Today’s theme was driving. One of the things we enjoyed most about our trip was the opportunity to see Turkey beyond the brochures. About 20 minutes outside of Oludeniz we felt like we were in the middle of rural America (or anywhere else, for that matter). Men were driving tractors along the road, hauling families and cotton and produce. The biggest building we saw for many miles was a grain silo. Gradually the road ascended and we found ourselves weaving through high Mountains. It felt so good, a little bit like Colorado … another 3 hours brought us to Pamukkale – one of the strangest sights we’ve ever seen. This natural hot spring bubbles up calcium-rich water, which has left a mountain of white pools in its wake. As a result of the purported health benefits, a Roman city called Hierapolis sprang up next to the spring. In addition to the ancient "Walking Mall" we saw a grand Theater and a huge necropolis (lots of sarcophagi). After walking around and testing out the waters, we drove another 3 hours back to the west coast, where we spent the night in a non-descript town called Kusadasi.
