Hotel Melal Esfahan

Dneska jsme prijeli nocním vlakem do Esfahánu - po ceste vlakem jsme se
seznámili s jedním studentem mestského designu. Ten nám nabídl, že by nás s kamarádem provedl po meste a lépe mluvícímu kamarádovi díky své nevalné anglictine radši
zavolal. Po predchozí zkušenosti s Teheránským pruvodcem jsem se z nej
dlouho snažil dostat aby bylo od zacátku jasné, že v našem setkání nebudou
hrát roli peníze, což nakonec potvrdil (asi naopak nechápal ...

... on big flatbeds with carpets and roll cushions, which is common in restaurants all over Iran. We were surround by beautiful blue tiles and vistas of the tops of the mosques. The sounds of the evening prayer hummed through the thick evening air. Everyone working at the restaurant began prostrating themselves, deep in prayer. It was magical scene; the very essence of Persia was everywhere. Adding to my enjoyment of the restaurant was the fact that it had a "vegetable plate" on the menu ...

... at a standstill while people cheered, waved posters and flags from inside and on top of their cars. The mood was one of intense excitement and anticipation, and certainly not the general sense of ennui our elections attract back home. We edged nearer to our hotel, with our driver playing Eminem at full volume! He turned it down once he realised what some of the lyrics actually were.

... younger girls giggled furiously. They were really nice and when we finally left them at nearly midnight they insisted on driving us back to the hotel themselves.

Today we were given a guided tour of the bazaar by a local carpet seller who our group leader knows. It was really great to see behind the scenes and to see the places where the traders and their camels stayed when it was part of the silk route. We also got to see some of the craftsmen at work which was ...

... my time so far here.

We are heading to the Pakistan border on the 30th. We won’t know our plan until we get there. The likelihood is that we will be police escorted for the first 75km after the border, and we won’t be allowed to travel the Karakoram Highway. Otherwise, I think it is going to be okay. There is no signal on my phone so I can't text and it will probably stay this way for the next few weeks/month. I am definitely ...

... small talk, but that really was about it. There was not a mention of the restaurant the next day. Thunder stolen methinks. Rus was still up when I returned to our suite. He really is such a cool guy - 78. Wow. I still want to be visiting "mad" countries when I'm 48 never mind 78. Knowledgeable and not shy about winding up now and then. Everyone is always so keen to chat with him, ask him about the American election, American ...

... l'immense Mosquée Imam, d'une taille, d'une beauté architecturale et d'un raffinement des décorations inimaginables et dont les photos rendent peu la beauté. A ce titre, d'une maničre générale ŕ propos de cette place grandiose, je n'avais jamais été autant frustré par l ...

... them yet, so I will continue this another time. The last days in Tehran were wonderfully spent, though, with Reza, Mina, their friends, and of course with Mahsa, all my closest people in Iran. It was sad to leave and I have so many ideas and plans to come back. I strongly believe though that it is a country and area of the world that one needs to travel in company. Not for security or power, but instead to share the experiences and feel the full effect of the love ...

... I forced myself to go. I was also uncomfortable with the fact that a total stranger knew where I was going to be and at what time. I try not to let that happen too often. Unbelievably, the old man stood me up. He never showed up! I was happy in the end but I couldn't believe he didn't come to meet me after I debated over and over in my head whether I should even bother to go meet him. I looked at this as a gift on my birthday. It was 1 hour that I no longer had to waste meeting ...

... havoc brought by the Mongols about 800 years ago. Iranians are very conscious of their "Aryan" heritage, believing themselves to be directly related to Europeans and therefore superior to Turks, Arabs, Mongols and other groups in the Islamic world. It's all quite subtle and indeterminate and I must profess ignorance in such matters. In any event, my Afghani friend invited me to be the guest instructor at his English class the next day, and I happily accepted the opportunity.