Yazd

2013-09-15

Just 60km to Yazd, so no rush. Stopped at Mehriz to look at an (awesome) old castle and water reservoir. Stopped by Security on the way to Yazd, my face causes problems.

First up in Yazd was the Zoroastrian fire temple (Zoroastrianism being one of the olest religions, around at the time of Persepolis etc). Fire was their special thing and the fire was brought to this temple a very long time ago from another place where it was previously for a very long time.

Onto Mir Chakhmaq Complex and the big mosque there. It was pretty as they all were - go see photos etc etc etc.

Went to check into Hotel - a beautiful old (big) house conversion in the middle of the old town with a parrot and crappy wifi - before heading out to lunch (Camel and a Banana milkshake) and then back to the hotel to cool off in the midday heat.

Wandered the old town and saw the Alexander Prison, allegedly where Alexander the great kept his ‘important’ prisoners, because executing them was bad luck.

Bought a hand carved tile (which I can show you if you ask nicely) from a local expert (who did the tiles in Fatima Masumeh Shrine in Qom which you can read about later) and saw some carpet weaving by a ~100 year old man. I watched the sun set over the city and it’s mosques and wind towers from the rooftops (epic) before going and buying a rug - a very un-persian one - nomadic so much simpler. Only little and will go up on the wall. Final excursion was to the Bazaar where I watched a man make two belts for me.

Went for dinner by myself in the old down (noms Dizi) and got fairly lost for about 15 minutes finding my way back. Didn’t starve or die on my way though so it turned out ok.

2013-09-16

Straight to the Tower of Silence before it got too hot (it was still too hot). There were two actually - each used for putting dead people out on to decompose/get picked at by birds so that they (Zaroastrianists) can be buried without sullying the ground. Interesting places and very pretty. Lots of older european tourists about.

From there to Dowlat Abad Gardens with it’s 200m long pool and the tallest wind (cooling) tower in Yazd/Iran/The World. They work rather well. The house at the opposite end of the pool is still occupied by the descendants of the man who originally gifted the gardens to the city.

Took a quick visit to the Water Museum, which is not boring, learnt all about the Qanat system still in use in Yazd. Was a big investment for the people building it - hard and dangerous work, but it paid off nicely.

Left Yazd for Isfahan, but stopped again by security heading out. Something quite concerning about an Iranian Military Security person wearing Aviator sunglasses holding your passport for about 15 minutes while they make various phone calls, checking papers and grilling your guide about you. Anyway, I’m not currently in an Iranian jail cell so we both know it turned out ok.

Stopped in Maybod to see a big Caravanserai (full of really, really old carpets) and a huge Ice House where I was very scared of falling in (that roof does things to your brain).

On the road out of Maybod I saw posters of all the local Martyrs of the Iran/Iraq ware - hundreds of faces of young men who died fighting (My driver lost two uncles)

Stopped in quint little Naein to help a man ruin a camel hair rug and buy one out of guilt.

Biscuits and tea and then back on the road to Isfahan!