Shiraz

After three great days in Esfahan, I really didn't want to leave this beautiful city, but the time was running out... So on Friday morning we took a bus to Shiraz (about 500 km). Unfortunately this time the driver was less crazy and he was very slow, so we arrived to Shiraz in the evening. The hotel we decided to go to (Anvari) was marked in Lonely Planet as "our pick", but we were quite disapointed with it. It was not very atmosferic, it was difficult to meet other people and the sheets were dirty (but they're actually everywhere in Iran..). Moreover for the first time in Iran we were asked about our occupations and next destination after Shiraz... statistics or intelligence??

the same evening we decided to go out and to see a bit the city. And we met our Australian friend from the train and Tabriz. Did I mention Iran is sooooo small? :-) the first contact with Shiraz wasn't very impressive. Everything was closed but shops with clothes for men! and the dummies were hillarious! Moreover there were only men on the streets and they were really annoying... Later we went to eat something and we had a very interesting conversation in kebab shop:

- so what is Persian kebab?
-it's an Iranian kebab
-aha...

- ok, so what vegetables are in the stew with eggplant? there's an eggplant and what else?
-actually there's no eggplant..
-aha....

as Asia said - Monty Python :-)

the day after we went together with our English friend - Ross - to the Naqsh-e Rostam (with magnificent rock tombswhose are believed to be those of Persian kings and to Naqsh-e Rajab with bas-reliefs.

Last but not least - we visited magnificent Persepolis (VI century BC). Prices for the entrance are incredibly low! Persepolis costs 5000 rials (which is about 30 eurocents....(!!!!!)). But whole Iran is very cheap for Europeans. For example usually we pay for the hotel/hostel about 5-10$, bus ticket from Esfahan to Shiraz was for 5$ (with small meal on the board).

After Persepolis we visited Shiraz. we were so excited in the Vakil Mosque, cause we were told we have to lend chadors, but then it turned out they were not the true black chadors, but in the flowers, looking like courtains.. so we were very dissapointed.. but anyway we had fun ;-)

we've found already a famous old guys who has birds choosing a fortune - we still don't know what the bird has chosen for us, as the fortune is in Farsi.