A small whine in Shiraz
Location: Aryo Barzan Hotel, Shiraz, Iran
Date: 4th May, 2008
We started the day with a stroll around the Shiraz Botanical Garden, hugely busy with locals, as friendly as ever, and impressive for its collection of Roses.
Back in the city center, we parked and walked past the Arg-e Karim Khani (Citadel of Karim Khan), complete with its own leaning tower (apparently the sewers couldn’t cope with the volume when the purpose of part of the citadel became a prison and leached out, softening the foundations), en-route to the Bazaar.
The Bazar-e Vakil is a classic Persian Bazar. Kristy was shopping again, but bazaars are always interesting places to wander around in. I’m always on the lookout for a good astrolabe, and I saw a couple here but they were not in great condition.
In the bazaar I was introduced to a new treat! If you ever get the chance, try faloudeh, it’s made from little bits of wheat like mini-spaghetti and frozen rosewater. I added ice cream which made it even better! Shiraz is apparently famous for this – highly recommended!
Right next to the bazaar is the Masjed-e Vakil, or Regents Mosque. It was a pretty enough building, and remarkably empty but I must confess to be getting a bit mosque-ed out at the moment…
After a few hours back at the hotel, we ventured out to see another mosque (yayyy!), the Nasir-ol-Molk Mosque. Actually, despite not feeling up to seeing another mosque, I’m glad I saw this one. It’s built on a far more intimate and human scale than many of the others we’ve seen, and the craftsmanship is exceptional.
After visiting the extremely popular tombs of the poets Sa’di and Hafez, we had dinner and retired for the day.
Finally, I have to say I can’t recommend this hotel. Amongst other things, they switched the A/C chillers off overnight leaving us waking up in a sweat in a 90F room. And they promised that they wouldn’t do that…
The Highest Minarets in Dar-es Islam
Location: ITTIC Tourist Inn, Yazd, Iran
Date: 2nd May, 2008
After a late start, we toured the sights of Yazd today, starting with the Zoroastrian Fire Temple. I was a little disappointed as the atmosphere wasn’t overly spiritual, blame the tourists for that and the fact that the flame, the “Ateshkadeh”, was burning behind a piece of glass. The flame has been burning for over 1500 years, which is quite impressive. I imagine the High Priest has many alarm clocks!
Still, it was interesting to see a temple of the worlds oldest monotheistic religion, to which Judaism, Christianity and Islam all owe a debt.
I’ve mentioned before that I’m reading Paul William Roberts book, “The Journey of the Magi“, which is ideal ready for a journey through Iran. It’s particularly interesting if you’d like to know more about the Magi, who were Zoroastrian, and the influence of Zoroastrianism had during the early days of the three major religions.
We also visited the “Highest Minarets in all of Islam”, at the Jameh Mosque. At almost 50m high, and soaring up from the beautiful tiled portal, it does send quite a message – and as it was also built over a Zoroastrian Fire Temple after the Arab invasion, I suppose that was the idea…
After a quick trip to the water museum, which was crawling with tourists and is quite basic, we visited the Amir Chakhmaq, a takieh that you can climb for great views of Yazd, where it’s possible to see dozens of windtowers. I felt a bit like I was in a game of “Assasins Creed“, but I declined to take the “Leap of Faith“, and made my way down the narrowest and steepest staircase I’ve ever climbed.
After a quick bite at the Hamum-e Khan Restaurant, a converted bathhouse, or Hammam, in the bazaar, complete with all the original blue and white tilework, we returned to the hotel for a well deserved siesta.
A night in Egypt
Location: Mr Mohammads House, Mesr, Iran
Date: 29th April, 2008
After briefly stopping to admire the Khaju Bridge in Esfahan, we made our way to Na’in.
First stop was the millennium old Jameh Mosque. Complete with cool underground tunnels (much appreciated now we’re in the desert), the mosque was in use as we arrived ahead of 2 coach-loads of German tourists.
Next stop in Na’in was a place a bit off the beaten track. Hard to find without a guide, there are some old workshops carved into the hillside in the old center of Na’in. Cool and dry and also about a thousand years old, one was occupied by two gents well into their eighties. Weaving rugs on old-fashioned looms from sheep and camel wool, we couldn’t resist buying one to support them.
Nearby, we scrambled up the hill to the Mohammadiyeh castle, perched in an ideal defensive position with a 360 degree vista. Unfortunately, the castle’s door was bricked up, so we couldn’t get inside.
Driving into the deep Lut Desert, we continued onto the town of Jandaq where we were invited into another house, drank a very sweet cherry juice and ate more wonderfully succulent Iranian fruit (what do we do to it back home)?
