MIR Corporation's Travel Blog:
Ancient Persia, Modern Iran

Follow along with MIR Corporation Tour Specialist Meaghan Samuels as she explores beautiful and enigmatic Iran on MIR's Ancient Persia, Modern Iran small group tour.

• Day 1: Arrival in Tehran
• Day 2: Tehran
• Days 3-4: Tehran, Bandar-e Anzali, Masuleh Village
• Day 5: Tehran, Yazd
• Day 6: Yazd
• Days 7-8: Yazd, Kerman
• Days 9-10: Kerman, Shiraz, Persepolis
• Days 11-12: Shiraz, Firuzabad, Yasuj
• Day 13: Yasuj, Isfahan
• Day 14: Isfahan, Tehran

April 19, 2008

The Abassi Hotel in Isfahan is gorgeous. The lobby is incredibly and ornately decorated with small pieces of cut mirror. As you move into the hotel, the entire lobby sparkles. The chandeliers are equally as beautiful, made of hundreds of glass pieces. The open garden square inside the hotel is quite large, and there are many places to sit and sip tea and enjoy the surroundings.

Today we continue touring Isfahan, including a return to the square to explore the many architectural wonders, including Imam Mosque. Imam Mosque is interesting not only for its beauty, but also for its unique architectural design, as it is positioned at a 45 degree angle off the southern border of the square. Some say the mosque was built at an angle for purposes of spiritual worship, while others claim it is simply built at angle as an interesting aesthetic counterpoint to the portal of the Bazar-e Bozorgh at the northern and opposite end of the square.

After we finish touring the square, I wander in to a shop to purchase scarves. The vendor in the shop speaks English very well and we begin talking. He tells me that he likes Americans very much, and that he would like me to go back to the States and tell everyone to come to Iran. He explains that the Americans have a false assumption of ambivalence by the general Iranian public, and that in fact he feels no ill will towards the people of our country. The governments have differences, he says, that has nothing to do with you and me. We chat for a while longer, and as I leave the store he calls once again, "Tell your friends to come to Iran!"

Photos from this leg of the tour (click to enlarge):