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Now here’s a great spot. Public baths, fed by a hot springs, just down from the ancient theatre at Heirapolis, in which you swim amongst rubble dating back to Roman era.

Our circuit of the site took in the town’s theatre, its southern and northen agoras (marketplaces), the Bouletron (administrative centre), a temple later converted into a Christian church and a magnificent stadium, larger and more impressive than the one even at Delphi, with 360 degrees of its tiered seating restored (although the earthquake damage which destroyed it is still evident).

We found this little fellow in the modest Hierapolis museum atop Pamukkale. Does someone need a hug?

What we’re talking about is a unique geological incident which has produced a hillside covered in rivulets of white - brilliantly white - limestone. It’s truly surprising and unlike anything I’ve seen.

really set it apart was the view back over the limestone pools of Pamukkale and beyond them to the surrounding countyside.

Kitchy pink decor, pool, internet and (like most places in Pammukkele, it seemed), wifi internet access from our room. Also, the staff were always on hand to sell us bus and tour tickets, even Turkish carpets hand woven by a struggling local co-operative. Hmmm.

It was one of those days that I would have been happy for someone to do it all for us: walk to Patara bus stop (5 minutes), local bus (dolmush) to highway (10 minutes), flagging down a bus headed to Fetihye (1.5 hours), connection to bus to Denizli (a 4 hour mail run) then a local bus to Pammukkale (15 minutes).