Pamukkale, a paradise in Turkey

Pamukkale is a place of natural wonder; so much jumps out at the eye that it is difficult to pinpoint one favorite quality of the area I never wrote about something I observed in Pamukkale in the western province of Mu?la. I assume most of you have seen it, or at least have heard about Pamukkale. If you haven't? Shame on you! This is one of the highlights of this country besides Istanbul, Ephesus, Do?ubayaz?t, Ani, Cappadocia, Sürmene Monastery, Beypazar? and beautiful Turkish nature? I can fill the whole page of this newspaper with examples; there is so much to see and do in Turkey. 

But what I witnessed in Pamukkale, when I was there, was something interesting. I was there with my friend and cameraman Ethem Tosun to make a story for my program "Wilco'nun Karavan?." We were waiting for the manger Ali, but obviously he was quite busy because we had to wait for him for more than an hour. Don't get me wrong; this time waiting was not a problem for me. As a Dutch guy, I do not like to be late on any appointment and I expect other people to have the same mentality as me. Well? here in Turkey that's a bit difficult. Of about 80 percent of the appointments that I have, I am sorry to tell you, I have to wait for the people. Sometimes I have to wait for more than an hour. A funny detail is that it was a Dutch-Turkish photographer friend of mine who made me wait the longest: 1.5 hours (and no excuse or reason for his delay!). But I've become accustomed to it; and even I do arrive a bit late to some of my meetings.

People in Istanbul, although this is a big city and is completely disconnected with nature, still have the idea that they are Mediterranean people (Turkish people always proudly announce that they are Mediterranean people where...