Trip to Iran 15 October 2019
I am fascinated by countries with different cultures than ours and as soon as I learned that Dadmehr and Haeideh, two beautiful Iranian spouses living in Pompeii, were planning a trip to Iran for a small group, my heart exploded with joy. When I communicated to my children, relatives and friends that our destination would be Iran, everyone was perplexed and advised against it because it was considered dangerous. We started with the curiosity to know not only the various archaeological sites, the beautiful and dazzling mosques and their grandiose architecture but with the curiosity to go deeper into the knowledge of the culture and complexity of this country. Our guide, Reza, an architect who accompanied us throughout the tour along with a skilled driver, was professional, knowledgeable, discreet and personable. We moved from Teharan to Shiraz with a domestic flight and all travel with a private bus. Our Iranian friends and the guide took care to organize stops with fruit, coffee, sweets, and fresh pistachios, all in an atmosphere of sympathy, cordiality and maximum availability.
The stages: Shiraz, the entrance to the Pink mosque with the chador, the tomb of Hafez, Persepolis one of the wonders of the ancient world, the visit to the Naghshe Rostam site with the tombs of the Achaemenid kings and the Sassanid bas-reliefs, Yazd center of the Zoroastrian religion with visit "the fire temple" and the "towers of silence", Na'in with the Jameh mosque (Friday) one of the oldest in IRAN, Pasargade with the tomb of Cyrus the great, lsfahan with the vast square of Imam with two mosques, wonderful gardens, the Shah's Palace and the Grand Bazaar, the Armenian quarter with its churches, Kashan with the XNUMXth century Tabatabai House, Tehran with the Golestan Palace, royal residence of the Shahs and the jewelry museum, a collection of precious stones that takes your breath away, Qom considered a holy city by the Shiites.
We have lived very varied experiences, we have moved from the great megalopolis to the arid desert and spectacular scenery rich in vegetation. Together with Dadmer and Haeideh we have known the history of this nation through its cities and the faces of its inhabitants, during the journey we have read and commented on Hafez's verses. Our friends, in addition to being very attentive to ours
needs, they managed to immerse us in the wonderful atmosphere of this land, they guided us in our purchases, they made us appreciate the smells and the thousand flavors of Iranian cuisine, in Tehran they introduced us to their friends who opened their beautiful house inviting us to dinner, they filled us with kindness and attention, made us feel at home.
Through the explanations of Dadmer who has a beautiful Persian carpet shop in Pompeii, we have learned to appreciate and recognize the art of carpets, a heritage of these places. We had a unique and exhilarating experience at the home of carpet artist Seyed Abolhassan Mousavi, we saw wonderful hand-knotted carpets and in particular it was given to us by his son, a detailed description of an indescribable masterpiece concerning the last day of Pompeii which I sincerely hope and hope will reach Pompeii and be appreciated by a wide audience.
The trip was perfect, no danger for us, Iranians are only dangerous at the wheel, Iran is a beautiful country that deserves to be visited for its history, its art, its culture and for its affability and friendliness of its people.
