Blue domes and weird cookies

No long haul excursions today, but a chance to have a look around Kerman. We visit a whole slew of places, although they are decidedly low key compared to yesterday's excess in history. In the morning we visit the crowded bazar at Ganj-Ali-Khan Square where you can find lots of the exquisite miniature paintings that are typical to Iran. We also visit a public bath house, Sabz dome and the Friday mosque, where we encounter a mulla arriving in a limousine. My love for mulla spotting has not gone unnoticed, and when driving around Mr. Hoseyn will usually be pointing them out and we will turn to each other and shout "Mullah!". Oh dear...

Tonight people are celebrating the return of the 12th Imam to Earth, and this is mainly done by sitting in traffic jams, honking and cheering, and people going out in the streets walking up to the cars to offer each other strange tasting but fresh baked 'soelbyia' cookies.

In the evening we skip the traditional foods and head for a pizzeria. Normally during dinners, we would be having some kind of shish kebab. Typically a number of dry pieces of meat on a plate, accompanied by a token three or four pieces of pomme Château and some stylish vegetables like a slice of cucumber and a tomato on the side. Although the meals get samey the best things though are usually the starters. You will often get either a hot soup or yoghurt with oven baked naan bread, some salad and tea. Tonight though, we're joining the young people and getting stuffed on some delicious slices of pizza. Back at the hotel I lend Farzaneh my cd player so that she can indulge herself with some imperialistic popular music, much to her amusement.

---

Part of trip: Lifting the veil on the Islamic Republic

---