe I could go there again some other time if God's willing.
I went back to Denizili, buy bus ticket for tomorrow morning to Bodrum, buy some delicious rice with doner kebab, go back to my room ate my late lunch and fell asleep.
I woke up around 8pm , finished the rest of my food, yes the potion was big I could eat it for late luch and dinner.:P No I did not get outside.
The next morning I had breakfast in the hotel and took the bus to Bodrum at 10am.
I had a misunderstanding with the bus operator in Denizli actually since for the love of me, not a single operator there could speak decent English, If Istanbul is not very good, here in Denizli was worse. So it's a bit hard to confirm time and price and everything.
So the operator I bought ticket from told me bus from Bodrum to Denizli is only 4 hours. so I bought the 10am bus expecting to reach Bodrum around 2pm and have 2 hour cushion in Bodrum since my ferry to Kos will be at 4pm. Truth was, bus to Bodrum from Denizli is 5 hours and they made number of stops along the way and I ended up reaching Bodrum around 3.45pm and my boat to Kos that I already paid leaving at 4pm.
But one thing I love about my bus ride, other than the nice view, I met this super nice lady around my mom's age, who I met on the otogar in Denizli. She approached me first because my handbag's zipper was open. Then I thanked her and tried to talk to her but clearly she didn't speak any English.
But then she was seated right next to me on the bus.
Anyway the bus I took - Ben Turizm, was very modern and well equipped with wifi,(not very good connection though) musics and some movies. I watched Tom Yum Goong (in Turkish) for the first hour. How often can you see Tony Jaa speaks Turkish in your lifetime right? lol. Light drinks are served along the way, the waiter even wore a suit. It's like you're travelling on a plane.
So this lady, always trying to talk to me even though we didn't understand each other. Fail to do that, she gave me sweets whenever she's having one.
I told her I was going to Bodrum, and she said something that a guy next to me told she meant "We're going to the same place."
Oh that one guy can speak English though, but he stopped midway at Aydin. Plus everytime the guy talks to me, the lady will interrupt, I guess she doesn't really like me talking to a stranger, (or a guy). Probably the fact that I travel alone triggers the motherly instinct out of her.
Few minutes before she took off, she went in front and sit near the driver since she was telling him where she wanted to stop but before she got off she turned back to my seat and hugged me.
I was stunned but hugged her back and say thanks. It was a warm motherly hug that I haven't got in a long while.:)
I should take a picture with her at the time, but there's not enough time to do that anyway.
God bless that nice and caring lady. :) :)
In my whole trip, this was the only decision that left bitter taste in my mouth.
I won't say I regret it, because I rarely regrets decisions I made, but it left me wondering that I have the whole day ahead of me, at the time it was around 1pm or 2pm. I could've just walk to wherever the Natural Park ends just to find out if there are other side of the park that contain the travertines I'm looking for.
But I didn't because I'm actually already frustrated, drained due to the hot sun, I almost dozed off afterwards when I rest under the trees. And mainly because the mother daughter said, there are nothing more further up, just more ruins. But I could've just walk, figure it out myself. But I'm already tired. So..hmm..
I've took some decent pictures despite the picture that I've been imagining in my head since before the trip, that I've been looking for, was not there.
I did plan to wait for sunset, but with the hot sun and my expectation not met, I decided to go back.
I've spent only half day there where some spent the whole day until sunset.
There are ancient pool where you can have a bath and spa, but you need to pay another 40Lira for entrance. I'm on budget so, spa/massage are the kind of luxury I can't afford.
So I went back at around 2pm.
Few days later when I went through #pamukkale on Instagram, I saw a guy posted the his photo of him standing on the layered travertines with water in it around the same date I went.
So I commented that stranger's picture, where the hell did he took the picture.
He said it was at the carpark entrance.
I was like, where the hell was the carpark entrance???
I knew there should be carpark somewhere, but I didn't think about some other entrance, plus there were no staff or commity I could ask at the time. I don't know how to feel or think.
I didn't comment further, I was already in Malaysia anyway so I just let it go, maybe I could go there again some other time if God's willing.
I went back to Denizili, buy bus ticket for tomorrow morning to Bodrum, buy some delicious rice with doner kebab, go back to my room ate my late lunch and fell asleep.
I woke up around 8pm , finished the rest of my food, yes the potion was big I could eat it for late luch and dinner.:P No I did not get outside.
Cafes at the bus station foodcourt.
I had a misunderstanding with the bus operator in Denizli actually since for the love of me, not a single operator there could speak decent English, If Istanbul is not very good, here in Denizli was worse. So it's a bit hard to confirm time and price and everything.
So the operator I bought ticket from told me bus from Bodrum to Denizli is only 4 hours. so I bought the 10am bus expecting to reach Bodrum around 2pm and have 2 hour cushion in Bodrum since my ferry to Kos will be at 4pm. Truth was, bus to Bodrum from Denizli is 5 hours and they made number of stops along the way and I ended up reaching Bodrum around 3.45pm and my boat to Kos that I already paid leaving at 4pm.
But one thing I love about my bus ride, other than the nice view, I met this super nice lady around my mom's age, who I met on the otogar in Denizli. She approached me first because my handbag's zipper was open. Then I thanked her and tried to talk to her but clearly she didn't speak any English.
But then she was seated right next to me on the bus.
Anyway the bus I took - Ben Turizm, was very modern and well equipped with wifi,(not very good connection though) musics and some movies. I watched Tom Yum Goong (in Turkish) for the first hour. How often can you see Tony Jaa speaks Turkish in your lifetime right? lol. Light drinks are served along the way, the waiter even wore a suit. It's like you're travelling on a plane.
So this lady, always trying to talk to me even though we didn't understand each other. Fail to do that, she gave me sweets whenever she's having one.
I told her I was going to Bodrum, and she said something that a guy next to me told she meant "We're going to the same place."
Oh that one guy can speak English though, but he stopped midway at Aydin. Plus everytime the guy talks to me, the lady will interrupt, I guess she doesn't really like me talking to a stranger, (or a guy). Probably the fact that I travel alone triggers the motherly instinct out of her.
Few minutes before she took off, she went in front and sit near the driver since she was telling him where she wanted to stop but before she got off she turned back to my seat and hugged me.
I was stunned but hugged her back and say thanks. It was a warm motherly hug that I haven't got in a long while.:)
I should take a picture with her at the time, but there's not enough time to do that anyway.
God bless that nice and caring lady. :) :)
Another Ben Turizm bus on the other side of the road.
View of the housing area nearby Bodrum.
Next stop, Bodrum, Kos & Kalymnos.
No comments:
Post a Comment