The highway led us south through the beauty of the desert toward Isfahan.
Tehran to Isfahan, the inset shows our whole trip.
The desert geogology showed layers of sediment for the eons spent under the oceans before finally emerging.
Vast, untamed and beautiful. And the birthplace of so many legends and sagas which entertained women, men and children through the ages.
A highway rest area along the way to Isfahan. Our buses stopped to allow us to stretch our legs, and get some cappucinos and expressos. The guides and Sikander were always planning our next moves and looking out for the most enjoyable options for the group, I cannot appreciate them enough.
After the luxury of Espinas Palace, I didn't know what to expect. We were delighted to arrive at Abbassi Hotel in Isfahan.
The Abbasi Hotel (Persian: هتل عباسی, formerly known as the "Shah Abbas Hotel", Persian: هتل شاه عباس) is a hotel located in Isfahan, Iran.The whole complex was built at the time of king Sultan Husayn of Safavid about 400 years ago. Formerly known as the Mothers Inn caravanserai, it was built as a caravanserai to provide lodging for travelers.
Azra and I were lucky in the roll of the dice. Our room is fit for royalty, a sitting room and bedroom decorated with beauty and taste, opening to the Chahar-Bagh.
An office nook with a garden view
Surprise, surprise. We're invited to dinner in the magnificient garden, we've never seen such well maintained shrubs, trees and fountains, blooming with flowers and bursting with fruit.
Unbelievable tastes in every bite, not spoiled by over cooking but delicious for the spices.
Of course, saffron ice cream, a timely introduction to the flavoring we would enjoy in many ways for the rest of the trip.
The next morning, exploring the hotel on the way to breakfast, this hallway is lined with drawings of iconic structures in Isfahan.
Little did we know, this is the world famous Isfahan Square we will visit later today.
And soon after Isfahan square, the Chehel Sutoon Palace, this drawing showing how it looked originally. Images of the grandeur of Persepolis are evident here, though we won't realize it until much later in the tour.
The breakfast hall, ah, the traditional Persian delicacies compementing the eggs in so many delectable preparations.
Abbassi hotel was ready for a whole caravan of travellers.
Art and taste. We could spend the whole day admiring the decorations all over every hall and every hallway.
Just a regular table for breakfast, are we spoiled or what
As I look at the photos again and again, I find beauty and love on every wall, ceiling, column, window. It never ends, no matter how long you watch.
Truly a garden.
And then the garden itself.
Clean, sparkling fountains among fruit trees.
I'm sure there is a lot of history behind this coniferous tree showing its glory in the middle of the desert.
Perfect in every way, morning, evening or night.
On the way to Isfahan Square, Farooq and I identify with Mirza Ghulam Raza Isfahani, خوشنویس، شاعر
Walkikng toward the square, we had no idea of the size of the square, of the beauty of the mosques, of the delightful Isfahani carpets, saffron and copper handicrafts, only mentioning a few.....
One of the many entrances to Isfahan Square.
Masjed-e Shah – The Pinnacle of Safavid Architecture
The Crown Jewel in the Naqsh-e Jahan Square was the Masjed-e Shah, which would replace the much older Jameh Mosque in conducting the Friday prayers. To achieve this, the Shah Mosque was constructed not only with vision of grandeur, having the largest dome in the city, but Shaykh Bahai also planned the construction of a religious school and a winter-mosque clamped at either side of it.
Miniature painting in progress.
Shopping for the best bang for the buck, the gift that keeps giving, books. Fantastic printing and imaginative photograpy, I'm jealous.
The two minars are at the entrance from Naqsh-e-Jahan Square. As we see, Masjed-e-Shah is at an angle facing the Qibla.
A tour through an area used for renovation of the dome of the masjed. We'll see how perfectly curved porcelain tiles are crafted to fit the complex surface of the dome.
Ceramic tiles are painstakingly formed to fit this template which matches one section of the dome, each individual, different ceramic tile is then transported and affixed to the exactly corresponding part of the dome for long lasting beauty.
An area centered precisely under the dome. Murtaza demonstated the resonance adding to the beauty of the Adhan at this spot.Photos courtesy of Reema Khan
Cotroversial for being inside a masjid, this progressive depiction of Jannah has animals among the trees and flowers.
Exiting Masjed-e-Shah we pass through a huge, ornately carved gate.
میدان نقش جهان and what better ride in a میدان than a horse driven carraige? We can see Ali Qapu Palace to the left and Lotfollah Mosque barely visible on the right.
