A Cotton Castle and Waters of Life

The White Hill of Pamukkale

There were no roosters of Denizli crowing this morning to wake us, but the sounds of a busy city began to break the night silence fairly early.  Today offered a fascinating variety of experiences, from the Travertine mountain at Pamukkale, to lunch at a small restaurant adjacent the University of Denizli, to the quaint shops of every breed and stripe in the downtown area of the bustling city, to a picnic dinner in the bus on the way to the airport, followed by a quick flight on Turkish Airlines back to Istanbul, and a very nice birthday cake with the group this evening, it has been a very full and wonderful day.

Pamukkale, meaning "cotton castle" in Turkish, is a magnificent site to behold. The ancient Greco-Roman and Byzantine city of Hierapolis was built on top of the white "castle." Hierapolis was founded as a thermal spa early in the 2nd century BCE and was used by various empires until the late 14th century CE. It includes a large coliseum, a very large necropolis (cemetery), and a number of other ruins. The hot springs which were turned into baths in the ancient world were a particular draw to the city. Today the ruins provide a fascinating view of an ancient city, and the travertine hills are a place of leisure and play for modern folks (our guide said, “Welcome to ‘Wet and Wild’ Turkey,” when we arrived).

Dave, Chuck, Peter, Gee, Bob, Beth, Mahmut, Saliha, Bryan
At the top of the Coliseum in Hierapolis

As I walked the ancient ruins, especially the coliseum and the very large area committed to the necropolis, I considered how hard life must have been in ancient times.  The dramatic sloping hills of this community would have no doubt provided significant hardship for the slaves who built this large city on their backs and by the sweat of their brow.  What is left, as with all ancient and now defunct cities, is in part a tribute to the unbelievably difficult lives of the common laborers of the day.  It makes me a bit more mindful and appreciative of those who do the hard, dirty, and unpopular work in our societies, and generally do so with a positive and kind spirit.

Entrance to the Necropolis in Hierapolis

The Necropolis is a reminder to all of us of the brevity of life... we are all called to make the most of the days we have.  This is not a morbid thought, nor should we perish such reflections from our minds.  It’s actually healthy, even necessary, to be in touch with the limits of our lives.  By this means we learn to focus, prioritize, and choose wisely what we will do for the good of others with whatever time we are gifted with.

Pamukkale

But the best gift of the day (I’ll see it as a special birthday gift today) was the encounter with the Travertine Springs of Pamukkale.  The vision as one walks along the snow-white stone is surreal, the light blue sparkling pools of spring water absolutely magnificent, and the feel of that 98 degree water as it runs over one’s bare feet was delightful.  We walked the entire length of Pamukkale down the gentle slope of the hill, perhaps a mile or so.  The stone was a porous and non-skid surface under the feet, so there was no sense that one would slip, and the spring water, rich in healing minerals, flow constantly over ones feet while walking.  There were plenty of people around, but with no one paying any attention to me I began to softly sing, to myself, “There Is a Balm in Gilead.”  My slow walk - you couldn’t go too fast - was about an hour; it became a precious time for me of reflection and healing for the soul, in part that’s what this whole trip has been for me: a time to reflect on, think about, and “tune-in” to the Spirit of God in my life.  We all need such times and places in our lives from time to time.

The crystal blue pools of Pamukkale

I am grateful to the Church for supporting my participation in this experience, and the Nile Foundation for their generous and gracious hosting of this trip.  I will have much more to share when I return home.  For now, this will be the final blog entry.  Tomorrow we will see a few more sites, and spend a bit of time at the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Market.  We will share a final dinner with one another as a group.  My eight travel companions have each been magnificent friends, each in her or his own way, on this adventure.  Not a cross word was spoken, or an ill feeling had, what a great group of friends.  I will treasure this experience, and no doubt it will continue to inform, inspire, and guide in many important ways in the years ahead.  I am grateful to all of you who have shared this journey with me through your interest in and reading of this blog.  Our flight returns late on Sunday evening, Monday will be a day of rest and recovery.  Then, forward in faith.  My prayer for each of you is to find peace, and to share that peace with each person you meet on this journey of spirit called life.  -- Masha'Allah (an Arabic phrase that expresses appreciation, joy, praise or thankfulness for an event or person that was just mentioned)

The Poppy Grows Everywhere in Turkey - Beautiful!