Exploring Esfahan

Today I get to visit Naqsh-e Jahan Square’s main sights by daylight.  After breakfast, I walked along the shaded tree-lined paths to get to the square.  Even around 0830, it was already preferable to be in the shade and I was lucky that all my routes here are adequately shaded.

Getting to the square, I found the Imam mosque closed.  Perhaps they’re not punctual with their opening hours.  So I proceeded to the Ali Qapu Palace instead and climbed up to the pavilion for an elevated view of the square.  Here I learnt that the Imam mosque was closed today and tomorrow.  I’d have to visit on the morning of my departure, which was not ideal but doable.

I crossed the square along its short side directly to the small Sheikh Lotfallah Mosque.  What in lacks in terms of size, it makes up in terms of beauty.  The interior was richly decorated with beautiful tiles.  It is unusual without a minaret or a courtyard, and was intended to be a place of worship for women of the Shah’s harem.

So far, I’ve come to realise that the touristic sights seemed to be priced at IDR200K (less than NZD7) but locals pay a much lower price.  Iran is no longer absurdly cheap but still cheap most of the time.

 Text continues after this gallery.

 

 

From here, I wandered through the Bazaar to get to the Jame Mosque before returning to the main square.  I had been told the mosque would be open for prayers at 1130 but others say 1300 during which I could sneak in for a peek.  There was no sign of an activity so I continued to the Chehel Sotun.

 Text continues after this gallery.

 

 

The Chehel Sotun Palace seemed to have deteriorated a little since my visit 15 years ago.  The gold in the richly decorated ceiling seemed to have lost its shine and some of the other colours have faded.  Despite that, the ceiling and the wall murals are still very impressive.

 Text continues after this gallery.

 

 

I returned to my room for a brief rest before going to the nearby Hotel Saadi for lunch.  Yesterday’s lunch there of Eggplant and Meatballs was worth repeating.  To my surprise, the place was jam-packed with people waiting, as opposed to nearly empty yesterday.  I settled on takeaways from there but even that required a wait.  I think that’s depite my meal choice was ready-made and sitting in the warmer.

After all that walking and the heat, I fell asleep in bed.  Very unlike me.  When the day became cool enough, I walked to the Si-o-se bridge to see it in daylight.

 Text continues after this gallery.

 

 

As I had made plans to meet up for tea at the gorgeous Abbasi Hotel with Mikel and Puri, I wanted a quick meal.  I settled for a Turkish kebab sandwich (filled roll).  Strangely, they are IRR135K whereas my restaurant meal for lunch was only IRR55K plus rice coming to IRR110K.  I hadn’t been ripped-off as the pricing was consistent in other places so there must have been a premium for “fast food”.

 Text continues after this gallery.

 

 

My new Spanish friends didn’t turn up.  Instead of tea, I got myself an ice-cream and faludeh.  I later got an apology from them.  They had a really bad day and were running late.  They had had no sleep in the Amir Kabir Hostel because it was very noisy and was also dirty.  They had to shift.

A tea or an ice-cream here in possibly Iran’s most atmospheric hotel was cheaper than any ole convenience store in New Zealand.  So, I think I’ll come back tomorrow night!