Still in Tehran.......

Another amazing experience today.  Everybody else dispersed to go to various museums, palaces etc.  So I headed out on my own with 2 slips of paper with the addresses of the places where I wanted to go.  When I finally got to approximately the place I was heading for (Museum of Glass and China) I encountered a large group of women.  I showed some postcards that I wanted to post and I had been directed to a post office nearby.  They were so kind and helpful but said there was not a postbox near.  However they invited me to join them and they paid for my ticket into another museum - so now I will have to come back for the glass and china!  I started to go round with them but their guide arranged for me to have an English speaking guide.  I was so humbled yet again by the kindness and generosity that I experienced.  The guide was lovely and took me round explaining everything in detail.  At the moment the museum was only displaying a small amount of the collection as it is in the process of renovation.  However another reason to come back!

After this I went to the collection of the royal jewels (the National Jewels Museum).  Oh, oh, oh................. a collection of BLING par excellence.  One of the most significant in the world.  Take the Crown Jewels then multiply them by 100!  The glitter, the diamonds, the emeralds, the rubies and that is just in one small item.  I was in heaven.  And guess what- there was a pink silk parasol that had diamonds down the spokes, the handle and the bit at the top were diamond encrusted too.  I could imagine myself with that!  I think the late Shah might have been a tad disappointed that he was not able to leave the country with the contents of the vault.  Though I must say that I did have a little snigger because there have been a war or two over this collection but the most significant piece in the whole collection was the Koh-e-Nur - and we know where that is and not even in it's original glory!

A few more days in Iran - then crossing the border to Turkmenistan - so you may well hear from me in Ashbagat.  Best wishes to all.

Some impressions of our journey from Yadz:

• Endless flat stretching away into to a heat haze - grey, buff and khaki.
• Sometimes half-seen hills rise out of the haze.
• Seen in Yadz - a cobbler mending some trainers by the side of a street.
• Brick kilns by the side of the road.
• Watering the trees on the central reservation from a water container lorry.
• Dust, dust and more dust.
• Folds of pink and green striated rocks pointing down to the road like cat's paws.