Day 8 - Konya

Mevlana Mausoleum and Museum

Odd fact:
Neither of the names by which he was known is his real name. 'Rumi' simply means 'the Roman', while 'Mevlana' means 'our master'.

The main sight in Konya is the Mevlana Mausoleum and Museum. It is the burial place of Mevlana (or Rumi), whose teachings are the basis of Sufism and the inspiration of the Whirling Dervishes.

Inside, the mausoleum is very ornate, and the actual chamber containing Mevlana's tomb is decorated in gold mosaics. We weren't allowed to take picture, but this website[*] has some.

Outside, there was a small museum about Mevlana and Sufism. I was especially interested in the beautifully illustrated manuscripts.

That night, after checking in at our hotel in Konya, some of us went out for a late walk. I found this interesting fountain.

The next morning, we hit the road again, on our way to Antalya and the Mediterranean Sea. On the way, we stopped for a bar-b-que lunch and an optional cave tour[*].

Only half of us decided to go.
Here we are with our local guide
(3rd from the left)
Our scenic picnic area with
the cave entrance in the background
 

The cave was interesting, but I didn't see anything I haven't seen before. The only exception to that is this platform. Look at it closely. It has several large stalactites growing from the wood. I have no idea how these grew so fast.