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Saturday 2004-06-05 - Neyriz, Iran
Salt lakes
On the way to Shirāz, a very long trip today, we pass several large salt lakes. Just past Neyriz where the road winds through the mountains over two passes, there’s a beautiful view of enormous Lake Bakhtegān (Daryācheh-ye-Bakhtegān) and we stop for pictures. A wide fringe of the lake is white with encrusted salt which is mined here — before we stopped we saw many large sheds and big piles of white salt.
Further on, some 20 km before Shirāz, we make another stop near teh much smaller Lake Mahārlu where the road comes near the shore. A couple of avocets are feeding in the shallow water near the shore, but fly up when we approach over the salt-encrusted mud. Salt is mined at this lake, too (at the south end) though at a much smaller scale than at Lake Bakhtegān.
Sunday 2004-06-06 - Shirāz, Iran
Meeting in the mosque
The bazaar in Shirāz is nice and roomy, with vaulted brick ceilings much as we’ve seen elsewhere but wider and higher (so it’s cool); shops are larger, too. The effect is quite pleasant and relaxed, though it’s easy to get lost in the labyrinth of streets and alleys. Inside the bazaar is the Vakil mosque where Carla and I go first. It’s not in use at the moment, seemingly having been neglected for a long time: we see the brick and tile work is quite dilapidated in places, and plants grow between the stones in the courtyard. But (of course) they’re hard at work with the restoration. The building dates from 1773 but most of the present tile work was added in 1820 — the strange result can best be seen in the courtyard with two styles mixed together but alas not quite in harmony: styles and colors clash. At the back of the courtyard is a large open prayer hall that’s quite nice though with its many thick and spiraled stone pillars.
When we stand looking around in the prayer hall, suddenly a man approaches us asking whether we speak German (we do) and then if we speak English (as well); his son speaks better English, he explains, but actually his English is quite good. It turns out the family (father, mother and son) are back in Iran for a visit after having fled the country 16 years ago, first to Germany where they lived for many years, then on to Canada where they live now and where the son is studying tourism. Part of the reason for the visit is a study trip for the son: he may be wanting to take tour groups here. Their view of Iran, after 16 years outside the country, forms an interesting contrast with that of other Iranians we spoke to: many people here mention the lack of information and a move back lately from earlier more relaxed rules while this family (father and mother) takes a longer-time view and note that people actually have it better than when they left; there’s more and better food and other goods, and it’s more relaxed now than it was then.
Hopefully this longer-term trend, even though it’s three steps forward, two steps back, will continue.
Religious education
After the mosque we want to visit the Madrasseh-e Khan, which we find only with the help of some Shirāz locals (it’s also in the easy-to-get-lost-in bazaar, and the map in the Lonely Planet is useless — as they are for many bazaars). Normally the public isn’t let in in this Madrassa since this is a functional religious school but after a chat with a nice young Mullah at the entrance we just walk in and aren’t stopped.
Young men sit around with study books, and at the end of the courtyard is an open hall where many Mullahs sit together in a circle for a group discussion. The tile work of the building, almost baroque in style with its many floral patterns, is superb and because here it’s all from the same (Safavid) period, forms a more balanced whole than that in the Vakil mosque. The courtyard is a beautiful space, too, with a small central pond and many shade trees and orange trees and flowers: a very pleasant place to study!
Another funeral service
In the afternoon Carla and I cross the river over an old bridge; the river is nearly dry most of the year, flowing through Shirāz and ending in Lake Mahārlu. It’s nearly dry now, but looking at the high walls along the river it must hold a lot of water at times. Just across the bridge is a small mosque with a beautiful dome in the shape of a tulip bulb, covered with intricate tile work. Of the mosque itself (Emāmzādeh-ye Ali Ibn-e Hamze) virtually all of the original 10th century structure has disappeared as a result of both earthquakes and successive repairs and additions but the nicely spaced forecourt is different in that it’s almost completely paved with old gravestones, some very beautiful — we’ve never seen this anywhere else.
As we’ve learned to recognize in Bonāb, a funeral service is obviously in progress as we enter the courtyard - with a difference: the women take part here as well, and we’re invited into the women’s room. It’s quite crowded there, and we hardly find a place to sit without sitting in front of others. Inside, the ceiling is completely covered with small mirrors, giving a dazzling effect. Similar to the funeral service at Bonāb, refreshments are served; here we get dates (filled with nuts and covered in coconut) and lemonade. We’re quite welcome, but leave soon since we’re obviously physically in the way in the crowded space.
Monday 2004-06-07 - Persepolis, Iran
Impressive palaces
Today we make an excursion to Takht-e Jamshid, a huge complex of palaces started by king Darius I in about 512 BC and completed by a range of successive kings (Xerxes among them) over a period of 200 years. It was originally called Pārsā but is better known to us by the name Persepolis which is what the Greeks called it when they invaded and destroyed the city in 331 BC.
