The Ludlows by James Horner

One of my favourites!

A Winter Trip to Iran

 A trip to Iran

I had planned to write something about Iran when I came back from the Islamic country last 9 Jan 2009 ( reached Malaysia on the 10 Jan ). But from Jan till Feb, I was too busy to write and update my blog coz needed to clean up my house and do the preparation for the coming Chinese New Year which fell on 26 Feb. Then, in March, something unexpectedly happened to me, which had changed my mind to write about my trip. After a long consideration, at the end I have decided to pick up my pen to write about the country that I have visited for 25 days the first time. Some may have wondered why I wanted to change my mind again to write about the country especially a few of my very close friends. To clear your curiosity, I do think I better write the reason here clearly to everyone who have used to be so concern on me especially after an incident happened recently. First, I did really have some very wonderful moment when I was there. Secondly, I want to make this a gift to all the brothers and sisters ( guys and gals that I have met in Iran are used to be addressed as brothers and sisters ); who treated me so kindly, sincerely and always trying hard to make my time enjoyable in the country. Coz due to some inevitable personal and emotional reasons, perhaps we will never meet again in the future but I know I will always remember the aunty who always cooked different kinds of famous Iranian home-cuisine for me; the two little girls who always smiled and trying to let me understand what they were trying to say to me and the little boy who just smiled shyly without much words; the mischievous toddler who always showed me her brilliant eyes and also her innocent naughty smile; the new born baby who was so eager to learn to call papa and mama; the loving couples who invited me to visit their lovely home; the brother in law who had spent the whole morning to barbeque the delicious chicken ( it was truly delicious ); the sister who had to get up early to prepare Iranian breakfast; lastly the elder brother who had done so much in Esfahan to make my three days in the city so meaningful. I will not forget about Mt. Soffeh ( Soffeh Mountain ), it was your kind suggestion that enabled me to have a chance to drink my cup of tea up the rocky mountain. Perhaps, you may never know that what I have written here coz for some reasons, I will never have a chance in my life to say this directly to you all; and also it is not really important for me to tell or not to tell. But, I believe one thing; kindness is always noble. And, this nobility that I felt in Iran has given me the strength to write about my trip without the disturbance of other no longer important emotional reasons.

Let me see how am I going to start my Iran journey here again. Em....it was on the 13 Dec 2008, it was a bright Saturday that we left for Iran at about 11 plus ( Malaysia time ). We were estimated to reach Tehran, the capital of Iran at about 3 plus in the afternoon ( Iran time ). Once reached the airport, I started to put on my black thigh length jacket and a winter scarf to cover my hair. The feeling was pretty exciting as I had never been to a middle east country before. The first time, I stepped on the ground of Iran, outside the airport; I just loved the cooling air and the snowy mountains around me. Still remember, the day before I left Tehran for Kerman; it was a snowing evening. The feeling to watch the snow falling from inside the house was so unforgettable. Before I left, I had a chance to visit the previous palace of the Phalavi Dynasty, a place that one must go if one is interested to know more about the previous dynasty of Iran.

Just arrived Tehran, Iran.
Snowy mountains everywhere. 
The feeling was good :)
Note: The time printed in the photo here is not accurate, it was afternoon
actually.



Taking video clip in the cab. ( In Tehran )






The signboards in the Palace of Phalavi Dynasty.

Heading to another section in the Palace of Phalavi Dynasty.
Note: Time printed on photo is not accurate. 



The Statue of Arash, the archer. (  At the Palace of Phalavi Dynasty )

It was a snowy evening. 
My friend's sister-in-law ( a nice wife and a very generous woman ) was preparing dinner in the kitchen.  I was playing with Fatimeh, her toddler, a brilliant and witty little girl.  We stayed here in Tehran for a few days before heading to Kerman.




