Two highlights in one week!

From Istanbul and the Black Sea, we moved towards the Aegean Sea, direction Izmir.

On the way we stopped in Bursa, a bustling city of over three million people, making it the fourth largest in the country. The majority of Turkey`s automotive production happens here.
It was the capital of the Ottoman Empire for a brief period in the 14th Century.

Different modes of transportation

We parked up next to a museum, not knowing what it was about. It did look very interesting from the outside, though, with its huge dome.

Always curious, my human went inside to check it out. It is called "Panorama 1326" and tells you about life in the empire during that time. 

The show piece of the museum, which opened in 2019, is a gigantic panoramic picture, as they call it. Eight artists worked for three years, digitally painting a colossal mural which was then printed on fabric and now lines the whole dome. It is a truly fascinating piece of art, supplemented with columns made of foam and underlined with sounds accompanying the scenes. Never have we seen anything like it!

The main reason to come here was the mountain to the south of the city, Uludag, 2543m. 
Surrounding the mountain is one of the larger ski centers in the country with 25 lifts and 28km of slopes.
Setting aside her dislike for hiking in ski areas, after three days in Istanbul, it was time for some physical exercise in nature.

Still plenty of snow up here

The small seaside town of Foca was our next stop. Founded in the 11th Century BC by the Greeks as Phocaea. The town was mainly populated by Greeks into the Modern Age. Until, in 1914, the Ottoman Empire launched a huge campaign of genocide that peaked in the massacre of Phocaea. 

Today, it is a quaint little fishing village which draws crowds from Izmir (and tourists) in the summer months.

We went the other direction, from Foca to Izmir.
It is the third largest city in the country with over three million inhabitants, 4,5 million in the greater area.
The city center is quite pleasant and mainly taken up by a huge, largely covered, maze-like market, paddling the usual fare of real fake designer clothes, produce, carpets, shoes, sunglasses, tableware - you name it.

The city was built alongside a massive bay, which is home to the second largest harbor in the country, after Istanbul. 9% of Turkey´s industrial output is generated in the Izmir province, mainly chemicals, textiles, cars and metal.

Known to be more liberal, secular and cosmopolitan than the rest of the country, the city is half seriously, half jokingly called "Gavur Izmir", faithless Izmir.
Crop tops, short shorts and daring dresses are being paraded everywhere and no-one spares a second look.
Although, it has to be said, the dress code in general seems to be less strict and restrictive than we had anticipated.

A great bike path runs all along the bay

Konak Maydani

Two landmarks of the city

Can`t read the inscription, but it seems obvious

155 steps of 20 seconds in this "Asensör", built in 1907

We left Izmir and headed for the Dilek-Yarimadasi National Park, established in 1966. It occupies a large peninsula and offers a nice retreat from the city, beckoning with pretty beaches and a couple of good hikes.
The Greek island of Samos is just a stone´s throw away across the Aegean Sea.

It is prohibited to spend the night in the park, so after a relaxing afternoon at the beach, we headed back out and spent a quiet night above the village of Güzelcamli, before returning the next day for a hike.

Three generations of wild pigs right on the beach

Also an option, but my human chose to stick with me instead

The second highlight of our tour through Turkey, ater Istanbul, was up next, Pamukkale, which means "cotton castle" in Turkish. I dare say you have heard of this place.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988, it really is quite a fascinating place, and quite a bit larger than we expected, too. 2700m long, 600m wide and 160m high, to be exact.

People who have been here twenty years ago will tell you, it`s not anymore what it used to be. And people told those people the same thing twenty years before that.

If you see it for the first time and were clever enough not to be blended by brochures or Instagram posts, you will still be awed and have a great time!

A first sighting on the drive into town

Not a bad spot for the night

Looks a bit like a skiing area at night

Before heading to the entrance, gates open at eight, we had the pleasure of seeing around 35 hot air balloons fly over the site in the soft morning light. 

We had spent the night at the side of a large field, where, depending on the wind, balloons will start their flight around half past five in the morning.
This day they had taken off somewhere else, therefore not waking us up with the accompayning noise. It was pure luck we came to just before 6am and had a look outside.

Pamukkales famous terraces are made of travertine, a sedimentary rock deposited by mineral water from hot springs. 

Calcium carbonate is deposited by the water as a soft gel, which eventually crystallizes into travertine.

You can walk around the place barefoot, the rock has good grip.
It used to be allowed to bathe in the pools but isn`t anymore in an effort to preserve the site. Not everyone cares, though.

What you might not have heard of is the ancient city of Hierapolis that was built on top of the travertine formation. 

The city was founded as a thermal spa in the 2nd Century BC. 
Population quickly grew to a staggering 50.000 and the place became a well know center for healing, where doctors treated their patients with the thermal waters.

The Christian Apostle Philip spent the last years of his life here and found his death on the cross, upside down, after being persecuted by the Roman Empire for preaching the Gospel in 80AD.

Use sunscreen, folks!

An ancient olive press

Pluto with Cerberus, the hell-hound, and two snakes

The Ploutonium, another entrance into the underworld

One of the main city gates

Doesn`t look too bad for a latrine

My human spent over six hours exploring the place. Not too much if you consider that it took around 15 thousand years for nature to build.
Indeed a highlight of this years trip!

Some 50km away lies a small cave that houses some travertines as well. Obviously a lot smaller than Pamukkale, but due to the setting quite interesting and unique!

Known as the "Maldives of Turkey", we visited Salda Gölü on our way back to the coast. 
Without wanting to offend anyone, but only a blind man would use a comparison like that. It has to be said that the weather promised a bit of an Amageddon, but still... 
An anti-highlight!