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We had a free morning today before taking the bus to Esfahan. As the last week had been pretty full on I decided to take it easy and just went for a wander through the Bazaar picking up some bits and pieces for the journey. I also had a last minute Saffron ice cream - just in case they had run out when I got to Esfahan!
At 1pm we all met up in the courtyard of the hotel and bundled ourselves into various taxis to take us to the local bus station, which was about a 15 minute ride away. Mustafa and I got into the last taxi and (knowing how Middle Eastern taxi rides usually go) prepared myself for the hair raising journey ahead. Our driver did not disappoint and within seconds we were weaving in and out of lanes, driving so close to the car in front I could chat with the passengers in the back seat and generally being scared witless. It was no great surprise then when we crashed into the back of another car! We were all fine, although a little shaken and within minutes the taxi driver had flagged down another taxi and Mustafa and I were on our way while he waited for the police. It all just happened in a bit of a blur.
When Mustafa and I finally arrived at the bus station it was to be told that unfortunately our luxury bus to Esfahan had been cancelled. But fear not there was a replacement bus and it was the "Bus of the Year" in 2009!
Five hours later we arrived into Esfahan and as soon as I got off the bus I knew I was going to like it here. As well as being slightly cooler than the desert heat of Yazd it was a lot greener. With tree lined boulevards and Persian Gardens Esfahan was always the city that I wanted to see the most and I wasn't disappointed. After a crash free taxi ride to the hotel, and a quick freshen up we went out for dinner at a very swanky restaurant within the 5 star Abbasi Hotel. I of course went for the obligatory kebab but with a twist. I had the "white kebab" which was made up of turkey and fish and was absolutely delicious.
The next day we were all up bright and early to do a walking tour of Imam Square. The square was built in 1602 and is the second largest square in the world after Tiananmen Square in Beijing. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage site and very, very beautiful. It really hasn't changed much since it was built and at each end you can still see the goal posts used for the regular Polo matches that took place within the square. The square holds two mosques, a Royal Palace and a Bazaar, which runs all the way round the whole square.
First stop on our tour of the square was the absolutely stunning Masjed-e Shah or Royal Mosque. Work began in 1611 and it was not until 1629 that it was fully completed. Not only is it huge it is also full of mosaics featuring geometric designs, floral motifs, and calligraphy. It is a burst of colour with the traditional blues and yellows, set against white marble. After entering through the entrance portal you find yourself in the inner courtyard with a pool where worshippers perform their ritual ablutions. The courtyard leads off to to the East and West Sanctuary, where well manicured gardens offer worshippers the opportunity to sit and contemplate the stunning architecture that surrounds them or the meaning of life - whatever takes your fancy. The main sanctuary has the most amazing domed ceiling, with a golden rose pattern, surrounded by circles of busy mosaics on a deep blue background.
From the Royal Mosque we headed into the coolness of the covered Bazaar and the Masjed-e Sheikh Lotfollah or Ladies Mosque. If the Royal Mosque was the largest mosque that I've ever seen the Ladies Mosque was definitely the most beautiful. The dome is made of cream coloured tiles that change colour throughout the day from cream to pink. The patterns and designs are more subtle with lots of intricate floral designs . It is called the Lady's Mosque because it is believed that it served as the worship place for the women of the Shah's harem.
After the Ladies Mosque we headed across the Square to Kakh-e Ali Qapu Palace, which was built at the end of the 16th Century as a residence for Shah Abbas I. This six storey palace stands 38 metres high and offers the most impressive views of the Square and the surrounding area. There is an elevated terrace, which features 18 slender columns and a beautifully decorated wooden ceiling. On the upper floor is the music room. There is a stucco ceiling full of different shapes of vases and other household utensils, which were cut to enhance the acoustics. Unfortunatley a lot of the paintings and mosaics were destroyed during the revolution in 1979 but it is still very impressive.
By now it was lunchtime and we headed as a group to a lovely restaurant just on the other side of the square. I had the vegetable stew with rice, which is a combination of onions, spinach and beans. It looks like something that you'd find at the bottom of a pond but it is really delicious.
After lunch Gabrielle and I decided to go to a nearby hotel to see about getting a massage. We walked down the stairs to the Swimming Pool area of the hotel only to be met with a huge no entry sign, which said "Men are Forbidden". Due to the strict Islamic Law of Iran men and women are not allowed to go to public swimming baths together so they have set times when they can go. For this hotel women can go between 8am and 5pm and men between 5pm and 10pm - hence the sign. Having spent the past week or so seeing women completly covered from head to toe Gabrielle and I were both very surprised to enter a world where we didn't have to wear our headscarves and in fact most of the women where walking around the changing rooms in various stages of undress. We felt like we had entered a secret underground world. The women were so friendly and welcoming all offering us cakes and tea while they all sat around chatting to their friends. Many of them had just finished an Aqua Aerobics class but rather than just getting changed and leaving they spent another hour chatting, eating cakes and fruits and drinking tea. Gabrielle and I were immediatley included into the fun after we had had our well earned massages. We were having such a lovely time talking to the ladies and finding out about life in Iran when suddenly a voice from above shouted down "men are coming!". Immediately the atmosphere changed as everyone rushed around giggling putting headscarves on and making sure they were properly attired before the men entered. Gabrielle and I left the swimming pool and headed back to our hotel with Samane in tow. We stopped at a juice bar for some freshly squeezed juice and continued to talk with Samane about living in Iran. From there we headed back to the hotel having had a really wonderful afternoon.
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