Kusadasi

A gentleman at Afrodesias

We were pretty happy to leave Bodrum for our trip around Afrodesias and Pammukale, but we were all very tired from our big night out the night before, and an early start again. The minibus was a bit cramped for our long driving legs, but we managed to fit all the luggage into it as well as ourselves.

Temple of Aphrodite

Afrodesias is still amazing, and they’ve uncovered more ruins since the last time I was there. The Temple of Aphrodite is my favourite section, but there’s a lot of stuff they’re working on, especially the stadium. Not many cats there this time, which was a bit disappointing, but there were still a few who came out for cuddles and scraps from our morning tea.

Kitty at Afrodesias

Our next stop was Pammukale for Heiropolis and the magical Travertines. The white colour is from the calcium and other salts in the water, which deposit on the rocks when the water runs down. Apparently the people who look after the site dam the water so there was not much running down as last time I was there, but it was still very beautiful!

The Travertines

Then the long bus drive to Kusadasi – which was so worth the wait! It’s a seaside town like Bodrum, with without the frantic, backpacker feeling that Bodrum had. We arrived late at the lovely Stella hotel, and popped around the corner to have dinner at the King’s Place restaurant. Good food and cheap drinks, so instead of a quick bite we ended up staying for quite a while! The owner, Tiger, was lovely.

Kusadasi waterfront

The next day was a free day, so we all took the opportunity to sleep in and have a wander around the town. We met up in the afternoon to go to A’s favourite leather jacket shop, where I and N picked up some beautiful pieces. Then a walk along the waterfront and back to our favourite King’s Place for dinner again! Apparently Kusadasi relies very much on spending from the cruise ships, so when the first one left in the morning, the market was deserted and the owners were all desperate for our custom, and then closed early! Luckily for them, another arrived during the night.

The view from the Hotel Stella

Kusadasi was a gorgeous spot for a bit of R&R, so we were sad to be leaving, even though our next stop is Selcuk and Ephesus!