Day 03 - Hierapolis, Laodicea, Aphrodisias

Day 3 started out with an adventure - an early morning hot air balloon ride! How incredible to float over some of the sites we would see later that day. What looked like snow is actually the white travertine deposits in the warm mineral pools. Hierapolis means "Holy City", because of the temples to gods and goddesses. Today it is called Pamukkale which means "cotton castle" (after white travertine topped hills).

After breakfast we visited Hierapolis (on ground level :) and walked the lower and upper parts of the city ruins. Then we got to see the natural mineral pools where thousands visit every year. Col. 4:13 is the only place in the Bible where Hierapolis is mentioned. Epaphras was working here as founding pastor.

Our second site was Laodicea (you may be familiar with the "lukewarm church" from Revelation 3). This was formerly a wealthy banking city and a fashion center known for their black wool. It was recently the #1 archaeological site in Turkey. 

Lastly, we visited Aphrodisias, named after Aphrodite. In late 1st century BC Aphrodisias came under favored status of Caesar Augustus (Octavian). "Aphrodisias is the one city of all of Asia I have called my own", he claimed. Because of the marble quarries nearby, it was the sculpture center of the ancient world.

What an amazing day! Keep following for more adventures.