In and Around Selçuk, Şirince, Pamukkale, and Hierapolis; Turkey

Natural wonders and ancient ruins are among the primary motivators to visit the Turkish peninsula. However, the inhabited towns that lay near them are also worth visiting to catch a glimpse of everyday life.

Towns visited included Selçuk, just outside the ancient ruins of Ephesus; Şirince, a Greek enclave continuously settled since the 15th century; and Pamukkale, located just outside the ancient ruins of Hieropolis.

Getting to and from these destinations required more planning, and in some cases, the ability to let go of some of our inhibitions then what we were otherwise used to. After a one night layover in Istanbul, we took a domestic flight to Izmir, which was much cheaper than flying directly there from out of country, even with a hotel charge for one night.

Selçuk

Once we landed in Izmir, travel became more challenging. The staff around the Izmir airport were generally unfriendly and did not want to help. It is important to note that the Izmir airport is crawling with tour agents who are very eager to help travelers for a hefty fee. They are very pushy, and will say just about anything to get travelers in the bus and committed with payment. We avoided them, and fortunately, a local traveler helped us translate with a coach bus driver where we needed to go.

After riding the coach bus to the outer region of Izmir, we had to hurry to the "bus stop," which was nothing more than other other people standing along the street in front of a market. Luckily, before the passing of time would allow doubt to sink in, a small white minibus with a handmade sign labeled "Selçuk" rolled up beeping his horn. The driver, without asking anything, just grabbed our luggage, threw in the back of the minibus, and shewed us into the minibus.

For 6 Turkish Lira a person ($3), we rode the jam-packed minibus for about one hour to the bus station in downtown Selçuk. At the bus station, one can find taxi services, local minibuses, and coach buses for longer distance travel in Turkey.

A Traditional Turkish breakfast. It included an assortment of cheeses, hard-boiled eggs, breads, olives, honey with butter, and pastry.

Chicken Sis (pronounced shish) with rice. The chicken is cooked on a skewer similar to chicken kabobs. However, chicken sis is different in that it is marinated with honey and pomegranate, and is cooked in such a way that the chicken meat is very juicy, and almost melts in your mouth.

Selçuk viewed from the ruins of the Basilica of St. John. The air is smokey most of time because many people use wood-burning fireplaces in their homes. Sometimes, when very faint, the smell can be sort of pleasant. But other times, especially at night, the smell and fumes can be a little overwhelming.

The center of Selçuk.

The area in and around Selçuk have been occupied for thousands of years. Many locals are gathered at this square enjoying tobacco and tea, with remains of a Roman-era aqueduct in the background that once supplied water to nearby ancient Ephesus.

A full scale replica of an ancient Greek warship.

A full scale replica of an ancient Roman trading ship. At its height, the nearby ancient city of Ephesus had hundreds of these ships sail in and out of its harbor every year, moving trade goods from all over the Mediterranean world.

The Aegean Sea. For thousands of years, mariners from great civilizations such as the ancient Phoenicians, Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans sailed its waters.

Şirince

Located about 6km (3.7 miles) from Selçuk is the small Greek village of Şirince. The remaining Greek population of Ephesus established the town of Şirince in the 15th century. Most of what is visible today is from the 19th century, and Şirince has become well known for its wineries, specializing in a variety of fruit wines.

Travelers can reach Şirince by minibus from the Selçuk bus terminal; the ride takes about 15 minutes, and costs 3 Turkish Lira ($1.50). The minibus dropped us off at the foot of the hill that the town is situated upon. It in this area that most of the tourists traps are located. However, there is a decent size bazaar for the size of the town, and most sellers are willing to bargain over prices. We identified a common pattern of dialog among the sellers when bargaining over anything slightly unique. The common response is that the item in question was "my mother made it," and she "needs the money." The counter tactic is to be polite but firm in price, and be prepared to walk away if the seller refuses to deal.

