Day 1: Laodicea, Hieropolis

We started the day by driving three hours across SW Turkey by bus. The views were marvellous and reminded us of no place we had ever been except perhaps bits of Namibia.

The countryside near Antalya is known for its vegetable farming, much of it in green houses like these.

In America we talk of changes over the decades. I suppose in Europe people discuss history in terms of centuries, but here in Turkey our guide kept talking about millenia. 

Our destination was Laodicea. 

Revelation 3:14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

21 To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

The one item I came to Turkey wanting to buy is a new Blessings Book to write down things for which I am thankful. I found one in the gift shop at the entrance. May it be a reminder never to become a tepid Christian.

A pagan temple in Laodicea. Apollo, as I recall.

The floor where our friends are walking in the temple is thick plexiglass where you can look down into the excavation below.

Admittedly, it is a bit unnerving.

View back out from the temple.

Columns in front of temple.

Unfortunately for us, the basilica church is undergoing restoration, but the road runs in front of this entryway.

These columns to the north of the temple drew my attention, but notice the white splash on the distant hillside. We will see it up close shortly.

Hierapolis is a Roman city, but the hot springs go back much further. They spill over the hillside to pools in the valley below. Remember that white splash? Well here it is up close.

There was one spot where we could go down and dabble our feet. Warm, but obviously full of minerals it has left behind for 14,000 years now.

Large Roman theater at Hierapolis.

Our guide, Huzur, demonstrates how two people using the latrine (with water running behind to carry away the waste and water in front for washing your behind, plus a noisy fountain) could conduct business without being overheard.

The sun went down before we had anywhere near exhausted this fascinating city. Our hotel, further along the amazing deposits of sodium carbonate, has terrible internet, but indoor hot pools that are much hotter than where we dabbled. We went in after supper and now (after sitting in the lobby to try to get Internet access to post this blog) I am ready to collapse. Good night. :-)