We leave Shirāz already at six in the morning, hoping to be at the site at seven, when the light should be good. We are - but alas they can’t open up for us: official opening time is 7:30 and the guard doesn’t have a key. It’s 7:45 before we’re actually inside. As a result, the famous reliefs on the Apadama staircase, now protected by a roof, are half in the shadow already: it’s obvious that at seven the light would have been much better, the sun is too high in the sky already now…
On the site as a whole, some pillars still stand, and parts of gateways with sculptures and reliefs but I’m most fascinated by the reliefs found on almost every upright surface; while many are damaged there’s still a lot in very good condition. Almost all of them depict long lines of people from all parts of the huge Persian empire coming to pay tribute to the king. If you know what to look for, the various nations can be recognized by their clothing, hair and beard (all are men) and attributes. Easy to spot are the Persians with a straight hat and the Medians with a round cap; I think I also spot a Phrygian hat - and there are many more. All these people seem to be walking with the visitor as it were, along the same corridors, and actually climbing the same stairs; sometimes two abreast - a surprising bit of perspective in the otherwise ‘flat’ scenes. Other reliefs show the king (or maybe a prince) controlling a bull or a lion. The capitals of the pillars are often two-headed figures such as eagles, lions or bulls.
Overlooking the site is the tomb of Artaxerxes II, hewn out from the face of the mountain and also decorated with beautiful reliefs. I climb up to there (ignoring my protesting knees) and see my effort rewarded with a beautiful view - hopefully caught in the panorama photograph I make from there.
The whole complex is enormous and very impressive. Interestingly, the actual use of these palaces is not quite known, whether they were lived in, or used only for ceremonial purposes. What is obvious though is that this city in its time must have been a stunning symbol of power and wealth.
Tuesday 2004-06-08 - Pāsārgād, Iran
Ancient history and modern science
Today we have a long travel day from Shirāz to Esfahān but we make a little side trip to Pāsārgād (Pasargadae). When we arrive at the Tomb of Cyrus just after the entrance to the site, a surprise awaits us: the field behind the tomb is crowded with people with cameras, parasols, much electronic equipment, even a satellite antenna and there’s a lot of rather nervous activity… what’s going on here?
A friendly bearded man with a NASA t-shirt explains the situation. The t-shirt isn’t fake: he’s actually an Englishman working for NASA in the US, visiting here with a team for a very special occasion: today (in fact, in 5 minutes!) there will be a Venus transit: the planet Venus passing in front of the sun causing a very small eclipse. Everyone is busy calibrating their equipment to be ready for when it really starts in a few minutes; Venus’ trip across the Sun’s surface will take 5 hours. This is indeed a unique event: in astronomical time it happens more often of course but no one alive today has ever experienced this.
The people here are mostly astronomy amateurs but some real science is taking place (astronomy is one branch of science where it’s not unusual for amateurs to cooperate with the pros and make some real contributions): when Venus will be fully in front of the Sun the light as it passes through Venus’ atmosphere will be measured: since the composition of this atmosphere is known, the resulting data will help with interpreting measurements of other distant solar systems with planets as they are observed.
The NASA man tells us that astronomy is quite popular in Iran; last night they were visiting in a town nearby which has the largest astronomy club with 1000 members - in a town with a population of 10,000! The club is building their own observatory and the NASA team made a donation of some equipment; they had a wonderful evening with 500 people turning up for the event!
We get a few special ‘sun glasses’ so we can see with our own eyes the small black dot made by Venus on the face of the Sun.
Then we leave to actually see the rest of the Pāsārgād site. The city was begun under Cyrus the Great (Kouroush) in about 546 BC but was superseded by Persepolis after Cyrus’ death. It’s located at the very center of what is now Iran but also then the Persian empire, in the middle of the fertile plains of the Fars province. Remains of the city are quite scattered and not as well preserved as those at Persepolis; we make a tour along the various ruins with our bus.
On the way here, the fertility of this area was obvious, with endless grain fields interspersed with occasional smaller fields with other crops (such as rice); through the open roof of the bus entered a summery scent of ripening grain.
Wednesday 2004-06-09 - Esfahān, Iran
Another beautiful mosque
Back to the Emām Khomeini square this morning with Thom and Carla. It has a different atmosphere in the morning, not just because of the morning light: the fountains are off now and most people are at work instead of relaxing after hours. It’s still just as stunning.
We pay a visit to the Emām mosque, at an oblique angle to the square because it was built angled to Mecca. Built over a period of 26 years and finished in 1638 it’s a superb example of the Safavid building style: it’s completely covered (both inside and out) with glazed tiles in the yellow and light blue specific for Esfahān, with accents in a surprising light green color I’ve not seen anywhere else. I spend nearly a whole film trying to capture the splendor (knowing I won’t even approach what I’m seeing but trying anyway). Although the intricate and sometimes playful patterns are very ‘Iranian’ in their curly complexity, I like this a lot better than the almost ‘Rococo’ flowery style of the early 19th century seen in the Vakil mosque in Shirāz.
