21.12.2025 15:46
The old IETT bus that furniture maker Rıza Canbulat bought in Antalya to convert into a caravan, along with the tours he organized with his children, gradually became a neighborhood tradition. The bus, which stands out with its yellow color, quickly became a focal point in the city. In the evenings, Canbulat's tours, which feature music, lights, and open doors, turned into a new social activity for the locals as they drove through busy spots.
Rıza Canbulat, who lives in Antalya, purchased a yellow public bus with the license plate 07 RC 845 in Istanbul with the aim of converting it into a caravan in 2025. Canbulat, who has not yet started the conversion work, takes the bus out in the evenings for tours with his family, neighbors, relatives, and friends.
HE IS TOURING IN BUSY SPOTS Due to the blue color of public buses in Antalya, the yellow bus immediately attracts attention in traffic. Rıza Canbulat drives around busy spots like Konyaaltı Beach, Işıklar Street, Kültür Neighborhood, and Old Lara Street by opening the bus's music, lights, and doors. Canbulat stated that he also picks up students who are hitchhiking on the road, and these tours have garnered interest among young people.
"THEY SAY 'WE'VE NEVER SEEN SUCH FUN'" Rıza Canbulat noted that the tours, which started with his children, have gradually become a neighborhood tradition, saying, "My father already has a caravan, and he is currently using it. My dream was to buy such a big bus. The municipality had put older vehicles up for sale. We saw this one, liked it, and it was meant to be, so we bought it. One evening, my little girl said, 'Dad, we have a bus, shall we go for a ride?' and that's how we started to roam around. We go out with our neighbors a few days a week. We tour busy streets like Konyaaltı Beach, Işıklar Street, Kültür, and Old Lara Street. Students hitchhike on the road, I pick them up and drop them off at their destinations. People enjoy it; when we stop at traffic lights, they look and it attracts attention. Those sitting in cafes also watch the bus. Those who get on say, 'We've never seen such fun.' People coming from Istanbul and living in Antalya ask, 'What is an Istanbul bus doing here?' Experiencing that ambiance is a very different experience," he said.
"SUCH THINGS ARE RARE THESE DAYS" Ayşenur Nalbantoğlu, a neighbor who participates in Canbulat's evening tours, stated that the neighborhood bonds have strengthened, saying, "He initially told us he bought this bus to convert it into a caravan. While we thought, 'What a beautiful dream he has,' we found ourselves on a tour. We were surprised. Such things are rare these days. It’s wonderful for a neighbor to take you out and entertain you with their own means. We generally go out on Fridays. His wife calls us beforehand and says, 'We are going out on this day.' Even people we don't know join us during the journey. A nice, sincere atmosphere is created," she said.
"DOING SUCH A THING IS EVERYONE'S DREAM" Cihan Nalbantoğlu expressed that these tours are a different experience for them, saying, "He has been saying for a long time that he wanted to buy such a bus and convert it into a caravan. Once he bought the bus, he started inviting us to go out. It feels very different to roam around in the evenings with the kids; doing such a thing is everyone's dream," he stated.
Canbulat expressed that he wants to convert the bus into a caravan in the future, stating that for now, these trips have turned into a delightful sharing experience for both himself and his neighbors.