My friend's sister-in-law preparing delicious yogurt.  Look at how she prepared the yogurt, don't you think she is a perfectionist?  :)

From Tehran to Kerman, was truly a very long exhausting 10 hour-journey. It was really not easy to drive such a long hour journey. Half way, we encountered snowy weather thus the car had to slow down as the road was slippery and dangerous. Traffic police were busy guiding the cars with their signals. When we reached Kerman, it was about 11 something at night. The next morning, the first thing I saw was a loving mother kept kissing a sleepy son and then came to me and kissed on my face with her very warm greeting. Then, the next thing was to attend a funeral ( I really never expected that it would be the first thing I had to do when I first saw Kerman in daytime ). We went to a cemetery after a morning meal in a dinner hall, the ladies were in their traditional black attire while the guys were in their formal western attire. I was served a cup of tea. I just couldn't escape from everyone's curious eyes as it was obviously I was someone from somewhere out of Iran.

The grapes in the winter.




 

The Bazaar

The ancient designed ceiling at an entrance of a building.

A photo taken at Ganj Ali Khan Bath.

Stopped by a desert while on our way to the Mahan Garden. ( The same route to Bam. )

 When footprints of human and animal meet.

In Kerman, I had visited a few of its famous tourist destinations such as the Ganj Ali Khan Bath, the Bazaar and the Mahan Garden. Among them, I love the view of Mahan Garden the most. Once I stepped at the opened gate of the garden, I was shocked with the magnificent beauty of the view, the feeling was like the Alice in the wonderland. In front of me, there was a huge snow mountain far behind the garden, in the garden itself there was a white building, and a few fountains; also there were long drains built along the both sides of the white building for the sparkling, crystal clear and icy-cool water kept flowing down pool by pool from up the snowy mountain to down the pool in front of the gate. The only lacking was there hardly any flowers as it was winter. In spite of that, the natural winter beauty of the garden was enough to make one drunk. I was like standing inside a painting.



Magnificent view at the Mahan Garden.

Next, the place in Kerman I would like to mention here would be the Ganj Ali Khan Bath. It was a place where the ancient people went there to take their bath, the sculptures here are something we shouldn't miss. When comes to the view, I do love the Mahan Garden's most, when comes to the ancient magic in Kerman, I certainly would choose Ganj Ali Khan Bath as my favourite. Perhaps, if I had a chance to visit Bam, the thing would be different; after all, the mud castle in Bam was recognized for its historical value by the UNESCO before it was destroyed by earthquake a few years ago. As for the bazaar, it is more like a market for tourists where one could buy herbs, pistachios, winter sweaters, gold and silver, service like fixing stones on rings which are not expensive here, carpets and many more. Since I planned to have a budget trip and thus, I never bought anything.



A sculpture at Ganj Ali Khan Bath, Kerman.



Two youngsters playing outside the well-known Jabalieh Dome in Kerman. 

According to history, camel milk was used in its construction instead of water.

Inside Jabalieh Dome.



Looking up.
 ( Inside the Jabalieh Dome )

The Tourism House of Kerman Province
 ( Also the Central Office of Travelling Facilities - Headquarter in Kerman province. )

While  inside the Tourism House, this was what I saw when I lifted my head up.

The mud wall outside the Tourism House.

The surface of the wall.

I started leaving Kerman in Jan. The first place I visited outside Kerman after Tehran, would be Shiraz. We never stayed in Shiraz for very long; only visited a few main tourist favourite destinations; the two famous Persian poets' tombs, Hafez's and Saadi's; and the famous ancient palace in Persepolis. I loved the fresh orange smell which came from the orange trees around Hafez's tomb. The trees have made Hafez's tomb so distinct. The orange's scent awakes the sleepy ones, inspires the weak ones and calms the furious ones around the garden of the tomb. The tomb is a marble made and beautifully crafted. When I went to Saadi's tomb although it was also beautiful with a few orange trees in front of it but it never made me have a strong feeling of wanna to touch on the tomb. But, in Hafez's, it was different. I had a very strong feeling of wanna to touch on the white marble in order to ask for his blessing. I just didn't really know why. I had never heard much about Hafez except on the night of Yalda in Kerman where I was asked to choose a page of persian written poem by Hafez. It said, "You will have fun with your friends at this moment, and don't forget all your friends here." Perhaps it was for this reason, I wanna to touch his tomb, or perhaps it was only the loving orange smell that made me wanna do so, or perhaps it was the fun of seeing people plucking oranges from the trees around the tomb that had given me the courage to do so; or perhaps, it was my innermost wish leading me to do so. I just didn't know why and am still don't know; perhaps, I will never know forever. ( Remarks: The oranges that grow on the citrus trees are actually called as 'nareng' in Persian. The taste is sourer than the type of  orange we have in Malaysia ). Although I stopped by Hafez's tomb for a while, but this ancient poet had attracted my curiousity so much, thus when I was back Malaysia, I tried to read more about his poems which have been translated into English by few experts. I believe anyone who loves poems would love Hafez's. The sad thing is I am not able to read the original Persian version of his poems which I believe it would be much more interesting and inspiring with a real Persian sense. ( Below: Picture of Hafez's Tomb )

