Iran . . .

1 unusual journey hosted by Patty & David Weber

he word “extraordinary” tends to be overused. But when applied to the country of Iran—land of ancient Persia—it is, perhaps, an understatement. From its ancient beginnings, Persia had a past filled with intrigue, mystery,

and drama. Her heritage dates back thousands of years, her legacy a collection of spectacular art, architecture, archaeology, gardens, literature, and music.

Iran has been hidden from the West’s view for decades. Now is the time to experience her wonders. Americans will find Iran’s citizens warm and welcoming.

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Passage Through Persia. Discovering Iran. A Hosted Journey.

� Day 1: Dubai, UAE Thursday, 5 November 2015 On arrival in Dubai, we are met and driven to our hotel.

Overnight: Park Hyatt Dubai

� Day 2: Dubai; Tehran, Iran Friday, 6 November 2015 After a leisurely breakfast meet with our Iranian guide for a tour briefing on the history and cultural nuances of our visit to ancient Persia.

Following lunch, we depart for the airport for our flight to Imam Khomeini Airport in Tehran.

Upon arrival in Tehran, we are met and driven to our hotel.

Tonight we gather for our Welcome Dinner. Overnight: Parsian Azadi Hotel (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

� Day 3: Tehran Saturday, 7 November 2015 We begin at the National Museum of Iran, inaugurated in 1937, by the order of Reza Shah. The artifacts here are as old as the Lower Paleolithic era, which ended one hundred thousand years ago, and include pottery vessels, coins, carpets and books.

The Archaeological Hall contains a collection of pottery, bronze, and valuable pieces from Susa and Persepolis, among other ancient sites. The Abguineh Hall displays fine examples of glass and ceramics. An excellent collection of Persian carpets from different regions of Iran is displayed in the Carpet Gallery.

Next, the Golestan Palace complex, built by the Qajar Dynasty during the 19th century. Qajar ruler Nasser al-Din Shan was so impressed by the European palaces he saw, that he ordered similar grand structures built around a courtyard. They now house seven art museums, a few of which we visit.

Following lunch, prepare to be dazzled at the National Treasury of Jewels. Wars have been fought over these gems. Be sure to see Darya-ye Nur (Sea of Light), the world’s largest uncut diamond, among other spectacular specimens.

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Take a bit of time to relax before we depart for dinner at a local restaurant.

Overnight: Parsian Azadi Hotel (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

� Day 4: Tehran Sunday, 8 November 2015 Drive by the “U.S. Den of Espionage” on our way to the Reza Abbasi Museum.

The collections at the Reza Abbasi Museum begin with artifacts from the 2nd millennium through the early 20th century, and include pre-historic clay, metal, stone, as well as pottery, textiles, paintings, manuscripts and jewelry from the Islamic period.

After lunch, we head to the Niavaran Palace Complex situated in the northern part of Tehran. It consists of several buildings and a museum. The Sahebqaranieh Palace, from the Qajar dynasty, is part this complex. The main Niavaran Palace, completed in 1968, was the primary residence of the last Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and the Imperial family until the Iranian Revolution.

Next, we pay a visit to the Cinema Museum of Iran, founded in 1994 to document the nation’s renowned film industry.

Overnight: Parsian Azadi Hotel (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

� Day 5: Tehran, Isfahan Monday, 9 November 2015 This morning we stop at the Khomeini Mausoleum as we leave Tehran for Isfahan. The Mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini houses the tomb of Ruhollah Khomeini, his wife Khadijeh Saqafi, and Ahmad Khomeini, his second son who died in 1995. The site is a still under construction but is a place of pilgrimage for followers of Khomeini. It

is used symbolically by government figures, and is on occasion visited by foreign dignitaries. Khomeini's grandson Hassan Khomeini is in charge of caring for the mausoleum.

Stop for lunch along the way at an ancient caravanserai.

Upon arrival in Isfahan, we are taken to our home for the next two nights, the Abbasi Hotel.

Dinner tonight is in the courtyard at the hotel. Overnight: Abbasi Hotel (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

� Day 6: Isfahan Tuesday, 10 November 2015 Isfahan, the 17th-century capital of the Safavids is referred to as Nesf-e-Jahan, or Half of the World.

