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Destinations:

Istanbul
     Topkapi Palace  
Ankara 
Cappodocia 
Konya  
Aspendos 
Perge  
Antalya 
Pamukkale 
Ephesus 
Aphrodisias  
Kusadasi 
Pergamum 
Troy 
Canakkale 
Gallipoli

Konya is situated in central southern Turkey at the lower edge of the vast Anatolian highlands, with the Taurus Mountain chain in the distance.  In the first century A.D. the city witnessed the apostolate of Saints Paul and Barnaba who played an important role in the evangelization of this area.

Konya was the capital of the Seljuk Empire between 1071 and 1308.  It was then assimilated to the Ottoman empire by Mehmet II (15th century).  From the first half of the 13th century it was the dwelling place of Gelâleddîn Rûmî, who passed into history as Mevlâna.  Poet and philosopher, he was the founder of the mystic-religious sect of the Whirling Dervishes, which still exist today.

We visited the Monastery-Mausoleum of Mevlâna which has a conical fluted dome of intense turquoise.     

Click on a picture to enlarge.

Bus ride over the Taurus Mountains Taurus Mountains and pasture Snow in the higher elevations More snow Stopped here for the picture And to play in the snow - Jim was like a little kid in the snow Typical rest stop along Turkish highway - that's our bus in the distance for 7 travels Shoe-shine boy in the rest stop Apartment buildings as we enter Konya Main street in Konya Mevlana Park is our destination Mevlana Mosque Inside the mosque Inside the mosque Inside the mosque Exhibit by the mosque entrance Home of the Whirling Dervishes In the mosque courtyard lightbox gallery cmsby VisualLightBox.com v6.1