SHIRAZ

After breakfast, we set off to explore. It was a Sunday, and a great Meeting Against Israel was being held at the western end of the Zand. We headed east against the crowds. A young man hissed "No Israel!" at us, but otherwise the fact that we weren’t joining the march didn’t seem to bother anyone. Just off the Zand was the Regent’s Mosque, shut for the occasion, but its glorious facade welcomed us.

Then we strolled through back lanes, and came across this unexpected park, with its lush green lawns. The building in the background houses part of the local souk:
We crossed the Koshk River, completely dry at this time of year. On the other side of the river was the tomb of the seventh Shiite Iman, Ali Ebn-e Hamze. The beautiful dome covered a spectacularly mirrored mausoleum:We entered the mausoleum, which was quite busy succouring the faithful, but we received none of the warm welcome that we had found in Damascus and elsewhere in the Arab world. Was this the difference between Sunni liberalism and Shia fundamentalism? Or between Arab and proud Pars? We left, under the watchful eye of armed guards.


Further up the street we came to another park, where we were welcomed by a botanist who was responsible for managing the park for the city. She charmingly showed us around, and said we must visit the walled garden of the Bagh-e Naranjestan, a public garden dating from the 1880's:
It was well worthwhile, with a fine symmetry and delightful ponds but, sadly, the fountains were dysfunctional and under repair. There was even a great display of roses of varieties with which we were not familiar, and quite surprised to find them blooming at the end of a long, hot summer.


A little further on we came to the tomb of the greatest of the Iranian poets, Hafez. The marble tombstone of 1773 was protected by the octagonal canopy in 1935. Young people were showering the tombstone with rose petals: In the gardens leading to the Hafez grave, we met a charming Iranian family, with whom we were photographed:
They questioned us quite knowledgeably about South Africa, and life there. They were going to a restaurant, and were most insistent that we should join them, but we wanted to see another garden, and the opportunity was lost. The "other garden" was the Bagh-e Eram, the best garden we saw in Iran. Sadly, we had left our visit until rather late in the day, and had to rush around like the typical tourist. Nevertheless, for a late-summer garden, it was spectacular, with masses of blooms: There were great avenues of trees, opening onto secluded glades where the citizens of Shiraz sat in quiet contemplation. Beautiful water features led through the garden, which covered several hectares. The 19th century Eram Palace sat in the garden’s centre. Sadly, visitors were not allowed inside.

All too soon we were being chased out - the park was closing for the day. We had walked the best part of 10km, so felt no pang of conscience about hailing a cab and being whisked back to our hotel.