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The ancient city of Persopolis

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We get  to Persopolis early in the afternoon and find a hotel about a kilometre from the ruins. It is very hot and it seems very crowded so it is an easy decision to go first thing the next morning when it is cool and the crowds thinner.

 

What an amazing place and one of the founding centres of modern Western civilisation - or at least until Donald Trump destroyed the concept of western civilisation ! The city was built by King Darius in something BC finished off by his son. Alexander the Great then came and plundered it and used 3, 000 camels just to take the spoils of the treasury away with him. I think the ancient city it is more inspiring than the Parthenon in Greece or the ancient ruins of Rome. One almost feels privileged to see it. We spend several hours taking in the wonder, the grandeur and the history of it all. 

 

 

Then reality hits and it is time to head down the road to Shiraz all of 53 km away. We look for a hotel on the northern approached to the city as it is easy to find. Who couldd fail to spot this!  

 

Again we find a room available. One of the aspects of Iran is that Booking.com or the booking services of Trip Advisor do not work in Iran so it is very difficult to book a hotel in advance. Now that the sanctions are lifted it is time that Facebook, Booking.com etc pulled their digits out and extend their services to Iran. It is interesting to note  that Google works in Iran although the Google blog service doesn't. And of courses foreign credit cards do not work so it is cash everywhere for us. The Iranian Government said in the newspaper the other day that now that the sanctions are limited there is no reason why foreign banks cannot set up international links and they want then to do so. But it is only the Russian banks that are showing interest at the moment 

Anyway back to being travellers. In Shiraz we get a local taxi and visit the sights. We visit the old palace in the centre of town that was a prison in the days of the last Shah.

 
 
We visit the old bazaar 

 

Then it is back for an easy afternoon. Tomorrow is going to be a long 600 km day down to Bandar Abbas on the Persian Gulf where we hope (for hope read have to!) catch the overnight ferry to Dubai. It only sails twice a week and changes it schedules from time to time  without notice. Fingers are crossed!

Comments

Sanchari.org said…
I read your intersting and helpful blog, Thanks for sharing this
Visit : Tourist Attractions in Kerala
24 June 2017 at 06:23
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