our first full day in what is described as the finest Islamic city in the world. there are many tree lined boulevards which lead to one of the two main rivers in Iran,luckily for us it was flowing freely normally it is held back by dams but for a couple of months for the farmers downstream it flows. this normally happens at the Iranian new year which is the spring equinox allowing the locals to enjoy the river side parks through the city. that was our first stop,the 33 arch bridge it originally linked the city with an Armenian settlement who were Christian and the arches are supposed to reflect Jesus' age. further downstream was the Khaju (Royal) bridge. if you look closely you can see a candle shape in the arches,a symbol of Mithras that is perpetuated in Iranian Islamic architecture. under the arches the locals sing to benefit from the acoustics. in the middle of the bridge is a Royal pavilion used by former kings. as we waited for our coach a lady sang for us. on her nose was a plaster which showed she'd had a nose job,very popular as they believe it will help them find a husband.
the coach took us to the Naghsh-e-jahan square,originally a Royal polo ground,2 posts remain but now the worlds second largest square .the bazaar is contained within its buildings and craftsmen can be seen down little alleys toiling away as they have done for the last 400 years. on one side stands the Ali-qapu palace a 6 storey building like a small football grandstand. from the balcony which had a pool the King could receive the accolade of his subjects and visitors. above his rooms was a magnificent music hall for his personal use,an elaborate acoustic system ensured no one knew he was enjoying himself. opposite lies an exquisite domed mosque,uniquely without minarets,the Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque. it has a second mosque underneath it for summer and winter use. at the far end of the square lies the Imam mosque,arguably the finest in all the world wrt its decorations.unfortunately a 3 day religious festival had just ended so workers were busy taking down scaffolding for us to get a really good view. Lunch time was spent in an Iranian fast food restaurant where we tasted their version of pizza,very filling and cheap. culture over it was time to investigate the local handicrafts for which the city has UNESCO status. the local peanut brittle was tasted,a visit to a miniaturist where delicate paintings are done with cat hair brushes on camel bone and then to a hand printing gallery. a gentle stroll through a park to the hotel for a rest before our evening trip to a gymnasium. we went to watch a form of martial art unique to Iran,formed from the Sufi traditions of spiritual art,sport and war becoming a whirling dervish. the men exercise along highly ritualised routines with a drumbeat and chanting. towards the end they all whirl away. an extraordinary hour.