I made it from Aleppo to Turkey through various forms of transport. Had to hitch for awhile after crossing the border but I made it. Im glad I didnt take any direct buses, not that any exist anyway. Thursday night was the last night of Eid, and every little town we stopped at while on the road to Konya had huge going away celebrations for the soldiers headed back to duty. Every time we stopped, there were massive crowds of people lifting one or two guys up on their shoulders and dancing around them playing traditional Turkish music. Every place they would play this music and scream and cheer as the progression moved towards the bus. Some crowds even blocked the bus from leaving and stood in front of it waving the Turkish flag and singing the National Anthem. I didn´t get to Konya until one AM but it was worth the spectacle. There is nothing more unique and fulfilling than travelling away from the crowds of tourists and witnessing a people during their most personal moments, without the veneer of "Welcome outsiders!" You don´t find this on tour buses or staying at nice hotels. This was as enjoyable as Konya itself. My main draw to Konya was the Mevlana festival. It is held from the tenth to the seventeenth of December every year. Konya is the birthplace of the Sufi mysticism. Mevlana Sufi started this order of Islam in Konya in the thirteenth century. The whirling Dervishes are a unique sight, the music the goes with it is interesting as well. I love experiencing anything cultural, so for me it was worth the long haul from Syria. Id tell you about the Sufi sect of Islam but Im tired of typing. Its hard work on these weird Eastern European keyboards. Weird apostrophes, funny looking letters, etc. Here's a link to my video of the whirling dervishes. http://www.facebook.com/v/64996899936
