03.03.2016 Returning to Marmaris and onwards towards the limestone terraces of Pamukkale

After breakfast a bus takes us to the port of Rhodes from where we return to Marmaris onboard of a Turkish catamaran.  The catamaran is twice as fast as the "Sea Dreams" but bad luck for photographers: there is no weather deck for passengers.

From Marmaris we drive by bus about 200km northeast towards Pamukkale located at 1300m altitude. The limestone terraces of Pamukkale belong to the UNESCO World Culturing Heritage. Serap tells us, that 20 years ago the UNESCO was going to remove Pamukkale from the list, because the White of the terraces turned to a dirty Grey. That was caused by large numbers of tourists, who moved unregulated on the site, but also caused by hotels built above the terraces. The hotels separated a lot of the  thermal water for their own use, so a large part of the terraces was no longer overflowed and so no new lime disposed.

The Turkish government reacted promptly to the threat of the UNESCO. The hotels were demolished and the access for tourists was limited to a narrow path that may only be entered with bare feet.

Today you can still see grey areas, but the biggest part of the limestone terraces shines white again.

Befor we can admire the limestone terraces Serap leads us to the remains of ancient Hierapolis (apropos you can visit Hierapolis and the terraces with the same ticket).

Finally we reach the limestone terraces of Pamukkale.

I have forgotten the name of the hotel we then stayed over night, but the hotels thermal baths I remember because we used their benefits at a late hour.

Before that we visit a demonstration of the "Dancing dervishes" a short distance from our hotel. In fact this dance is a kind of religious ceremony and for that reason it is not allowed to photograph or to film this act. After the ceremony we get the opportunity to photograph or to film. Not all of the tourists observe this rule and some are disrespectful and leave their places during the ceremony Granted, the dance of the dervishes is no artistic sensation, but it is a testimony of their culture and there faith and should be respected.