It was a shock when I got on the Turkish Airways plane in Tehran, to see the air hostesses bare headed and flashing fleshy legs. I along with all the other women who were wearing scarves under duress took them off as soon as possible. It was interesting to see who were happy to keep them on and who were not. Although I hardly ever drink on planes, I ordered some wine to celebrate new freedoms. Back in Istanbul in the Buyuk Londra Oteli, it was weird for a while to be drinking alcohol on the terrace, surrounded by men and [View Full Entry]

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We set off the next day after a wonderful breakfast of bread, cheese and homemade -jam to Jolfa on the border with Azerbaijan. I had just finished the book by Kurban Said called Ali and Nino, about the romance between a Muslim boy and Christian girl growing up in Baku at the beginning of the First World War. Apparently this is seen as the national book of Azerbaijan. Fantastic story, romance and history interwoven… After a long drive through Tabriz we arrived in Jolfa, where we had lunch in a great restaurant (sorry don’t know the name) we set off the [View Full Entry]

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We returned to Takht-e Soleiman the next morning, it was powerful seeing it again, in a different light, just after dawn. Like a person you felt you knew it better, seeing the place at a different time of day. I just sat by the circular lake and dreamed my dreams, while AS told the others the story of the site. In Persian, it was no good to me, and so I enjoyed the time sitting alone. More village life was seen from the bus, shepherds with their flocks and a couple of dogs, a boy riding on a donkey, and a [View Full Entry]

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In the morning, the bazaar faction won the day, so we visited the bazaar in Kermanshah, there we found Kurdish sparkling clothes galore as well as sweets and cakes. It was great seeing everyone with the bright hats and scarves that they had found in the bazaar all waiting on the pavement for the bus to start. Iranian bazaars are fantastic, proper working places, the large ones are cities within cities. We drove to Sanandaj, the capital of Iranian Kurdistan, where we had lunch. Unfortunately we had no time to see more of it, as I would have liked. The women [View Full Entry]

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The next day we had been told to be at breakfast at 6.30, early for me! While most of the women were there, none of the men were! Great door knockings and retributions ensued, though all fairly good natured! So we got off a bit later than planned, first stop Takht-e Bostan/ Taq-e Bostan, just outside Kermanshah. This site has three well preserved Sassanian bas-reliefs showing the crowning ceremonies of the rulers. The first shows the kings Ardashir I and Shapur I , Khusroe II is shown on a charger, looking like a medieval European knight, the horse is his favourite [View Full Entry]

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We met at midnight in a car park in central Tehran and the night was full of the sounds of laugher and friends greeting. I felt alone and excited, as I knew no one except AS, and him only slightly, having met him the day before. He is a friend of F, my contact at the National Museum of Iran. He had invited me on a six day historical trip around north-west Iran. Travelling companions: 30 Iranian students. Interesting as I speak about 20 words of Farsi, but I felt up for the challenge! Travelling by private coach meant that I [View Full Entry]

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After two days spent in Kashan on the way back to Tehran I was ready to face the big smoke again. But it was not to be for as long as I imagined.... Kashan is famous for its traditional 'houses', clustered together on a few streets just outside the city centre. Many of these 19th century Qajar style palaces built by Kashan's great and good, are now empty and echoing, lit by delicate stained glass windows, the light hitting the faceted mirror decoration. Once large extended families as well as their legions of servants would have lived here. I visited the [View Full Entry]

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Here in Shiraz, the city of the poet Hafez, wine, grapes and poetry, nightingales and roses; the people are even friendlier and more relaxed than elsewhere in Iran. They pride themselves on their liberal attitudes and sophisticated way of living. Shiraz is most famous for the ancient site of Persepolis which is nearby. Someone who will remain nameless, and should know better, said ‘Oh you saw the film in Iran, I wouldn’t have thought they would show it there!’ They have shown the film a few times in Tehran apparently, so that is a small victory. But no, I saw the [View Full Entry]

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Yazd is a small oasis city in southern central Iran, in the middle of the desert. The landscape during the journey from Esfahan did not look like it changed much in seven hours, though admittedly I was not looking out of the window all the time, allowing the bus to rock me to sleep.The city's water comes from underground qanats miles away in the mountains. Here the women are almost exclusively dressed in chadors and the men a little too friendly! The weather is hot, hot at 35 degrees C, but as a dry heat was bearable as long as you [View Full Entry]

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Or as they say in Farsi Esfahan nesf-e jahan... As am sitting here in this most beautiful and welcoming of cities we find out that Israel is sabre rattling against Iran by carrying out military excercises in Greece. Here on the ground I have never been in a city more hospitable where people talk to you on the streets and buy you icecreams, this happened today a young student (girl) bought me and Rita an icecream. She is studying English at Esfahan University. We plan to meet her and her boyfriend later for a meal. Yesterday we wandered around the Imam [View Full Entry]

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