A quick stop at Antalya, then white water rafting and The Whirling Dervishes

Finally we were at Antalya airport waiting for Louise. Her flight ended up being delayed by almost an hour but obviously nothing we could do.

Then finally she was with us. We headed to the beach park up where we had stayed before as it was somewhere we knew and Dee was happy to go there in the dark.

We stayed up for about an hour having a quick catch up and of course in the morning Louise and I went for a 40 minute swim. It was great to have swim company again.

White Water Rafting at Koprulu Canyon

I was really excited to go white water rafting, it was something I did 20 years earlier in New Zealand and I’d been wanting to go again ever since . Finally somewhere that I could.

It was about a 3 hour drive to get to Koprulu Canyon and we then ended up the wrong side of the river for the park up!

Before trying to figure out how to get to the right side we stopped for lunch. Gözleme, a traditional Turkish style pancake, made fresh.

After lunch we worked out how to get to the other side and it was a really beautiful spot. We were glad we didn’t give up.

There were quite a few white water rafting places to choose from. We chose “Mavi” as it had been recommended by our friends Dave and Steph Harris who we had travelled with earlier on in Turkey.

The organised boats had all gone out earlier but they were happy for us to go in a boat on our own. Dee decided not to do it, he has done it before and was always 50/50! It was €30 each for about an hour and a half which we thought was pretty good.

Here are some of our rafting photos. It really was great fun and as you can see I also jumped overboard to swim, it then got a bit dicey trying to get back on the boat! The instructor ended up having to haul me in from the back of my life jacket! My face says it all I think .

After rafting we were taken back to our park up.

Our park up was a in a great spot right by the river and luckily for Louise and I it was a great place for a dip. There were rapids not far away so it was a dip rather than a swim.

We went straight for a dip after our rafting, Dee took some photos. We then went for a nice meal in a restaurant that was about a 10 minute walk away.

In the morning we did yoga and then got straight in the river in our yoga clothes. It was quite cold but very refreshing and we are both used to cold water.

Here are some of Dee’s photos

This was a great spot and definitely worth going to even if you aren’t planning any white water rafting. We would have stayed an extra day if we weren’t on a tight time schedule.

Konya and the Whirling Dervishes

The Whirling Dervishes, formally known as the Mevlevi Order, are a mystical Islamic Sufi sect renowned for their unique and mesmerizing dance ritual known as the “Sama.” Originating in Konya, Turkey, in the 13th century, they follow the teachings of the poet and philosopher Rumi, also known as Mevlana. The Whirling Dervishes are known for their commitment to spiritual growth, enlightenment, and tolerance.

The Sama dance is the hallmark of their practice, symbolizing a journey towards spiritual union with the divine. Dervishes, wearing distinctive white robes and tall hats, twirl in a meditative trance-like state, representing the soul’s yearning for closeness to God. Their graceful, whirling movements are accompanied by traditional Sufi music, creating a captivating and transcendental experience.

Konya is the birthplace of The Whirling Dervishes. They perform there every Saturday evening at 7pm. All proceeds go to charity and it is just £2 (€2.50) to see the performance. There is no need to book you can just turn up. Worth noting they only except cash. If like us you arrive with no cash ( Turkish Lira) then you can change Euro’s in one of the hotels opposite.

We had the privilege of witnessing a Whirling Dervish performance in Konya, where the atmosphere was filled with spiritual devotion and serenity.

It’s an experience that offers a glimpse into Turkey’s rich cultural and spiritual heritage. It certainly was mesmerising and very different.

Personally we did feel it went on a little bit too long but it is definitely very interesting to see.

After the performance we went in search of food. We hadn’t managed to stop at a supermarket anywhere to stock up. The town was about a 20 minute walk away and there wasn’t much in the way of fish or vegetarian food but I managed with a Turkish style cheese pizza and Dee and Louise were fine with lamb kebabs. It is a very non touristy Turkish town. I believe it is a popular stop on route either to or from Cappadocia especially on a Saturday night to see The Whirling Dervishes.

Our next stop is Cappadocia, starting with Selim Cathedral and Ihlara Valley followed closely by the famous Love Valley where the balloons take off.

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