Of the four monuments that dominated the perimeter of the Naqsh-e Jahan square, the Lotfollah Mosque, opposite the palace, was the first to be built
Most people did not have access to this mosque. Centuries later, when the doors were opened to the public, that ordinary people could admire the effort that Shah Abbas had put into making this a sacred place for the ladies of his harem, and the exquisite tile-work, which is far superior to those covering the Shah MosquePhoto courtesy of Reema Khan
The purpose of this mosque was for it to be a private mosque of the royal court, unlike the Masjed-e Shah, which was meant for the public.[18] For this reason, the mosque does not have any minarets and is of a smaller sizePhoto courtesy of Reema Khan
For creative photographers like Salman, Murtaza demonstrates a unique perspective of the dome above.Photo courtesy of Reema Khan
A wonderful view of the whole square with the Lotfullah Mosque directly opposite.
Masjed-e-Shah
A disnctinctive color combination is used in Ali Qapu Palace which is unique among the Persian ceramic decorations.
Naqsh-e Jahan Square میدان نقش جهانA UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Masjed-e-Shah
Two little paintings we brought home.
Emarat Namakdan CafeNo photos of the cafe, I guess we were too hungry to wait. And the company was priceless.
The bazaar at Naqsh-e-Jahan Square.
We learned a lot and left the store happy.
Entrance to a boutique hotel near the Square.
The reflecting pool
Wonder why its called Chehelsatoon when there are only 20 columns?
Along the entrance to the museum
The Isfahani carpet showroom
Dinner in the Armenian Quarter in Isfahan
Photo courtesy of Reema Khan
Photo courtesy of Reema Khan
CME at the Abbassi Hotel the next morning. I've never been in such a beautiful meeting room.
Breakfast at Abbassi Hotel before our next jaunt.
Great memories of yummy food.
Spent a little time in the well kept garden. This rose had a strong scent I could smell from a foot away.
Dates.
On to the next day's excursion in Isfahan.
A modern building close to the hotel.
The Khaju Bridge was built around 1650, under the reign of Abbas II, the seventh Safavid king (shah) of Iran, on the foundations of an older bridge.
A garden along the banks of the river Zayanderud, the largest river of the Iranian plateau.
It was originally decorated with tilework and paintings and served as a teahouse and a place for public meetings.
A modern tea house along the walk to the Armenian Quarter.
Archbishop Kesaratsi. Founder of the first printing house in Iran and the Middle East.
Vank Church, 1606 AD
Bright frescoes cover each wall of the church.
The cathedral consists of a domed sanctuary, much like an Iranian mosque.Photo courtesy of Reema Khan
Graves of the notables of the time, army officers, bankers, an English surgeon
A copy of the Gospel in Armenian.
Displays in the museum.
Ready to check out from Abbassi Hotel, we were sad to leave such culture and beauty but there was much more to follow.Photo courtesy of Reema Khan
Lunch at the hotel prior to pushing off.
The coaches were awesome, comfortable, good sound systems and the reason for BusNumber2!
Our second and last long coach trip together, from Isfahan to Yazd, again through the desert plateau.
Fertile lands if only it rained more, Iran is still the fruit basket of the Middle East.
Getting ready for the winter sowing.
Dry river beds bring back nostalgia for times when the water flowed. Still, the underground rivers called Qanat have been a source of fresh water for millenia.
A dormant volcano peak.
This stretch of the highway reminded me of the hills of Jhelum.
Naein also written as Nain, is a busy industrial town famous for its carpets, wool textile and home made pastry (copachoo)More than 3,000 years ago the Persians learned how to construct aqueducts underground (qanat in Persian: کاریز) to bring water from the mountains to the plains. In the 1960s this ancient system provided more than 70 percent of the water used in Iran and Nain is one of the best places in the entire world to see these qanats functioning.
After hanging a right at Naein, we proceeded toward Yazd and the sunset in the desert was a special treat.
Our coaches pulling into a rest area. We were seasoned travellers by now.
With a chocolate chip!
Arrival in Yazd after dark. Another classic hotel with a lot of history.
Dad hotel lobby
The hallway leading to most of the hotel rooms.
The courtyard of the hotel was a wonder, straight out of a fairy tale.
Yazd city dates from the 5th century CE and was described as the “noble city of Yazd” by Marco Polo. It stands on a mostly barren sand-ridden plain about 4,000 feet (1,200 metres) above sea level.
Dad Hotel Dining hall.
An, of course, a traditional Yazd dish, Koftay. Huge meatballs, with flavoring from Turmeric, saffron and dill, with rice, nuts and raisins inside according to the chef's taste.
A special rooftop restaurant with a view of the city of Yazd, did't get time to explore that :-)
![The purpose of this mosque was for it to be a private mosque of the royal court, unlike the Masjed-e Shah, which was meant for the public.[18] For this reason, the mosque does not have any minarets and is of a smaller sizePhoto courtesy of Reema Khan](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/b20057fa-b286-40c1-9264-aecff12286ce/d07306f5-d99b-44b5-89d3-35c3735b2ef0_rw_1920.jpg?h=6a806fb98672e8d631e40d6d4a9d85c6)
