Turkish music and dance

In Bursa, I was treated to a rare evening of entertainment. First, two Chinese kids and I went to tea house around the corner from our hotel. The lute-like instrument is a saz, with a very beautiful sound, and the drumming was excellent.

These musicians gather there everyday after work to play, sing, drink tea, and just hang out. Everyone knows each other, and instruments hang on the wall for anyone who wants to join in.


This guy was an awesome dancer.

After inhaling 10 packs worth of cigarette smoke in the tea house, we headed to the basketball stadium to catch the whirling dervishes.


This was the last night of the Rumi festival in Konya, which celebrated the 800th birthday of the founder of the Sufi sect. In Bursa, there was a parallel performance of sema: ritual chanting, music and whirling.

These men spun like this for over an hour, and not one fell down or threw up. It's incredible to watch, and you can easily imagine that after an hour of this, they are closer to God.

I have posted videos of both of these on my picasa site: http://picasaweb.google.com/dnemens/BursaIznikBandirma

Enjoy!

Love, Deborah