To get a better sense of the town, and a glimpse of everyday life in Şirince, we ventured up the cobblestone streets, away from the main tourist areas. The smell of wood-burning fireplaces permeated the air, and the town had an aura about it as if time stopped over a century ago. Some areas of the town are nearing complete dilapidation, but I never felt unsafe. Some citizens of the town do get a little creative taking advantage of the wandering tourist. At one point, a lady offered us a self-guided tour of her "antique museum" for 1 Lira. Curiosity got the best of us, and for 1 Lira, we thought "why not?"  It turned out that her "museum" was an upstairs bedroom with some random items the lady's mother tried to aggressively sell us. As we made our way out of the house, the old lady kept saying "antique!, antique!, 3 Lira!" Laughing as we continued on our way, we realized we were tricked into paying 1 Lira ($.50) to shop.

A beautiful view of Şirince, nestled in the foothills of the mountains.

It seemed everywhere I went in Turkey, I made feline friends.

We crossed paths with these townsfolk. The Ladies were knitting something while the child was playing.

Old and new mix as we made our way through the labyrinthine streets. The streets themselves are paved with stone, many of the structures were built in the 19th century; the satellite dishes on the house in the center of the image was a reminder that I was still in the 21st century.

We crossed path with local ladies selling rugs on the side of the street. After deciding on a rug, we haggled with them for about 10 minutes. Finally, I thought we had a deal at 20 Turkish Lira. When we went to pay with a 20 Lira bill, the lady demanded 20 Euro, which would have made it almost three times as much. The lady refused to accept anything else, and we politely declined and walked away.

Pamukkale: Travertines, and Ancient Hierapolis

The town of Pamukkale is situated at the foot of the travertines, a massive calcium deposit as the result of runoff from geothermal hot springs. To get to Pamukkale, we first boarded a coach bus in Selçuk; we rode in comfort and enjoyed the chance to view the Turkish countryside for the first two and a half hours of the trip. While passing through a series of dilapidated industrial complexes in the middle of nowhere, the coach pulled over unexpectedly, and we were informed that we needed to get off for Pamukkale. Startled, we exited the pass, and were greeted by some guy with his personal car. He began to grab our luggage to put in his trunk, but we protested, demanding answers as to what was going on. The bus attendant assured us that it was o.k., and the stranger said he drove his personal car to save gas instead of bringing a minibus for just us two. Reluctantly, we agreed to continue our journey in the car. We reached Pamukkale about 30 minutes later.

First on our itinerary was the travertines. The temperature outside was about 35º F, and visitors are required to walk barefoot to help preserve the travertines. Luckily, the water running down the travertines come from deep underground, heated by geothermal activity deep within the earth. The travertines were one of the most interesting natural wonders I have visited to date.

After ascending the travertines, I walked along the stone and marble streets of Hierapolis, an ancient Greek and Roman city. Hierapolis was founded on the hot springs sometime in the second century BC as a healing spa and healing center. While under control of the Roman Empire, a massive earthquake destroyed much of the city in 60 AD. The city was rebuilt in the Roman style, which is its present form. After suffering from several invasions over the centuries and  another massive earthquake in 1354, the city was completely destroyed, never to be rebuilt. Over the centuries, the ruins become buried under a thick layer of limestone, not to be seen until excavations in 1887.

The spectacular travertines of ancient Hieropolis and modern-day Pamukkale. In the distance, the town of Pamukkale can be seen.

One of the many pools of warm water along the travertines. The water is crystal clear and usually very warm, even during the winter months. The bottom of the pool is covered in a thick layer of pure white, fine, soft calcium. The calcium feels like wet flour upon the feet.

Rushing hot water, descending the travertines. The water carries with it significant amount of calcium. As the water rushes down the travertines, it overflows and snakes its way along even the slightest depression. The water leaves behind calcium deposits that will will harden over time, forming new layers of rock. The texture of the travertines feels like fine sandpaper upon bare feet.

The great Roman amphitheater of Hierapolis, constructed in c. 60 AD, with a seating capacity of 15,000. In c. 352 AD, the amphitheater underwent modifications that included the ability to host water shows.

The Domitian Gate, leading to the Hierapolis's main thoroughfare.

The Nymphaeum, dating from the 2nd century AD. The Nymphaeum was a monumental and lavishly decorated fountain constructed to distribute water to houses throughout the city. It also served as a shrine for the Nymphs.