Wow.

I was looking forward to Capadocia the most; it did NOT disappoint.

The landforms remind me of what I know of the Badlands, but they are different. Two different kinds of volcanic rock----hard darker layer on top, soft more vulnerable layer on bottom----creates this landscape.

It is magical.

Goreme Valley is an open air museum with over 300/365----depending on with whom you speak---churches carved into the softer bottom layer. The first time I was here, I was told that it was for early Christians to rotate to a different church each day to escape persecution from the ruling Romans.

There are also abandoned settlements of houses carved into the soft layer---that is how soft it is. In past trips, I have stayed in pensions that are still carved into the soft layer---essentially the room is a man made caves.

Lastly, we saw the Whirling Dervishes. Wow. I mean, all I can say is.....wow. Those who know me will express zero shock that I was moved to tears. It was eloquent and spiritual and peaceful.

Sufism is a branching off from Islam in which followers of Rumi, from the mosque we visited yesterday, whirl to achieve a trance like state. It is hypnotic to witness and you wonder how they don't wipe out. The monks who are the dervishes train and train. They tip their heads a certain angle to keep equilibrium in their ears so they stay balanced.

There are different arm positions: crossed in front to symbolize being full of love and mercy, both arms extended to the sky to receive from Allah, and finally one arm extended to the sky and one to the ground to symbolize the Dervishes become links between heaven and earth. The word dervish comes from the Persian word for door and expresses the ultimate goal of opening.

It has a very calm vibe. The whirling is more of a spinning and the movement of their arms from crossed in front to down at their sides to extended above is not rushed.

The thing that spoke to me was the expression on everyone of their faces. Eyes closed, serene, no tension----the entire time. They may have been concentrating or sleeping; you would never be able to tell. As they moved around the floor, they would occasionally half open an eye, but when they were whirling in one spot, they were mostly blind and in their own thoughts.

The music was also vital. The whole thing opened with a solo acapella that hauntingly beautiful.

I don't have pictures as they were not permitted. I am kind of glad as I think it certainly would not do the experience justice.