Written by Iris Bezuijen

April 12, 2019

Just a little overview of the journeys we were so lucky to have had already:

2016 Iris and Sedat explore for the first time 

2017 We mark with Huseyn Sari from the Phrygian Trail

2018 From Emirdag to Konya, with Joke, Leendert, Erhan and Marianne 

2019 We cycle with Gunes and hike the Music journey with Kees, Marijke and Karel

2020 We hike with Bram

2021 We cycle with Mehmet and mark with Linda

2022 The Sufi hiking caravan and cycling caravan with Mehmet and Odile

 

The Konya plateau in all its beauty

I need to write some story here that will blow your mind and give you the incentive to also pack your bags and go to Turkey.

But this doesn’t happen. It’s like planting seeds, you hear something once then twice, and then you have a full-blown wish to go to Turkey. And I had nothing to do with it because we are all unique decision-makers. 

We are just a couple in love that accidentally got into marking, mapping and trying to give back to the community along the ancient road to Konya and Mecca.

How?

This is where you come in, by just hiking into this dreamland of bygone ages. Feeling the presence of old Sufi mystics. And experience your own unique journey on our facilitated route. That means to some extent, we don’t know your way only the facts that can make your life on the road easy and comfortable.

Give back the love

to these ancient

wise people

🙂

We hike with groups and in 2022 we had our very first hikingcaravan with a group of fellow friends. We became a perfect family once we started our journeys. Not only that, but we as of today keep talking about the people we had the privilege to hike or cycle with. The people on the Sufi Trail are being angels to all pilgrims, and we are lucky to have developed the route from Istanbul to Konya with the efforts love and energy of many! Hope this love keeps circling around or any other forms.

 

The people pilgrims and community is made by the community, our little Sufi Trail family has quite a nice trail.

In Turkey, the Muhtar often knows where to go. Within seconds people are approaching us. The first tries to communicate in Turkish and immediately calls the village chief. The second man is called Serkan and speaks a little English as his wife is an English teacher.

He immediately asks if we are hungry and if we are going to his house for dinner. Staying asleep isn’t a problem either. It turns out to be a village where everyone knows each other. Serkan is on holiday with his parents with his wife and son. As soon as we open the gate, we are expected to sit down and one dish after another is brought to the table. We are completely stuffed with, which Serkan wants to indicate that they like to welcome others. “We are all God’s children,” he says.

There is still a house in the yard, where the family used to live, and we can sleep tonight. But first we go with the whole family to the vegetable garden of the parents to water it in the traditional way by digging canals. Back in the yard, we take a shower and çay is made in the traditional way, where Serkan likes to tell about Turkish history.

Written by Iris Bezuijen

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The next morning after breakfast we have our picture taken and continue our way uphill. We get support from every driver who honks to motivate us. There are many sand and stone quarries here, so it is a dusty trip. After almost 10 kilometres uphill, we crawl into the shade at a gas station! Eloy’s seat leaves a mark on the wooden bench, sweat is creeping everywhere. We get tea and more tea, and the gas station attendant proudly tells his customers about his Dutch guests.

Then a farmer gives us self-picked mulberries and cherries. Although they are very tasty, and we can use them well, it is also difficult to transport. Bumping on the bike usually turns fruit in large quantities into a mashed mess! Yet we usually don’t get this explained to people, and we get an extra bag. In the neighbouring hamlet, half the village joins us with çay and biscuits. After some Google Translate, an English-speaking professor joins us and the conversation goes in all directions.

We hear new things: Dutch people who would eat squirrels (at least 100 years ago), heroin would be legal in the Netherlands, etc. On the other hand, we only hear news about Erdoğan, and fortunately we now know what Turkey has to offer. The questions we get in this order in almost every conversation are: ‘Çay?’, ‘Where are you from?’, ‘Job?’, ‘Married?’, ‘Turkey good?’, ‘Yemek?!’. The latter means ‘Eat?’. This is where we learn what true hospitality means.

Hi there let's get in thouch..

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