The Eagle and the Serpent

Location: Ali Qapu Hotel, Esfahan
Date: 27th April, 2008

Back to ancient history today, with a trip to the Sialk Hills, a settlement from 5500BCE.

We then hit the road to Esfahan, via the Nantaz Nuclear facility which is apparently causing a bit of a fuss. We saw a couple of military bases and a number of anti-aircraft emplacements - the Iranian Government are clearly taking its security seriously, and there’s no doubt in my mind they’ll bring the reactor on-line just as soon as they’re ready. As for the Iranian military, all I’ve seen are well prepared, disciplined soldiers supported by reasonably modern hardware and a good infrastructure. It would be no “Iraqi Freedom” taking these guys on…

Anyway, after a tour of the plant (only joking!), we drove to the mountain village of Abyaneh, recognized by UNSCO for its unique ochre colored mud-brick buildings. The women here wear brightly colored headscarfs and there seems to be no-one under 70 living here at all!

The temperature up here was far more pleasant, and we spent a couple of hours wandering around the village, visiting a small, disused Zoroastrian Fire Temple and the Zeyaratgah shrine. We also visited an old house, which doubled as a traditional clothing store and Kristy bought some jewelry.

After lunch, we visited the peaceful, tree-lined town of Natanz. We saw the 14th Century Jameh Mosque and the shrine of a local Sufi mystic, the Imamzadeh-ye Abd al-Samad.

On the way out of Natanz, I noticed a small dome-shaped building atop a mountain some way south of town. Amir knew a story about it, and the story of the dome goes something like this. Shah Abbas was riding with a small detachment of his army near Natanz. While resting by a stream, his men attempted to drink. The Shahs eagle, which was flying up ahead, dived at the men, screeching and flapping in their faces. Shah Abbas, not know for his patience, killed the eagle. His men started to drink, and immediately died. The eagle had been able to see the wicked serpent upstream that had poised the stream. Filled with remorse (which it seems he never showed his subjects), the Shah built a dome on a nearby mountaintop in remembrance of the eagle that tried to save their lives.

After a bit more driving and some traffic on the outskirts of town, we arrived at the Ali Qapu Hotel in Esfahan.

http://www.aliqapuhotel.com/