The oranges not just refreshed my mind but also my eyes :D
( Outside Saadi's tomb. )

A Persian worker picking oranges dropped from trees near Hafez's tomb.
(  Love the refreshing citrus scent in the air, still miss it!  )

On the way to Persepolis.

The last destination I went in Shiraz before I left for Esfahan was the famous ancient palace's location, Persepolis. It is so difficult to describe the feeling in Persepolis. I visited the place with an amount of personal imperfect feelings. But, the long thin poles, the incomplete stone building, the perfect stone curving, the old broken statues of horses and trojans, and the beautiful pictures carved on the stones; all seems like a story untold for the visitors, an ancient wisdom that awaits one to discover. I was fully attracted by the ancient mysterious feeling that the place had led me to.

A flight of stairs led us up to the ancient ruins.



The ruins in Persepolis.

Treasures that attract  people of all walks of life.

 The ancient beauty that survives.

 A wall of ancient stories.

Rays of light showering the ruins.

 Solid!

At the beautiful Esfahan, we visited the Khaju Bridge, Mt. Soffeh ( 2,073m ), the Chehel Sotoun, the Bazaar of Isfahan and Naqsh-i Jahan Square.  I had a special liking on Esfahan as it gave me lots of good memories :)  The most adventurous      one would be climbing the rather rocky Mt. Soffeh,  but it was really enjoyful      when we managed to reach the peak and sipped the hot tea we brought along.  I was  really thankful to my friend's brother who was the first to suggest the mountain climbing.  With experts like them both ( climbing mountain is like taking  a   morning walk to them I suppose ),  the whole journey became very smooth, safe    and memorable.   Certain points of the mountain especially the steeper and more difficult sections, were secured with ropes and chains provided by the authority.  The view around the Khaju Bridge was very                attractive at night    and the morning view where flocks of birds flying here and there, really   gave me  a quiet bliss :)   And also, of course, my first experience      of eating saffron ice-cream  with friends, on the cold street in a winter  evening.      It was a wonderful moment really :D .

A street in Esfahan.

The night view of Khaju Bridge. 

 The camera I used at that time was a little lousy for night view, sorry...   :)

Morning view around Khaju Bridge.

Very clean streets.

A mountain looking like a lady's face.

Finally, we arrived at the peak.

Note:  Time printed is not accurate.  It was early afternoon.

Enjoying my hot tea and some snacks at the peak. 

A very blissful moment indeed :)

 Looking down from the peak.

A mysterious ruins at the peak of Mt. Soffeh. 

We climbed up the peak from this direction.

Chehel Sotoun - Alas, the pool was dried up during our visit.

A tall beautiful tree outside Chehel Sotoun.

On the 8 of Jan, we left Esfahan for Tehran as my flight would be on the 9 of Jan. The night before the departure day, I was brought to a kebab restaurant to try their famous lamb meat kebab.
( It is a bit like our popia but ingredients are totally different. There are lamb meat, onion and some herbs. The size of the 'Iranian popia' ( kebab ) is not big, a size just nice to be put into mouth. About two to three mouthfuls per roll. Delicious and nice chewing. )

The next day, it was my last day in Iran. I left at about 6.30 in the evening with Iranair.  Well, I don't know when will be the next chance to go Iran again, but I do hope  the peaceful beauty of the country will remain for many generations.  Once back to Malaysia,  I was so happy to see my granny again although needed to take some time to adjust myself back to my life in Malaysia :)

Leaving for the airport in Tehran.

Culture Unplugged Video

View this movie at cultureunplugged.com

Alas, the sound is not so good here, I suggest you to watch this short film at its original website. Just click on the highlighted link above:-)