Kermanshah, Bisotun from afar and Taq-E Bostan
Trip Start
Jan 08, 2005
1
47
135
Trip End
Ongoing
Kermanshah,
Iran
Friday, September 9, 2005
We found a place to dump the bags, after the cab driver went up and down the street a few times (backwards!). The reason we had come here was to see the bas relief carvings just out of town, and of course, to explore another city. So off we went.
The streets were empty as usual, it was lunch time, so we had the place to ourselves and could wander quietly without all those hundreds of eyes staring.
As usual, there was the Jameh Mosque, huge and tiled and we also found the Takieh Mo'aven ol-Molk. An old Hosseinieh (shrines to Imam Hossein at Karbala (AD 680). It was beautiful inside and we were completely on our own. We took loads of photos of the tile work. It was wonderful. Loads of different Quranic scenes, flowers, birds. Some of blood and gore (always good). The garden was lovely too and there is also a footprint set in one of the garden walls. Apparently it's a copy of a Mashad original of 'footprint of Ali'. He must have been a small man.
When we emerged the streets started to fill and we were showered with 'hello's' and 'welcome to Iran's'. The icecream is cheap and plentiful here in Iran, so we made sure we had a sample of Kermanshah's best. The shopkeeper was most excited that infidels had ventured into his shop. Dinner was a little different this time. It was some sort of stew thing with lamb and spinach (I think). Edible. More icecream.
Next day we were off to see the bas relief carvings at Bisotun and Taq-E Bostan. We chartered a cab for a rip-off fee. When we arrived he wanted more cash and also wanted to wait around and charge us double for a return. We told him, more than once, NO, handed him the agreed fee and walked away. He had already gotten his month's wages from our one journey!!
Bisotun
We were really looking forward to seeing these cliff-face reliefs. David had seen a program earlier in the year where the guy had climbed dodgy scaffolding to get right up close. As described in our LP, we passed the wobbly headed sculpture of Hercules and walked round the corner to see high up on the cliff the relief carving. But as we climbed further up the rocks, to our complete disbelief, the old wooden scaffolding had been removed and replaced with a partially built steel structure that was fenced off. It had not been completed. The only advantage being that you could take a photograph of the whole thing without it being obscured by any of the scaffold. David was screaming obsenities! On the way down a man approached us and said we had missed something. He walked us further round the cliffs to another facing. There was a big blank patch that looked like someone was ready to carve something. He said there had been huge carvings there once but during the war they had been taken away. He then offered us a lift to Taq-E Bostan even though he wasn't going there. Very nice indeed. The rip-off merchant driver was still in the carpark waiting for us, so we waved goodbye and drove off in airconditioned luxury. The man was really nice. He was a sailor and was on holidays with his family. He took us all the way to Taq-E Bostan, even though he wasn't going there himself. He also warned us about dishonest taxi drivers (don't we know it!!!).
Taq-E Bostan
These are closer to the edge of Kermanshah than the Bisotun reliefs and are way more popular with the locals and other Iranian tourists. They are really impressive. Huge Sassanian bas-reliefs cut into big alcoves in a cliff face but ground height. No climbing involved. There are explanations at each carving. There is kind of japanese looking one also one that looks like Luke Skywalker with his light sabre! They are apparently army and Zoroastrian God related from about AD 379, or so our book says. There are also other relics around too set into gardens. Well worth our efforts.
Outside there is a huge stagnant pool filled with rubbish and revolting green water. Nice touch.
There are a row of restaurants and we were starving so we went to eat sofre style. While we were eating a guy on crutches came up wanting to check our pulses, in exchange for money of course. But we said no, so he preyed on all the others there. When he had done, he put his crutches under his arm and ran up the stairs. Bugger!!!! Some nice girls came over and chatted with us. They were studying english too and wanted to practice.
We caught a local bus back into town. The driver was really excited that we had chosen his bus! All of 500 rials ($US0.06)!! Bargin. But I still had to sit up the back.
That night I couldn't face another boring meal. Luckily lunch had filled me sufficiently and was actually quite nice (chicken kebab). So I settled for more icecream. We were practically on a first name basis with our icecream man. He had taken to shaking our hands!!! (touching a strange woman - ooh!)
Tehran was next. We had heard that everyone hates it so I am prepared for the worst.