After a short while, we headed up the dusty dirt track to the town to Mesr, a town named by Joseph (not sure which one), as it reminded him of Egypt. Mesr is Farsi for Egypt.
Hasham and his sons, Hussein and Ali, made sure we were looked after. After some welcoming drinks served in the alcove in the north side of the courtyard of this traditionally shaped desert house, we heard much low rumbling from outside – a flock of camels, including some very cute babies. Pick of the bunch was the crazy camel that was raised by a cow, man, I’ve never seen a camel jump so much!
And tomorrow we ride them…
Half the World…
Location: Ali Qapu Hotel, Esfahan
Date: 28th April, 2008
Esfahan is a truly beautiful city. Tree-lined streets, fountains and flowers and wonderful architecture make it an incredible place to hand out for a few days. At it was our designated stop for souvenir shopping…
After an experience that started last night, our wallets came away much lighter, and our bags became much heavier, laden with the finest silk carpets Esfahan has to offer! We came away poorer, but with some wonderful pieces of art that we’re extremely happy with. We also picked up some miniature artwork on camel bone, that Esfahan is also famous for (Shah Abbas was a big fan apparently) and a tablecloth. We got on with the sightseeing…
After Amir knocked over a cyclist (he was ok!), we managed to park – it seems we found the only downside of Esfahan, getting parked is difficult, but it’s nowhere near as bad as London or New York.
We had a quick look at the Shahs Summer Pavilion or Chehel Sotun place – the place of Forty Columns. There are 20 columns here, the other 20 are the reflections in the lake. It’s a lovely place, decorated inside with hunting and battle scenes. Cut off his head!
We centered the day around Imam Khomeini Square, formerly known as The Maidan, where the Shah would watch Polo matches, executions and other things that amused him from a beautiful grandstand at the Ali Qapu Palace at the west side of the square. Today it provides the rather more peaceful view of people enjoying the gardens and fountains and shopping around the edges.
The Royal Mosque, whoops I mean the Imam Khomeini Mosque, is a building so big you really don’t process it. Shah Abbas the first knew how to impress, but apparently he had corners cut when it had been under construction for a couple of decades and he began to worry he wouldn’t see it completed. Not much sign of that today, it looks like the Department of Cultural Heritage are doing a great job in keeping it maintained. Just a shame that they’re also keeping the scaffolding there…
The Eagle and the Serpent
Location: Ali Qapu Hotel, Esfahan
Date: 27th April, 2008
Back to ancient history today, with a trip to the Sialk Hills, a settlement from 5500BCE.
We then hit the road to Esfahan, via the Nantaz Nuclear facility which is apparently causing a bit of a fuss. We saw a couple of military bases and a number of anti-aircraft emplacements – the Iranian Government are clearly taking its security seriously, and there’s no doubt in my mind they’ll bring the reactor on-line just as soon as they’re ready. As for the Iranian military, all I’ve seen are well prepared, disciplined soldiers supported by reasonably modern hardware and a good infrastructure. It would be no “Iraqi Freedom” taking these guys on…
Anyway, after a tour of the plant (only joking!), we drove to the mountain village of Abyaneh, recognized by UNSCO for its unique ochre colored mud-brick buildings. The women here wear brightly colored headscarfs and there seems to be no-one under 70 living here at all!
The temperature up here was far more pleasant, and we spent a couple of hours wandering around the village, visiting a small, disused Zoroastrian Fire Temple and the Zeyaratgah shrine. We also visited an old house, which doubled as a traditional clothing store and Kristy bought some jewelry.
After lunch, we visited the peaceful, tree-lined town of Natanz. We saw the 14th Century Jameh Mosque and the shrine of a local Sufi mystic, the Imamzadeh-ye Abd al-Samad.
On the way out of Natanz, I noticed a small dome-shaped building atop a mountain some way south of town. Amir knew a story about it, and the story of the dome goes something like this. Shah Abbas was riding with a small detachment of his army near Natanz. While resting by a stream, his men attempted to drink. The Shahs eagle, which was flying up ahead, dived at the men, screeching and flapping in their faces. Shah Abbas, not know for his patience, killed the eagle. His men started to drink, and immediately died. The eagle had been able to see the wicked serpent upstream that had poised the stream. Filled with remorse (which it seems he never showed his subjects), the Shah built a dome on a nearby mountaintop in remembrance of the eagle that tried to save their lives.
After a bit more driving and some traffic on the outskirts of town, we arrived at the Ali Qapu Hotel in Esfahan.
http://www.aliqapuhotel.com/
Marrakech, Morocco
Qessabin Mosque, on the North side of the Djemma el-Fna.
