道圖豐說: Let's go Iran

Let's go Iran - Day 9

Today we go to Yazd. On the way visited an abandoned caravanserai which was in use around the 15th to 18th centuries, on part of the old Silk Road route. There is also a ganat (underground water system) still with flowing water. The famed Karez underground water system in Turpan in Xinjiang, China was copied from the Persian system.

伊朗游 - 第9天

今天从伊斯法罕去亚兹德。路上参观了一个丝绸之路队商旅馆的遗址，这旅馆该是十五至十八世纪的建筑，地下水道还有操作。中国新疆吐鲁番的坎儿井地下水道系统，就是从波斯传过去的。

Yazd is a city with half a million people. The old city is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Visited the Zoroastrian Fire Temple built in 1934. The fire enshrined here is of the highest grade, Atash Behram, and is said to be burning continuously since 470 AD. Not much decoration in the small temple. Shown also the altar of a typical home, as exhibited in the museum.

亚兹德，一个人口五十万的城市。古城的部分是联合国教科文组织世界遗产。参观了拜火教在这里唯一的火庙，1934年建。所供奉的是第一级的凯旋之火，从公元470年无间断燃烧到现在。有个小博物馆，展览品包括一个普通信徒家庭的祭坛, 如第二张照片所示。

The city center is dominated by the Amir Chakhmaq Square dated to the 15th century. The main building is a tekyeh, the Shia mourning building. Quite photogenic with the rows of sunken alcoves basking in the late afternoon sun. Nearby are 5 tall wind catchers, buildings for the creation of wind tunnels to cool down the interior of a building.

亚兹德的市中心是个大广场，初建于十五世纪。主要建筑是个祀庙，为追悼什叶派殉道先贤而建，夕阳照耀下很上镜。另一张照片展示的是五座追风楼，是引风进室内降低气温的特殊建筑物。

Visited the Shrine of Fazel, in memory of a local prince living in the 16th century. The most extraordinary thing is the interior decoration: full of glass pieces. The ceiling of the dome look like the sky at night with the stars. A view quite beholding though the photo couldn't convey that feeling. Shown also details of the glass pieces near the entrance where coloured light rays from the exterior are reflected onto. The colourless glass pieces become colourful. Inside the dome there is no colour, just silvery glitter.

也参观了一座大祀庙，为记念一个十六世纪的本土王子而建。庙里的装饰全部都是玻璃镜片，屋顶像是晚上的天空，星星满天，确是奇观。第三张照片是玻璃镜片的特写，这些是靠近出口处拍的，本来无颜色的镜片，在庙外的光线反射下，变成五颜六色。

Let's go Iran - Day 10

Today we go to Shiraz. On the way saw a few archaeological ruins.

Persepolis is a ruin 60 km from Shiraz dating back to the great Achaemenid Empire (515 - 330 BC). This home-grown Persian Empire was one of the greatest in World history. At its prime, the territory extended to the Balkans in Europe, the Indus in Asia and Egypt and Ethiopia in Africa.

Persepolis is a ceremonial and summer palace built over many years. When Alexander the Great conquered this region in 330 BC, the palace was plundered and destroyed. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Shown the Great Staircase leading to the main ceremony palace called Apadana, 125,000 sq m in size, a general view of the ruins, a relief of the seated Darius the Great, with 28 smaller human figures below him, representing 28 nations under his rule. And typical bas relief of the many human figures.

伊朗游 - 第10天

今天从亚兹德去色拉子，路上参观了几个遗址。

波斯玻利斯是一个古迹，离色拉子六十公里。它是一个阿契美尼德王朝的仪礼兼避暑行宫。阿契美尼德王朝(公元前 515 - 330) 顶盛时期疆土东部到印度河，西部到半个欧洲，南部到埃及，埃塞俄比亚，是世界历史上最大王朝之一。公元前330年，亚历山大大帝击败波斯王朝，波斯玻利斯被毁。这遗址现在是联合国教科文组织世界遗产。

第一张照片展示登上主宫的大梯级，主宫佔地125,000平方公尺。第二张照片展示一部分残缺的建筑。第三张照片展示達流士大帝的雕像，下方有二十八个小人物，代表他统治的二十八个国家。第四张照片介绍几个雕塑的人物。

The tombs of Darius the Great and another 3 kings of the great Achaemenid Empire are located at another place, Naqsh-e Rustam. We made a visit here too, paying another round of entrance fee (about RM 20). Shown the hill with the 4 tombs. The tombs are located at quite a height above the base, accompanied with rock reliefs on the deeds of the kings.

