April 18, 2005


My last day in Esfahan

A fresco inside the Chehel Sotun Palace My last day was most exciting because I was invited for an evening meal in an Iranian home.

First, I spent the whole day sightseeing in the heart of the city. The temperature was ideal, warm without being uncomfortable; I could smell delicate flower fragrances brought in the soft breeze. The sky was a limpid blue; the waters of the fountains shimmered with lapis lazuli gleams. I visited the architectural gems around the main square: to begin with the Chehel Sotun Palace with its graceful columned porch and its ceiling embossed with glass fragments constantly playing with the sunlight.

Inside I spent a long time filming the splendid frescoes, some of them still vividly coloured, depicting famous battles or scenes of court life. After I walked through the gardens. The rectangular pool facing the palace and the marvelous perspective reminded me a little of the Taj Mahal. I came across groups of giggly school children out on a field trip. Segregated of course. The little girls with a sun hat on top of their veil looked quite comical. The Chehel Sotun Palace as seen at night
Chehel Sotun Palace, or the Forty Pillars Palace The Gardens at Chehel Sotun Palace
Then I saw the two main mosques: Iman, the largest of the country, and the one called Sheihk Lotfollah. I got there when everybody was having lunch. I had them all to myself. The first one had magnificent tiles in different shades of blue while the second had pale yellow creamy tones that turn pink at sunset. The arches, the elegant minarets, the pillars, the sobriety of the lines and the perfect alignment make you feel that the builders and artists have managed to create sheer beauty and perfection. However, if you look closely you notice that they deliberately made slight errors to show their humility in front of God.
The back side of the Imam Mosque, also known as the Abbasi Jame' Mosque Imam Mosque entry in daylight An exterior wall of the Imam Mosque
Masjid-e Shah, Shaikh Lotfullah's Mosque or the Shah's Mosque Inside Masjid-e Jome, Friday's Mosque
The glory of Aliqapu Palace, in the heart of Esfahan. Shown from fountain view. The other side faces Imam Square. An interior view at Aliqapu

BACKGROUND INFO: Royal Square or Imam Square
For his new capital, Shah Abbas selected an open area of ground between the older Seljuq city and the Zayandeh River, which already had a market square. This market place was taken as the centerpiece of the new city and Shah Abbas laid out an immense square, the Maidan-e-Shah or Royal Square, nearly 1700 feet long (twice the size of Red Square in Moscow, seven times the size of St Mark's Square in Venice... after Tiananmen Square in Peking, it is the second largest in the world). It is completely surrounded by decorated arcades and a bazaar. The center of each side is marked by a monumental building: the entrance to the Grand Bazaar and the Royal Mosque (Imam Mosque) at opposite ends, and the Ali Qapu (or Aliqapu, meaning the High Gate) Pavilion and the Shaikh Lotfullah Mosque on either side. The Royal Square is connected at its northern end to the old city by the monumental entrance of the grand bazaar opening onto miles of vaulted passageways and caravanserais that eventually lead to Friday Mosque (Masjid-e Jome).

In the evening I was invited to dine with an Iranian family. I had met a young geo physics student Eshan earlier in the afternoon.. I had stopped him in the streets to ask for directions and we ended up talking for a long time. His open face and friendliness made me accept his invitation when he suggested that I meet his family. This was my chance to see what life was like in a Persian house and to sample home cooked food!
Eshan came to pick me up at the appointed time and took me to a residential area of the city. After taking off my shoes I was admitted into the main room. I was flabbergasted. It looked like a reception hall with at least 20 chairs, some matching sofas, marqueteries tables, crystal chanteliers, delicately sculpted moulures around the ceiling, Persian carpets with intricate design, ornamental artifacts finely crafted and an indoor garden, a real garden, lush and luxuriant! I did not have enough eyes to take it all.

The family was amused by my reaction. They were obviously well off. I met everybody. Eshan, very proud and happy, was acting as my interpreter. The first thing I did was to take off my cloak and my scarf! What a relief! I had a body and a face again. And so did Eshan's mother and sister, both very pretty and elegant in their dresses. I also met Mohammed, the youngest of the three children. His eyes were constantly on me burning with curiosity.

We had tea, tiny cakes, nuts and a kind of nougat like sweets... Very delicious. Iranians obviously have a sweet tooth. Then, the mother lay a huge cloth on the floor and brought plates, cutlery and glasses. We were going to have a meal at 10h30 at night. The food was delicious, very fresh.

An example of fine furnishings in a well off Iranian's home

An example of a well furnished Iranian home

Example of a Well off Iranian meal We had yogurt, olives, cooked, raw and marinated salads, chicken brochettes and what looked like a spinach cake sprinkled with lemon that I savoured. The bread was amazing, big as an elephant ear. It tasted like the Indian nan bread. We talked, laughed, took pictures, compared Canada and Iran and had an excellent visit. My hosts wanted to discuss politics and enlightened me about the situation here. That will be the topic of another entry! Finally, after trying to take my leave, I manage to do it at around 2 am. I think they could have continued to chat until dawn even if they had to work or go to school the next day.

April 19, 2005


Off to Yadz, the ancient desert city

This morning, when I arrived in the lobby of the Aria Hotel, my happy cleaning lady was there, smiling, exclaiming, "Canada, very good!" When I was ready to leave, after giving me a choking farewell embrace, she called one of the young boys to take my pack down. Then I was off to the bus station to embark on my next destination,Yadz.
A bus in Esfahan When I arrived, there were many different bus companies competing for clients. I did not know which one to choose. They were having shouting contests to attract my attention. Finally I opted for the man who had the greatest lung capacity just to shut him up! He was beaming when I approached him and assured me that there would be a bus leaving in thirty minutes. He would escort me to it personally. I was surprised by the price he quoted; it was half of what I expected... However, all was explained when he said that there was no air-conditioning. "Was that going to be a problem for Madame?" My shrug was eloquent. In fact I preferred the natural ventilation from an opened window.
He was beaming again, stroking his Salvador Dali moustache with much delight. While he was getting my ticket ready, he insisted on having a free geography lesson. "Where was Canada, in North or South America? What were the main rivers, the capitol city, the important seas? Was it near Brazil? He had always had big dreams to visit Brazil!" Salvador Dali and his moustache
View from bus The bus trip was uneventful. When we set off, the driver recommended us to the mercy of Allah so that we could have a safe trip and all the men chorused a short prayer in unison.

Had a hard time to find a hotel room upon arrival. My taxi driver, very kind and patient, lugged my backpack up and down the tortuous staircases of various guest houses! Finally I found lodgings in a brand new hotel, the Roshan, all shiny and modern. The room costs only 17 dollars; it has all the desired comforts and even air conditioning that works. The only drawback: the female staff are not as effusive as in Esfahan. I miss the enthusiastic hugs of the cleaning lady of the Aria hotel!!!

So there I am in Yadz. Excellent first impression. I have just met Mitra, a young Zoroastrian woman who has offered to take me to some of the neighbouring villages the day after tomorrow. Tonight she took me to what I can only call a session of traditional "aerobics" performed by men dressed in beautifully woven trousers and moving to the frantic rhythms of bells and percussions. This sport is called Zurkaneh and foreign women are admitted as honorary guests, local women rarely attend. There in the middle of a giant pit, men and young boys perform feats of strength and turn wildly like Sufis. Jamea Mosque in Yazd
Yazd is a stronghold for Zoroastrian religion. The sacred fire burns continuously inside this fire temple. 
A depiction of Zoroastrian god, Ahura Mazda, watches over the fire temple. Men warming up in Zurkaneh pit

Click to continue the journey...