COTTON CASTLES & THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH: PAMUKKALE, TURKEY

Truth be told, I knew more about Pamukkale than Cappadocia prior to my travel to Turkey - despite the latter capturing my heart and fancy when I finally set foot in its alien landscape. Photos of Pamukkale's white and blue iridescent pools were plastered across almost all Turkish tourism brochures and websites I came upon - second only to Istanbul's iconic Blue Mosque.

The travertines in summer, when the pools are filled to brim with the mineral waters. Photo credit: Wonders of Turkey

Who could blame these tourism marketers; these cotton castles suspended over an ancient ridge on top of its small town are nothing short of magical! I just had to visit this UNESCO World Heritage site and see the wonderful pools with my own eyes.

Pamukkale: history, mythology and otherworldly landscapes in one go!

My visit to Pamukkale actually started at the sprawling Heriapolis complex - most people would probably link this UNESCO World Heritage site to Cleopatra and Marc Anthony but it was built during the Phrygians' reign in 4th BC. These Phrygians were famous allies of the Trojans - YESSSS, of THAT Trojan War fame (or infamy?)!

Heriapolis is called the "sacred city;" built by the god Apollo himself and a place of worship for another god, Pluto. Its hallways and stone steps have been trodden on by the likes of Nero, Philip the Apostle, and Emperor Hadrian. I was ECSTATIC to visit this place of such historical significance, once occupied by people who were mere characters in my history books! I mean, CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW EXCITING IT WAS TO WALK ON THE SAME STEPS AS THESE HISTORICAL AND MYTHOLOGICAL FIGURES?!?!?!?!?!?! Nothing like a rich back story to get my heart pumping!

The city has had its fair share of earthquakes so most of the structures are in ruins, but one of the most well-preserved architectural gems is the Greco-Roman Theatre. This vertiginous structure that seated a whopping 15,000 people was apparently built on an older theatre that was devastated by a quake in 60 CE. From this vantage point, you can see how vast the complex was during its heydays and practically imagine it coming to life!

Before the actual travertines themselves, I made a mandatory stop at the fabled Cleopatra's Pool - apparently, Marc Anthony's gift to her and purported to be the fountain of youth. Apart from the chance to look younger, it was amazing to swim alongside these antiquities! Sure, they're just giant, moss-covered columns now that settled at the bottom of the pool after the city's destruction, but I cannot stress it enough: I SWAM IN THE SAME POOL THAT CLEOPATRA SWUM IN! How awesome is that?!

Swim with antiquities in Cleopatra's Fountain of Youth!

The geothermal pool had air bubbles that danced across my skin as I revelled in these mineral waters heated at a pleasant 35C - I could feel my skin starting to become youthful the longer I swam in the pool, hehe. #notreally

Feel like an ancient Queen in these heated mineral waters!

Ok fine, it may not be the fountain of youth we all fancied it to be but the waters' rich mineral properties do help heal* a host of ailments such as: heart disease, atherosclerosis, blood pressure, eczema, etc.... *DISCLAIMER ALERT! No scientific studies have proven this claim. Still, it doesn't hurt to try. :-)

The pièce de résistance of my visit here was of course, the Travertines of Pamukkale: a swath of area with blindingly white pools of calcified minerals and crystalline-blue mineral waters heated from deep beneath the surface of the Earth.

So blue, so inviting!

Caution: slippery when wet!

I stayed the rest of the afternoon here, swimming from one pool to another and amusingly watching tourists posing like there was no tomorrow for that perfect bikini selfie (in cold weather, mind you!)... It was a perfect way to end a day filled with fascinating tidbits about the city's history and mythology.

The middle portion is the hottest stream of water at almost 40C!

Bikini shoot: werqing it on top of the calcified pools!

The travertines look like milky-white cotton candy, or fluffy clouds!

A few tips for your visit to Pamukkale:

• Stay within the allowed area - at specified days and times, the staff open or close parts of the travertines to help preserve them.

• Be careful as the pools are deceptively slippery! Don't walk near the edge.

• Don't be disappointed if you don't see those famous travertines all filled up with water at the same time: the management here controls the flow and volume of the waters. Again, it's a conservation effort.

• Don't worry about your shoes - everyone leaves them on the wooden walkway right at the entrance. Obviously, don't leave your valuables behind.

• As much as they look like clouds, the travertines are rock solid. Some places are not smooth and may feel like you're walking atop corals.

• Wear your sunglasses: the sun's reflection on the pools can hurt your eyes! Trust me on this.

• Bring your swimsuits! Because how else are you going to enjoy the thermal pools? :-)

It's not every day that all the pools are filled with the geothermal waters. The terraces are now off limits to travelers as a conservation effort - walkways are allocated for those visiting.

Up close and personal with the cotton castles in the sky

The travertines beckoning for you to come visit and swim in its heated pools! :)

The travertines are definitely worth a visit - like Cappadocia, it's unlike anything that I've ever experienced in my travels. Add to that the rich history of the ancient city, it should be on every traveler's must-visit list. There are a few other similar geological formations in the world in places such as Iran, Algeria, Mexico, and China, but the one in Turkey is the most famous of them all.

HAPPY TRAVELS! x