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Published: December 1st 2014
My morning's sightseeing
• Masjed-e Agha Borg; free entry and almost directly opposite Ehsan. It was wide open and virtually deserted. Another imposing mosque- very open air. I have pretty much run out of adjectives to describe the mosaic works- this one is as impressive as most. One thing that is a bit different here is that a lot of the mosaics are nature based- lots of bird depictions, lots of flowers. There is also some renovation work going on- pillars look to be being restored with painting and tile work. Another point of difference is the sunken courtyard- it is apparently a males only zone, there is also a 1st floor level so it looks to be a 3 level mosque. I was pretty keen to try to access the roof but couldn't find anyone to ask permission. I'd say it is worth a visit if you have 1 1/2 - 2 days in Kashan.
• 2 of the traditional houses on offer. There are about 5 of them off Alavi Street that are now open to the public and they are a very short walk from Ehsan. The first was Khan-e Boroujerdi, 100 000 IRR ($3ish). The house is
grand, it was constructed in the 19th century over an 18 year period. It is a fine example of Persian architecture (according to the guidebooks) - I agree. The standout for me was watching the restoration work going on in the large reception hall- 2 men were restoring paintings on the original plaster pillars. They had been working at it for some time- each panel taking a month to restore. Both spoke quite good English and were happy to take a break and explain the process. The house also has a 40m tall unique wind tower. Worth a visit. The next house was Khan-e Tabatabei, 100 000 IRR. Built in 1880 for Seyyed Jafar Tabatabei, a wealthy Kashani. The place is huge 4730m square- this website has some fantastic photos
http://www.payvand.com/news/12/may/1103.html. My i phone shots were dismally inadequate in showing how beautiful this place was. There was a nice photographic exhibit running while I was there showing the house throughout the seasons- it would be incredible to be there in winter with the snow. I loved the rooms with the stained glass. You could access pretty much all of the property including the very high ledges overlooking the rooms- DON'T
take the kids - they'd fall to their death for sure. Definitely a must see in Kashan (the house, not the falling kids).
• The perimeter walls of the city; restoration going on here as well with some of the original stone work still visible. The restored sections of wall look like a Hollywood stage set- too perfect and castle like. The other kind of quirky thing here was a deserted park with kids play equipment- like the swings, etc that I saw in Yazd. The swings, slides, see-saws, etc had all been painted in different colours that had worn off leaving traces of colour. A photographers dream!! Instagram heaven (especially with a chrome filter)!
• Abbasi Teahouse; pot of tea and a plate of biscuits never tasted so good (30 000 IRR, $1ish). It is down a stairway of the historic Khan-e Abbasian House. Very atmospheric with mostly day beds and some western style seating and lots of memorabilia on the walls. Apparently the food is great- another next time spot I guess. Recommended.
• Bagh-e Fin (Fin Garden); I caught a cab out there for 100 000IRR, my oldest cab to date I think. Nice old bloke driving, probably my oldest
taxi driver to. Fin Garden is about 9km out of town, it's UNESCO listed as THE Persian garden to see. It was pretty stunning, not so much for the greenery but for the water canals and fountains- an abundance of stunning turquoise tile and water. I had a look at the haman complex where the famous Iranian revolutionary, Amir Kabir, was murdered. It is a good example of a Persian haman (me being such an expert and all...)- lots of interesting light and shadows, and very quiet as opposed to the hamam in Shiraz that I saw. It was probably the perfect spot to end my Kashan experience, there were predominantly Iranians visiting (lots who wanted to chat) and it was a really peaceful, zen space with all the water. Recommended!
Time to move again. Caught another cab back to Ehsan where more all day tea in the courtyard beckoned before heading out to the bus station. As we arrived at the bus station a bus was coming out, seriously- in under a minute I had been de-cabbed and installed on the bus. The trip to Tehran was very smooth and very comfortable- this was my first VIP
bus for the trip- it was like being on a plane; big seat, air con, reclining back and footrests, tray table, seat belts, a juicebox AND a snack pack. All that for 120 000 IRR ($4ish)!!! My taxi to Hafez Hotel on arrival in Tehran was twice the price.
Arrived back at the Hafez and was warmly welcomed back! So nice. The room I had last time was booked so I had one on the ones upstairs (with a squat toilet this time) the room wasn't as nice but did the job. Went back down to the lobby to drink tea and check email but ended up chatting with some other guests (brother and sister from Poland). THEN, about 45 mins after I got there Jasmin and Brigitte arrived, THEN, who else should be there but Serena (from Ateshooni)- such a great surprise. I felt like we were all long lost friends catching up. Had dinner at the hotel, lots of tea and lots of chatting. Last night- boohoo...
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