Salmiya

Temperatures in Yazd may rise in summer way beyond 40 centigrades, I was advised by my Iranian friend Shahram, our computer engineer at the Faculty, when I told him that I was planning to visit the city. Same as in Kuwait, but no air-condition! Well, there is even a stunning skyline in Yazd comprising hundreds of wind towers , or badgirs . As a typical desert city, air-conditioning has been essential since ancient times, and Yazd is, with its more than 3000 years of history according to UNESCO, one of the oldest cities in the world. The towers are made in a way that even the slightest breeze of air will be cooled down and directed to the living rooms below. Badgirs can be seen in all cities of the Persian Gulf coast, on both sides, Persian and Arabic. Even Kuwait sports some nice examples. In Sharq Market, stylized wind towers comprise an interesting element of its beautiful architecture. In a badgir , air is cooled down above a pool of water while the hot air is redirected upwards th...

The noble people of Yazd had been described already by Marco Polo who passed the city in 1272 CE on his way to China. Yazd is a typical desert city in Iran, located at the eastern fringes of the Dasht-e Lut , the frightening salt desert, one of the hottest and most hostile areas on Earth. So, end of November was the right season to go to Yazd (and other cities in Iran as well). Temperatures were generally mild and sun was shining. The old city of Yazd is a labyrinth with narrow lanes bordered by high mud walls. Even the locals admit that they are getting lost every now and then and have to ask their neighbors. A nice taroof , of course. You might see the tall minarets of the famous Timurid Friday Mosque as a landmark, but you’ll never really approach it. The center of the old city is represented by a small square with trees and benches. A very peaceful place. You may rest here and read in your travel guide about near-by Alexander’s prison, who passed the city after he had ransacked and...

“He always wants to go to places I have never even heard about!” Madame Hanan in the Salmiya office of Alghanim Travel did not really complain to the fat Kuwaiti lady sitting in front of her with her two daughters. It was Ramadan, and the office had opened again late. “Yazd!” the fat lady replied. “I’ve never heard either.” “Well,” I tried to explain, “it’s the center of Zoroastrianism in Iran, don’t you know?” She didn’t. I talked about fire temples, eternal flames. An ancient religion, much older than Islam. “So what?” she asked me. “That is why you want to go there? Do you really want to see that? Worshipping fire?” It was hopeless. Madame Hanan made the fat lady's reservations while her daughters started staring at me. I loved these late evening visits at Hanan’s office, close to the Al-Qana’a Towers, my residence. I spent hours there, and my destinations always turned out to be an extra challenge for Hanan. She was from Palestine and I could feel the pain when she talked about...