On the road to Konya:
Leaving Cappadocia, we begin our 2nd week of the Tour of Turkey. Driving further South and West through the Turkish countryside, we came to appreciate its unique beauty. From the weird geological formations of Cappadocia to snowcapped mountains and then the gorgeous Mediterranean coastline, the views are often stunning.
Along the way we stopped at the village of Güzelyurt to visit a local mosque and meet the Imam, who agreed to visit with us and satisfy our curiosity about Islam and Turkey’s separation of mosque and state. He spoke no English, so Mine acted as translator. The Imam was a young man, and quite conservative, as are most in this region. Mine seemed uncomfortable translating when he shared his belief that Sharia Law was a good thing. Mine and Togay assured us that separation of mosque and state is explicitly guaranteed, thanks to Atatürk, in Turkey’s constitution. We learned a bit and enjoyed sitting in the lovely village mosque. Note: Again, we loved this kind of experience that is built into the Rick Steves Tours.
Like earlier travelers along “The Silk Road,” we stopped at a medieval caravanserai, one of those roadside inns where traveling merchants found safe shelter – from both inclement weather and marauding bandits. It was a large building, almost like a fortress, with plenty of room for your wagons and camels. This one was well-preserved and featured fascinating intricate carvings. Such caravanserais provided the crossroads where east would meet west, where both news and products were shared and spread.
At our destination for one night in Konya: Konya is a historically important Turkish city, but it’s best known around the world as the home and final resting place of the Persian mystic Sufi poet, Mevlâna Rumi (1207-1273). He was born in Persia and his works were mostly written in Persian, so Iran claims him as theirs. But Rumi lived, worked and died here in Turkey, so the Turks also claim his as their own. As a teacher at the madrasah here, Rumi wrote love poetry and profoundly influenced Muslim mystical thinking. His followers in Konya established a Sufi order, the Mevlevī, who are known elsewhere as the “Whirling Dervishes.”
We toured the Mevlâna Museum, which includes a mosque, Rumi’s tomb, and parts of the madrasah, now functioning as museum, where we learned a good deal about Rumi and his followers. (See more later about the “Whirling Dervishes.”)
Our next morning began with a walk around town. It’s a busy, thriving city, quite modern, very clean, but with a far more conservative tone than Istanbul or Ankara. Here many of the women wear traditional Muslim clothing, headscarves and the hajib. We walked through Konya’s sprawling bazaar, described in our RS Itinerary as “a time-tripping treasure trove of hardware, household items, clothing, jewelry, religious paraphernalia, and cell phone accessories.”
Oil Wrestling: On the bus again, we headed south over the Taurus Mountains. Along the road, we noticed billboards featuring some very buff, shirtless men inviting folks to come to the “Oil Wrestling Competition.” While that sounded unusual to us Americans, Oil Wrestling is apparently Turkey’s national sport and a very ancient tradition. We shared a few laughs about this on the bus.
At Aspendos, we visited another remarkable Roman theater, perhaps the best-preserved of its kind. And Mine, our guide, found an online video of the Oil Wrestlers which she shared with a most appreciative circle of women.
Arrival in Antalya:
Antalya is another bustling Turkish city, more liberal and very much alive with young folks. After settling into our lovely hotel, we set out in groups through the older streets toward the coast.
- Ninova Pension, our hotel in Antalya [Click Here] was another lovely stay at a great location.
The sun was just setting as we turned a corner, onto a large platform that sits high above the water overlooking the Mediterranean and down the Turkish coastline. The vision was absolutely stunning. This sunset was so spectacular; it captured us emotionally, a truly a magic moment. The pictures are great, but they can’t match our experience of turning a corner and walking into this moment. Wow!!
Along with some of our new friends, we found an Irish Pub (as the song says, there’s one in every city, all around the world) and enjoyed pub food and Irish brew, seated outside on the cobblestone pedestrian street. What an amazing evening.
Antalya: (an-TAHL-yuh) We had a good deal of free time to explore the cobbled streets and pedestrian areas of Antalya. Just a few blocks from our hotel, Hadrian’s Gate marked the entrance from modern Antalya into the old part of town. We really liked this city and would gladly visit again.
Highlights of Antalya included.
The Antalya Museum featuring amazing Greek sculptures is one of Turkey’s finest archaeological museums.
A Boat Ride on the Mediterranean. Antalya sits above the coast, so it took either lots of steps or an elevator to reach the small harbor. The day was gorgeous, so our whole group enjoyed a few hours on the water, and a few even took a swim.
Traditional Turkish Baths: When you’re in Turkey, you just must experience some things – like Turkish Tea or Turkish Coffee, or the balloon ride over Cappadocia. So most of us signed up for the traditional Turkish Bath. Happily, this was not Co-Ed: so the women and men were separated. My experience was of lying naked with just a towel, in a super-hot, super humid room, being doused with very hot water, then with very cold water, and then being massaged quite roughly before proceeding to a pleasant rest. It was not always comfortable, but in the end, there was no pain or bruising, so I guess I survived. Sara would be more likely to repeat than I would. But it was an experience, alright.
We interrupted our bus ride from Antalya to Pamukkale to visit the weekly farmers market in Korkuteli. Our guides invited us to shop the market, grab food for lunch, or get a shave from a Turkish barber. So Sara visited the market, buying the gifts for our “Buddies,” while I got a much-needed haircut, a shave and even a facial, all for about $8 US dollars. Togay was kind enough to stay with me and act as my translator. This was great! If only I could get this kind of value in America.
Pamukkale (pah-MOO-kah-lay) is impressive for two wonders, one natural and one human-made.
A Natural Wonder: Even back in Roman times this was a tourist destination. Today it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring calcium-rich hot springs that create white and blue pools terracing the hillside. Visitors can doff their shoes to walk the terraces (be careful – they’re very slippery) or choose to swim in a lovely hot pool.
Hierapolis: Of course, you build a city near such a natural wonder, especially if you believe these thermal springs to be sacred. So the Greeks built Hierapolis, and the Romans expanded it. The ruins here are extensive, and there’s also another archeological museum to tell the history of this place.
After dining together at our hotel, we took just a short walk, to attend a religious performance by the followers of Mevlâna Rumi, better known as Whirling Dervishes.
- Sara’s Take: I was so excited to see The Whirling Dervishes perform. Their dance is truly a meditational prayer, with one hand lifted to Heaven, the other toward earth. As it has been explained to me: “One hand rises up to accept the love of God. The other points down, showering the Creator’s love on all of humanity. As the dervish whirls, he transcends the material world to become a conduit between the love of God and his creation”
Tomorrow, we travel west toward Turkey’s Aegean Coast.
Below is a short video of the Whirling Dervish Ceremony we attended. It was mesmerizing. NOTE: I’m sill trying to understand how to do a better video. I tried a new editor. Little by little I will get better and the videos will hopefully get more sophisticated.
