Beyoglu...Taksim Square.... Galata Dervish House Museum

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After a lovely Sunday brunch of Simit, Jam, fresh fruit and eggs prepared by our personal Chef we set out by taxi to metro for a jam- packed day of Istanbul life.

We strolled through Gezi Park past the fountains and greenery to Taksim Square....a rather stark concrete area but none the less, the hub of activity in modern Beyoglu. This square leads into the busy Istiklal Cadessi which is where everyone seems to gather on such a lovely Sunday afternoon.

We slithered and nudged our way through the crowds of people....trying to stay together, snapping photos, stopping to shop for yet another evil eye, watching the street performers and just soaking up the feel of Istanbul life.

We found a Starbuckus so had to make a coffee stop and hit the W/C before heading for our destination of the day..... Galata Dervish House Museum where we were meeting some of Shannon's women's club friends to see the Sufi Dancers perform.

Sufism and the Whirling Dervishes are a mystical branch of Islam. Sufis aspire to a personal experience of the divine through meditative rituals, dance, recitation and music to bring themselves into direct communion with Allah.

This ceremony was held in a lovely old theater in the round where a small group of people gathered to watch the beautiful ceremony. It was mesmerizing to watch as the sufi's twirled faster and faster in their mystical state never wavering from the rhythm of the music and then quietly bowing their way out. These were not all young men....and their feet had a special pattern to keep them spinning like watching a fine dancer. Grand Experience.

We took metro to mall to meet Peter and Abby for a delicious burger and shake at the shake shack! If that isn't covering all life's most grand experiences in one short day I don't know what is! Home to pack and prepare for trip to Ephesus tomorrow . Are you keeping up with the Grami's and King? Until next adventure. Goodnight from Istanbul

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