Half the World…

Location: Ali Qapu Hotel, Esfahan
Date: 28th April, 2008

Esfahan is a truly beautiful city. Tree-lined streets, fountains and flowers and wonderful architecture make it an incredible place to hand out for a few days. At it was our designated stop for souvenir shopping…

After an experience that started last night, our wallets came away much lighter, and our bags became much heavier, laden with the finest silk carpets Esfahan has to offer! We came away poorer, but with some wonderful pieces of art that we’re extremely happy with. We also picked up some miniature artwork on camel bone, that Esfahan is also famous for (Shah Abbas was a big fan apparently) and a tablecloth. We got on with the sightseeing…

After Amir knocked over a cyclist (he was ok!), we managed to park - it seems we found the only downside of Esfahan, getting parked is difficult, but it’s nowhere near as bad as London or New York.

We had a quick look at the Shahs Summer Pavilion or Chehel Sotun place - the place of Forty Columns. There are 20 columns here, the other 20 are the reflections in the lake. It’s a lovely place, decorated inside with hunting and battle scenes. Cut off his head!

We centered the day around Imam Khomeini Square, formerly known as The Maidan, where the Shah would watch Polo matches, executions and other things that amused him from a beautiful grandstand at the Ali Qapu Palace at the west side of the square. Today it provides the rather more peaceful view of people enjoying the gardens and fountains and shopping around the edges.

The Royal Mosque, whoops I mean the Imam Khomeini Mosque, is a building so big you really don’t process it. Shah Abbas the first knew how to impress, but apparently he had corners cut when it had been under construction for a couple of decades and he began to worry he wouldn’t see it completed. Not much sign of that today, it looks like the Department of Cultural Heritage are doing a great job in keeping it maintained. Just a shame that they’re also keeping the scaffolding there…