The last week has taken us across Turkey from Cappadocia to Pamukkale along the Silk Road and then up over the mountains to Selcuk near the Aegean Sea. There has been some pretty incredible history along the way including the Biblical cities of Colossae, Hierapolis, Laeodica, Philadelphia, Sardis and Ephesus. Still can't believe we are here seeing these amazing places that the early Apostles walked and ministered. Next leg will take us up the West coast along the Aegean Sea to Gallipoli and then on to the city of Istanbul.
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| Sitting on the unexcavated town of Colossae with the Lycus Valley below |
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| Breakfast in Pamukkale with the traventines and Hierapolis on the mountain in the distance |
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| Heading up the cotton castle (Pamukkale in Turkish) - traventine terraces of carbonate minerals left by the water from hot springs flowing down the mountain. |
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| Pamukkale - water is hotter at the top of the mountain |
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| At the top looking back down on the town of Pamukkale |
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| The ancient city of Hieraplois at the top of the traventines - the Antique Pool full of ruins |
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| Hierapolis - The Temple of Apollos |
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| Hierapolis Amphitheater - our favorite amphitheater so far |
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| Hierapolis - Testing the integrity of Roman keystone arches |
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| Hierapolis - Church of St Philip where they believe that the Apostle Phillip was martyred and buried |
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| Hierapolis - Roman road into town with public toilets on the left |
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| Walking back down the traventines at the end of a long day exploring Hierapolis |
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| Looks like ice, but calcium carbonate traventine rock |
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| Endless views with Mt Cadmos (2558m) in the background - Colossae at the base of this mountain |
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| Infinity Pool |
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| Making our way down still |
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| Bonnie enjoying the flowing water |
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| Laodicea - testing the stability of the temple columns |
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| Laodicea Amphitheater - can see Pamukkale in the distance across the valley |
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| Laodicea - yes Heather has barefeet |
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| Laodicea - getting up close and personal with the ruins |
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| Laodicea stadium with a couple of gladiators battling it out down the bottom |
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| Modern city of Alasehir where the ancient city of Philadelphia lies in ruins |
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| Roman baths and gymnasium in ancient town of Sardis |
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| Sardis - Jewish synagogue in front and Roman baths at the back |
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| Picnic in Sardis at the Temple of Artemis (some local ladies gave us some Turkish food to try) |
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| Temple of Artemis in Sardis with the Acropolis (mountain) in the background where Persian King Cyrus defeated the Lydian King Croesus |
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| Driving across the mountains on the way to Selcuk |
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| Ephesus Museum - sarcophagus |
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| Ephesus Museum - statue of Artemis that was in the Temple |
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| Our abode in Selcuk |
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| From our window in the hotel we looked up to the Ayasuluk Castle built in 6th century |
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| Theater at Ephesus where Paul created a disturbance with the Ephesians (see Acts 19:23-41) |
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| Ephesus - Library of Celsus (amazing reconstruction) |
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| Ephesus - Library of Celsus |
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| Directions to water closet or Wendy Conwell???? |
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| Ephesus - more cats than tourists (kept Bonnie busy) |
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| Ephesus public toilets - running water, but not a lot of privacy |
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| Ephesus - Library of Celsus in the background |
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| Ephesus family selfie |
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| The Goddess Nike or Victoria to the Romans (where we get the Nike symbol) |
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| Ephesus Theater |
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| Heather caught some turtles at the Temple of Artemis (used to be one of the seven wonders of the ancient world and now a swampy marsh with one pillar left standing) |
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| Hot chocolates in the town of Sirence |
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| The hilltop town of Sirence |
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| Baptisimal at the Basilica of St. John the Apostle in Selcuk (it is though he was buried here) - snowing today |
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| Ayasuluk Castle, or the Citadel of Ayasuluk high over Selcuk |
