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Narenjestan Gardens
A view from the front terrace! You have probably heard of the terms 'Shiraz' or 'Syrah' before - they're the same type of grape, which is extremely popular. Growing up in Australia, it was difficult to escape from the seductive bottles of Shiraz found in almost every liquor store or restaurant I went into. Hence, I personally prefer it to any other type of grape recently...ah, the notes of berries and pepper (occasionally one comes across 'chocolate', which is pleasant). Otherwise i'm no sommelier so please don't press me for details! Whoops! But if you do have an opportunity, I recommend any well-known Shiraz from the Yarra Valley in South Australia, for their full-bodied flavour.
The name came about from the city of Shiraz in Iran. It is said that this is the very place where the wine process was invented 7500 years ago. The grape was first brought into Europe by a French crusader called De Sterimberg, and hence French Syrah is famous today. As for the Aussie Shiraz, an Englishman by the name of James Busby began the first Shiraz vineyard back in the 1830s...I think it was. (feel free to correct me for any mistakes I've made in my entries).
Sadly
The villa
Seconds before the jet fountain splurged out from the middle of nowhere today however, as alcoholic beverages are banned in Iran we are unable to enjoy wine in the place it all began. However, Shiraz is still a lovely city full of places to see...and I actually found the alcohol ban wasnt that bad to endure. The non-alcoholic beer isn't the greatest of all beer alternatives but it's nice to drink if you see it as another kind of softdrink. They have flavored kinds too, such as peach and pineapple.
So now you know that if you ever become a raging alcoholic and people try to lock you up in a cuckoo ward, do volounteer to travel Iran for a few months (wink). Seriously, there are so many things to learn and see, that will distract you from your usual life. Come on, would you prefer to be locked up in an itty bitty urban ward, or prance around an entire country?
The BAZAAR - Shiraz is famous for its shopping district, where stalls line every path of the maze-like complex. Do try and not get lost, like a few of the women in our group. It is definitely NOT, I repeat, NOT a good idea to use a clothstore/pistachio
Narenjestan
The roof over the terrace, mirrors galore or veggie stand/carpet gallery as a meeting place. Because even if you do manage to brand a description of the shop's unique items into your brain ('lots of black rolls of fabric next to shiny stripper slash mermaid fabric. got it'), you will realize that as your walk around the bazaar deepens, almost every fabric store looks like that, yes. And the hot young street vendor whom you also marked into your brain has probably gone out for a chai tea-break with the guy with the awesome beard next door.
I purchased a stash of delicious lemon-flavored pistachio nuts, which had a nice citrus glaze on it. Fairly cheap too, and the two brothers who owned the stand looked a fair bit like Mario and Luigi with matching moustaches.
I also got a great set of Persian blue hand-painted tiles at $5 each. Really not bad for intrincately decorated geometric patterns that could have come straight off the wall of a mosque...lots of handcraft stores are clustered together by an inner courtyard.
As a trend in crowded places, intentional ass-grabbers do show up a lot here. It happens anywhere in the world, but I just wonder why anyone
Narenjestan
Crazy revolving fountain that likes attacking people would bother to do it to the average East Asian woman amongst the beautiful and voluptuous females from other regions. God, ass? what ass, i for one dont really have one to boast about!!!😞 Don't get me conscious over something that doesnt exist!!!
NARANJESTAN - The 'Orange Gardens'. A luxurious home created for the Kavam family in the 19th century, surrounded by a beautiful garden of blooming flowers and a pool. Wealth back in the day was seen through merely liquid assets so it was necessary to demonstrate it through property-ownership.
My friend Kaori and I branched off from the group to take straight-on photos of the pool and villa itself, its entrance patched up in elaborate collections of mirrors and windows. I saw a man in the distance wave at me and two thumbs up, and I waved back. Probably one of the maintenance staff. I waved back too, and two seconds later as Kaori and I were chitchatting, a huge jet of water splurged out a few feet away from us and got us running away screaming with our headscarves soaked. Not the ideal water fight scene in a music video, but probably the closest phenomenon for
Narenjestan
Sitting by a mosaic, passing out for a nap the time being.
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Alexander
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Iran
Seldom seen any forest there, huh?