Iran................

Mount Ararat - seen on the way to Iran

    






Mosque in the mountainside seen from the Ishakpasa Palace,
Dogubeyzit (Turkey).

Archie got us to the Turkish/Iranian border with no problems.  The whole border crossing was great fun and very easy.  Us 4 Brits were taken off to have our finger prints taken - nobody else - we were given special treatment but the reason is quite logical - the British government takes finger prints from Iranians so it is only fair.  We could not have arrived on a more auspicious day.  2nd April is Nature Day - a pre-Islamic festival, not entirely approved of by the Imams but so very much an Iranian celebration and part of life here.  Everybody, and I mean everybody was out in the fields, in parks, by the side of the road- anywhere there was a green space.  So there were tents dotted everywhere - families sitting around the tents eating, drinking (not alcohol), talking and some were dancing to celebrate the coming of Spring.  When we arrived at Tabriz (about 2000hrs) the festival was still in full swing.  We camped in a public park, putting up our tents and cooking our meal.  I felt very much that we were having our celebration of Spring as well.  People came and looked to see what we were doing and then the talk started.  Everyone was so open and sharing.  Soon there were jokes, discussions, sharing of ideas, learning about people's lives and what they do. And this is what I am finding everywhere we go.  One young woman introduced herself in English and we met her friends they let us use the loo before them - afterwards she brought her family to see us when we were cooking the evening meal.  You should have seen the look of pride on her father's face as she spoke to us so fluently and with such confidence.  Afterwards she admitted that this was the first time that she had ever spoken English to English speakers.  You would not have believed it from the way that she was communicating.

We are now in Esfahan - a beautiful city - full of wonderful breathtaking Mosques.  Even though it is a huge city people still stop us in the street and ask were we are from and what we are doing.  Yesterday I was out with my room mate and we had a fascintating conversation with a young woman and her mother - part in English with the odd German word thrown in and a lot of sign language.  As we were 2 older women we got straight into the women's stuff and learned a great deal about how people live and what they think. 

We also had a whistle stop tour of the city - in a minibus - somehow our driver got us to the various places without incident as there was no tread on the tyres and he only stopped at red lights if there were cars in front and one way streets were just to be driven along.  I knew that the Imam Mosque on the central square was superb but nothing prepared me for the enveloping beauty of the tile work.  I was so moved by the utter beauty of it that I cried.  Next was the Sheik Lotfollah Mosque which was the Hareem Mosque for the women of the Ali Qapu Palace opposite.  Compared with the Imam Mosque it is almost quiet and understated but has a very gentle atmosphere and lovely decorations.  The Palace was totally decorated, almost every space was painted.  The Music Room has some extradordinary shapes cut into the walls which have an accoustic effect in that when music was played it could be heard all over the Palace.  (I have taken some photos of that but as yet I have not yet worked out how to upload to the intenet.) 

Esfahan



Sheik Iman Mosque and Iman Square



Sheik Lotfollah Mosque across Iman Square from the Ali Qapu Palace.

While in the Ali Qapu Palace itself the shapes that make
 the accoustics all over the palace......... and .......

..... murals ..............

.... murals .....................

...... and murals ......................



..... andevery surface painted ...............

.... or plasterwork ................

........... and  straight from the Arabian Nights hidden behind this latticed window
a sloe-eyed woman may look out to see if her lover is on his way! 

These visits were completed by a delicious meal in a traditional Persian restaraunt complete with low carpet covered tables and cushions.  We sat on and ate from the tables - complete with plastic tablecloth - thank goodness!!!!  The food was great - we shared a dish of aubergines with yoghurt and spices, chicken and lamb grills and a stew of chicken and beans in a clay pot, which was drained and pounded up in front of us.  The drained gravy was used a dip.  There was also a yoghurt drink - I seemed to be the only one who liked it.  Yet the more I drank the jug was still half full - so maybe it was an Arabian Nights trick!

THE RESTAURANT WHERE WE ATE



This is one of the portraits of the poets which lined the walls.



More of the glorious decorations ................



... all spangly with mirror glass - just up my street!



We prepare to eat ...............



now you see it.................



... and now you don't!

Being in Iran has been and eye opener.  I must admit that I am not happy about the "mantor" I have had to wear (long black coat) and find the headscarf very hot but now I am in Esfahan I can be a little bit more relaxed about what I can wear but apart from that personal and very Western gripe, I have found being here a joy.  It is so very different from the appalling press that Iran gets in the West and it is not like that at all.  The people are warm and welcoming.  One of the places we visited - the Ali Sadr Caves, longest underwater caves in the world full of stalagtites/mites - an old man came up and talked to us - we did not understand what he was saying and likewise from him - but when the translation came it was that he wanted to invite us back to his house for sweets and he did not look as if he had enough to rub two sweets together.  And that is what we are experiencing on a daily basis. 

Archie (our truck) has been naughty again (needed a quick A&E on the way out of the Ali Sadr Caves!) but as far as I can gather has been in hopsital in Esfahan for a complete change of whatever and now Archie is on the way to recovery and should take us to Beijing without too much further bother or need for roadside operations!

I cannot begin to describe the things that I am seeing but here are a few of the jottings I am making as I go along:

• Layer upon layer of rugged snow covered mountains - volcanic, capped with puffy clouds.
• Blue valley, really hazy, mackerel sky, heat rising from the valey.
• 1 huge snow capped volcano surrounded by fumatories in layers
• Fields of snow growing on the mountain sides
• Mountains iced like a wedding cake
• Unscheduled stop so that the Queenslanders can feel snow for the first time.
• Rocks coming out of the earth in ripples, hills like meringues.
• A fox rootling by the road - dismissive of passing traffic.