阿契美尼德王朝的達流士大帝和另外三位君主的坟墓是在鲁丝单。入门也收费20零吉。坟墓离地颇高，墓穴的上下都有石雕，讲述这位帝王的文功武绩。

Let's go Iran - Day 11

Shiraz is the number one tourist city in Iran. Visited the Nasir ol Mulk Mosque, fondly called Pink Mosque or Rainbow Mosque. It was built in 1876 - 1888. The main attraction is the colourful scene created when the morning sun cast its rays through the stained glass windows onto the walls and the Persian carpets，producing a riot of colourful patterns.

The halls are built with mini cupolas as vaulting, a typical Islamic architectural features. Many pink tiles are used, hence the nick name of Pink Mosque.

伊朗游 - 第11天

今天在色拉子，伊朗最多游客的城市。早上参观了著名的彩虹回教堂，十九世纪末期建成。晨早的阳光，通过彩色玻璃，投影在墙壁和波斯地毯上，艳丽非凡。

教堂的拱顶(天花板)是由一列席的小型拱顶组成，典型伊朗回教堂设计。用了很多粉红色的瓷砖，所以又名粉红回教堂。

Visited the Naranjestan House which was formerly a private residence, an example of an upper class residence during the late 19th century. It is now a museum.

参观了一间十九世纪末期所建的高级住宅，可算是当时高层社会住家的代表作。现已变成一个博物馆。

Visited the Emir Ali shrine, the resting place of Emir Ali, the disciple and nephew of the 8th Shia Imam. It has a majestic blue dome overlooking the surrounding cemetery. The interior consists of high-ceilings and exquisite mirror-tile work, typical of Iranian shrines. Most fascinating sight. It is a more awesome sight compared to a similar one we saw in Yazd because it is bigger and has some tinge of colours. 10 million pieces of mirror-glass were used, according to legend. The tomb of Emir Ali is enclosed by a metal grill, to be revered.

也参观了一个什叶派的祀庙，为哀悼什叶派第八任领袖的一位侄儿兼追随者而建。有个蓝色的大拱顶，非常壮观。庙里的装饰全是玻璃镜片做的，闪闪发光，淡绿色，真是奇观。据说用了一千万块的小镜片。这位先贤的铜棺以格栅围起，供敬拜。

Let's go Iran - Extra 5, Food

The staple food is rice and flat bread (nan and roti canai). The main cooking style is kebab, followed by oily stew. For kebab you can have lamb/beef/chicken, eat with rice or flat bread. Sometimes grilled trout may be available. Then soup and salad, etc. Everywhere the same. No noodles.

Kebab once in 3 months in Malaysia is heaven, but 4 kebabs in 2 days is hell. A pack of tomyam Maggi mee will send you to heaven again. To most of us their kebab is simply too dry. But at least the rice served is good, the premium less-starchy type grown in north Iran. Cost near to RM 20 a kg, may be 3 times more expensive than our beras wangi.

Fruit in season is sweet and juicy watermelon and other melons. And Iranians are tea drinkers. Shown one cup of tea served with a stick of rock sugar, very typical.

Serving here is rather big. Mountains of rice and stacks of flat bread. We normally order a main dish for 2 to share. With add-on like soup and salad. A meal like that will cost from RM 20 to RM 30 a person, in normal restaurants.

No alcoholic drinks and pork here of course. Tour mates are already planning what to eat the first day back home. Bak kut teh is the 1st choice.

The nuts here are cheap and of good quality: almonds, walnuts, cashews, macadamia nuts, pistachios, etc and many types of dates. Our homebound luggage bags are packed with them.

伊朗游 - 号外5, 膳食

伊朗的主食是饭和烧饼。最普通的肉类煮法是烤，牛、羊、鸡。有的餐厅也有拷鱼，或是非常油腻的炖肉。当然有沙拉和汤，不过没有面食。就是这么简单，千篇一律。

久久吃一次烤肉当然是赏心悦事，连续四餐都是烤肉可就是苦差，因为伊朗的烤肉太乾了，吃不惯。还好，大家都带有东炎快熟面，晚上宵夜过过瘾。给游客吃的米饭多是上品，伊朗北部种的品种，少澱粉，一公斤售价约20令吉，比我们的香米贵三倍。

时下的鲜果的西瓜和密瓜。伊朗人是喝茶的，上茶时配一支糖棒。

这里的主食都是较大份量，一碟如山的饭，或大叠的烧饼，一个人吃不完。我们多是叫一份主食，两个人吃，每人加一份沙拉，或汤。这样的一餐一个人要花费20到30令吉。

这里当然是没有酒喝，没有猪肉吃。团友回国后第一餐该是肉骨茶。

什么东西可买回去？我们这一群是旅游常客，只看景，不购物。不过还是买了很多这里的坚果回去：开心果、杏仁、核桃、腰果和枣。品质佳，又便宜。