Salmiya

I haven’t posted here for a long time (but see my other posts at Freelance where I have been pretty busy in recent months). It was mainly the Iranian election with its outcome (not surprising) and the turn into a police state afterwards. The Iranian people have a tough time right now. I have seen the new cabinet suggested to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad the other day in a picture (they have to be approved by the majlis , but God forbid!). To be honest, none of them looks trustworthy. One is even wanted by Interpol. It’s a shame, but maybe the good people there (are there?) will reject the proposal in total. I have received a disturbing email from Iran as a response to my Ramadan Kareem greetings wanting me to pray for the people there. I will try to do that by posting another series of pictures of holy places, this time in Shiraz, the city of nightingales and roses, poets and poems, vine and paradise gardens, and beautiful girls. This post is dedicated to the friendly people in Iran ...

Masjed-e Vakil , close to one of the entrances of the bazaar-e vakil , was built in 1773 by Shiraz’ wise and modest ruler Karim Khan. Most of its decoration, though, was added in the later Qajar period. It is one of Shiraz’ gems. The colors interchange between light blue, pink, red and yellow and floral motifs predominate. The mosque expresses a serene but cheerful, almost Mediterranean, atmosphere. The stained glass windows yield incredible plays of light in the alcoves and porches surrounding the courtyard.

In November 2006, I attended a conference in Shiraz. I met also my Esfahanian colleagues and friends there, and quickly the question arose, which city was actually nicer, Esfahan or Shiraz. Well, Esfahan is known as “ nesf-e jahan ”, literally “Half of the World”. I have featured the grandeur of the Safavid capital’s main square, the Naqsh-e Jahan , the parks and palaces , and the mysterious remains of the Seljuq capital , now Esfahan’s Old City, many times. Indeed, Esfahan is one of my favorite cities where I could imagine even to live for some time. It was of course a typical taroof , when I answered that anxious question: “If Esfahan is nesf-e jahan then Shiraz is certainly the other Half!” The former capital of the Zand dynasty with its surprisingly enlightened vakil (ruler) Karim Khan (d. 1779). The city of the great poets Sa’adi (b. 1184 CE) and Hafez (b. 1310 or 1337), who in fact inspired Goethe for his Westöstlicher Diwan . The city of nightingales and roses, paradise garden...