DAY 32 - KONYA

32) FRIDAY, 29 JULY 1977 : 259KMS. - KON YA

Today is my birthday. I am 29 years old!

Departure from late morning through the city TASUCU SILIFKE and crossings to the north along the KONYA - ANKARA.

From SILIFKE to MUT we enjoyed  stunning landscape while driving along the river valley. There is, however, some rock mountains or soil mass eroded by strong winds and have a look from distance like caves or storied commercial buildings with several floors. I wondered if  anybody  had ever  lived in those empty holes.

Turkish villages that we passed have characteristic blending with the nature of the terrain. The buildings have earthy colors alike as putty material used for construction might be soil from the surrounding hills. They were thatched with grass–like and not livable. They looked like unfinished houses, having  rectangular form with no high roof the same as usual houses but  looking more like match boxes . Most of the roofs are wooden shed thatched with leaves that look like Maple Leaf.  Probably people stay on the roof than living inside their houses.  There were less trees in the area but  mostly were open spaces in the middle of the scorching sun.

Mevlana Rumi's Mausoleum & Museum, Konya - Photo : Bing images search

Arrived in KONYA about 7.00 p.m., we walked around the city and found a restaurant for dinner.  There were many people walking  and we were approached by a group of 4-5 carpet and leather goods  sellers, they were all teenagers or in their early twenties. They invited us to go to the amusement park together. Many Turkish people go to work as industrial labors in many cities of Germany.  Most speak German well.  After working for a few years , they become financially strong and  most will return to comprise their career in Turkey.  This made it possible for us to understand each other well and have better communication with them everywhere in Turkey.

But I felt a bit  tired because of traveling, so I did not go with them.  TILO, however,  went with them alone and  came back to wake me up. They  invited  us to stay in one of the friends’ house because his parents were not at home. In the morning, we were also served  breakfast  at his home.  Fortunately, we always meet friendly people with good hospitality.

Mevlana Rumi's Mausoleum & Museum, Konya - Photo : Bing images search

The morgue of the Muslim saint MEVLANA KONYA area contacts with the mosque of the city. She was covered with green tiles Kirghiz very beautiful and is a museum as well.


Tonight , we have a full moon on my birthday at the age of 29 years but I did not celebrate anything.

Whirling Dervishes / Sufu or "Sema" dance - Photo : rehberim.net / Bing imahges search

Here in KONYA, it is known among Muslim pilgrims and visitors about the local festival (in December of each year ). It is important and interesting religious dance rotation by priests, like meditating for the peace of mind to its proximity to the Prophet.   

Whirling Dervishes performance in Konya - Photo : Bing images search

They would concentrate on turning around  themselves while moving in a circle slowly and then gradually speed up in accordance with the beat of drum accompanying their rapid rotation.

Whirling Dervishes performance in Konya - Photo : Bing 9mages search

Interesting You Tube of MEVLANA' DA SEMA

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DAY 31 - TASUCU

31) THURSDAY, 28 JULY 1977 : 214KMS. - TASUCU

We left the beach passing  ANAMUR  and followed the road - a meander down the hillside  till we reached  SILIFKE.  On another side of the road is the sea and cliffs (similar to some parts of the road we traveled in  YUGOSLAVIA)  It was very  beautiful  but  is equally dangerous. We stopped in SILIFKE  to buy some  provisions we may need.

Silifke - Photo : travellinkturkey.com / Bing images seartch

We drove out to the beach again to camp overnight near TASUCU.  The curved  narrow beach is not very long  but with powdery sand and crystal clear water, like the island “Koah Larn” in Pattaya (Thailand) that I had seen  decades  ago. 

Tasucu clear water -  Photo : tobanktesisleri.com / Bing images search

We parked in the  familiar location, i.e.  under an olive tree (again). There were some  Turks having already camped in the area  before our arrival. During the night we were disturbed by mosquitoes . I could not sleep and  heard a wolf shrill howl intermittently  as on the other side is the forest and mountains.

ROUTE ANTALYA (A) - TASUCU (B), MEDITERRANEAN COAST

DAY 30 - GAZIPASA

30) WEDNESDAY, 27 JULY 1977 : 181KMS. - GAZIPASA

After our several days staying in ANTALYA, today we left the beach heading to southeast through the city and along the coast. We passed banana plantations on both roadsides until we reached the beach, not far from GAZIPASA to camp overnight.

Photo - guanches.org / Bing images search

In the evening, we had grilled fishes for dinner at a restaurant near the beach. Later on in the evening three French guys came to camp overnight near where we camped.  We did not talk with them much but knowing that they were traveling in the opposite direction to us.

Photo : Bing images search

When we arrived in the afternoon at the beach, we  met a young fisherman and we asked to accompany him for fishing in his rowing boat. TILO was too strong to row the fishing boat till the paddle was broken.

DAY 29 - ANTALYA

29) TUESDAY, 26 JULY 1977 : 0KMS. - ANTALYA

I got Diarrhea since the morning, it might cause by anything, likely from grapes given by the girls at the beach  or it might be the ice or ice cream we had.  This tells us to be more careful in eating as we came from Europe and the weather is getting warmer. There are also more  flies that might  contaminate our food.

TILO had abdominal pain and ran "to the field" many times even though I gave him Thai herbal medicine "Krissana Glun"  (new generation  today would not know about this medicine) against stomachache, as well as Western medicine against it but it did not help much. So he had to stay in bed all day.  

Antalya beach - Photo : Bing images search

I was  not affected so much and  went to swim and  played with those young  Turks who have come to the beach for swimming during the last  2-3 days. We were so familiar and I was persuaded to swim out with them to the sand dune not far from the beach for  waves surfing together. The waves were big and strong. Anyhow , it was fun and we enjoyed  a good  challenge !