Gebeler thermae springs

[iminei]

Girmeler Thermal Spring!

What a wonderful experience! Not for the faint hearted though...this is truly Turkey at its most Turkish!
Girmeler seems to be part of a Turkish Sanatorium as we saw the same people there on the two occasions we visited..

The springs are sign posted as you drive through Girmeler on rusty yellow tin signs by the side of the road, on your right as you drive from Kadikoy (or on your left as drive back from the Kemer roundabout on the D400 as suggested by Kalkankiki) Basically you park at the end of a lane by Iskender (Alexander) caves.....(no we didn't visit the caves. the springs were enough for us!) by a small bar, waved in by the owner, a man whose name we never knew but whose geniality and friendliness are second to none.

Walking past the Iskender cave and downhill, to your right you see a long low white building with doors at either end and a booth in the middle by a clock on the wall ...these are the changing rooms (male and female) for the springs.

Buy your ticket (4TL each) further down the hill from the Turkish young man in the reception building ... (absolutely no English is spoken here) and walk back to the shaded area outside the changing rooms to wait for the 1/2 hour Mens or Womens session to start!

When we first went I joined mid session, changing into my bikini and walking down a corridor hewn in the rock of the mountainside and down the aged but very stable wooden staircase into the bowels of the earth.
The smell of the sulphurous spring is, to no surprise, sulphurous, however below a certain depth the smell seems to disappear, or maybe your sense of smell adjusts, but from a certain depth, holding the nose is no longer required!

So down I went, to join a gaggle of Turkish ladies of various ages, in varying states of undress (naked to fully swimsuited up) who seemed to be putting the world to rights.
Needless to say an English girl in their midst in this most Turkish and untouristy of places attracted quite a few comments, none of which I could understand!

My first visit was short as the womens session I had gatecrashed came to an end after 10 minutes, signified by the lights being flicked on and off and up we trooped to the changing room to emerge blinking into the midday sun.

I was unsure whether Andy would like this experience and was pleased to see him disappear into the changing rooms. He shared his full 1/2 hour session with a very old (nearly dead was how Andy unkindly described him) Turkish man and a young hale and hearty (and rather dishy to my eye as he entered the changing rooms) Turkish 20 something!

I don't know exactly what a sulphurous spring is meant to do to the human body; its said to be good for the skin and joints which is why I seek them out wherever we go on holiday, and I do know that it will instantly kill the most raging hangover (Saturnia Tuscany 2005) but it turned my pretty shell pink nail varnish an interesting coffee colour and it will turn anything silver as black as pitch within 5 minutes... so it might be worth removing any silver jewelry before descending into spring (but if you forget, don’t worry it can be buffed back to reveal a marvelously patinated / antiqued finish or cleaned up completely with no problem!)

After the springs we stopped in at the bar of the man with no name as a courtesy and enjoyed two cups of chai accompanied, unrequested, by a bunch of grapes picked from the vine above us and washed in the fresh and gloriously cold spring water coming from the side of the mountain in front of our eyes and a couple of fresh (and most divine) figs from a tree in his garden!
He chatted most happily to us with no common language, yet managing to convey an immense amount of friendship. When we asked to pay the shocking total of these freshest of fresh produce along with the Turkish tea was iki TL …2 TL!!!

These two visit to Girmeler were, I think, amongst the best memories of my holiday, and I do know that they were the most unique!

[lorilou]

Hi again Iminei - good on you! Thank you. A fantastic account of your trips to the Thermal Springs.

I really liked your description of the descent into the springs and the gathering of ladies "putting the world to rights".

Once again the people you met there and their hospitality they gave to you made the experience. Fresh figs! MMmmmmmm.

Apart from the dubious aromas and interesting effect on your nail varnish (how odd) what was the spring actually like? You went twice ... so when you have time, I'd be interested to hear what you felt were the benefits ...


Cheers
L

[iminei]

the water was warm, the cave was dark but illuminated by bulkhead type light fittings, nothing glam or touristy.
there was absolutely no buoyancy in the water, but there were ropes strung around to hold yourself up with and also the sides of the fissure in the rock had areas where you could 'perch'. i have pics but dont know how to post them....could you tell me and i will add them to my story headed 'Girmeler thermal springs'
as to benefits??? your skin certainly feels softer and i think there is an exfoliating effect similar to extreme pruning.... I wouldn't know...the experience comes from as you so rightly say...the untouchednessness by tourism and the charm and hospitality of the locals.

[lorilou]

Thanks again Iminei - getting close to my trip now so be good to go see for myself ... did you notice if they are open year round? (Assuming so if it's a local facility ...)
Have no idea how to upload pictures - but I'm sure someone will be along soon to spill the beans!
Cheers
L

[Chucky]

Here is a link to the help to post pictures post.

http://www.enjoykalkan.com/forum/index.php/topic,978.0.html#new

[lorilou]

Here is a link to the help to post pictures post.

http://www.enjoykalkan.com/forum/index.php/topic,978.0.html#new

Hi Joan - thanks for this - it tells us how to resize pictures for uploading which is great - but - errrr - how do we actually upload pictures?

I must confess I've had a good ferret round the forum, the help notes, and so on ... what am I missing?
  (if this has been answered elsewhere my apologies, I just cant find it!)
thanks again
Lori

[Wendy]

We went to the springs at Girmeler yesterday and I can't improve on the description by Iminei. It's an experience not to be missed, a bit surreal really, being in a crevice surrounded by all these Turkish ladies, you are encouraged to completely submerse yourself in the eggy water which is pleasantly warm, I don't know how deep it is but I couldn't find the bottom (only of the lady next across!)
Can't say I feel any different but it was a worthwhile experience and well worth the 4tl entrance fee.

[tiamaria]

Thank you Iminei & Wendy for bringing Gebeler Springs to the forum, we decided to visit them today, a mixed group of 9. We had a FAB time, because we arrived early the old guy let us all go in together. Ooo I  agree it was a bit daunting on first glimpse but WOW the experience...... Also if any one wants to go who have walking problems/difficulties they have sunken baths and 2 pools available which they fill with the warm spa waters, During the summer they also have 2 mud areas...... a definitely a revisit.....