From here we drive to the Chehel Sotoun Palace, built by Shah Abbas II in the 17th-century. Its wooden columns reflected in the surface of a pool give rise to its name, The Palace of Forty Columns.

Khadjou Bridge is arguably the finest bridge in the province of Isfahan. It was built by the Persian Safavid king, Shah Abbas II around 1650, on the foundations of an older bridge. Serving as both a bridge, and a dam, it links the Khaju quarter on the north bank with the Zoroastrian quarter across the Zayandeh River. It also served a primary function as a place for public meetings.

To the city’s Armenian Quarter, called Jolfa. Here we step inside 17th-century Vank Cathedral to see a functioning church and a well-organized Armenian museum. The frescoes are gripping, as is the rest of the interior, a surprising mix of styles.

After lunch, Mostafa Fotovat welcomes us to his home gallery. Born in Isfahan, Mostafa learned painting from his father, a miniature master of the Isfahan school,

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before beginning his formal studies at age 17. He has exhibited in Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Austria and the U.S. This afternoon, consider these three options:

� A leading designer and producer of Persian carpets demonstrates how the carpets are made and explains what makes Persian carpets unique. This is an opportunity to purchase a carpet if you are so inclined.

� Visit the Eight Paradise Summer Palace, built in 1669 during the Safavid Dynasty. We have a look at the gardens and pavilion.

� Return to the hotel. Dinner tonight is at a local restaurant. Overnight: Abbasi Hotel (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

� Day 7: Isfahan Wednesday, 11 November 2015 This morning a lecture at the hotel prepares us for our visits to Old Jome Mosque and Noghsh-e Jahan Maidan.

But first, to Mullah Jacub’s Synagogue which is 600 years old and contains scriptures written on gazelle hides.

You might be surprised to learn that Judaism is one of the oldest religions practiced in Iran and dates back to biblical times. The books of Isaiah, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, Chronicles, and Esther contain references to the experiences of Jews in Persia. Today, most of the Jews that emigrated from Iran in the 20th century reside in Israel and the United States. In 1993, Israel was home to 75,000 Iranian Jews.

Old Jome Mosque. Although it still functions as a mosque, this building is essentially a museum of Islamic

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architecture. Eight centuries of design are represented here, each an example of the best of its particular era.

Located in the historic center, the Masjed-e Jamé (Friday mosque) can be seen as a stunning illustration of the evolution of mosque architecture over twelve centuries, starting in AD 841. It is the oldest preserved edifice of its kind in Iran and is a prototype for later mosque designs throughout central Asia, as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Lunch is served back at the hotel.

After lunch, visit one of the world’s grandest squares—the Maidan-e-Naghsh-e-Jahan. In this square we find the Ali-Qapu Palace, where the Safavid kings lounged in enchanting music rooms and watched polo matches from a balcony overlooking the Maidan. Also in the square are two of the Islamic world’s greatest mosques, the Masjed-e Sheikh Lotf-o-llah, known for its impressive tile work, and the Masjed-e-Shah Mosque, which is widely considered the masterpiece of Persian architecture.

Before heading to our dinner at a local restaurant, take some time to explore the bazaar, with hundreds of shops displaying the arts and handicrafts for which Isfahan is world-famous.

Overnight: Abbasi Hotel (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

� Day 8: Isfahan, Maybod, Yazd Thursday, 12 November 2015 Head to Yazd this morning, stopping along the way at the caravanserai in Maybod. The Silk Road, and important and extensive trans-continental network of routes, was dotted with caravanserai. Many still survive but the one in Maybod is a sprawling mud-brick town that is at least 1800 years old. Of most interest is the crumbling Narin castle in the center of town. This dates from Sasanian era

(224 to 651 AD) and may well be the oldest existing mud-brick structure in Iran.

We stop here for lunch. Now to Yazd. Check in to the Mosir-Ol-

Mamalek Hotel, a 200-year-old former governor’s house with traditional decor.

The architecture of Yazd is unique, with a proliferation of graceful bad-girs (wind towers or wind-trappers), with openings oriented toward the dominant winds. These insure the ventilation of the lower parts of a building, rather like air vents on a ship.

In Dowlat Abad Garden, we see just such a wind trapper, an architectural masterpiece and a symbol of Yazdi architectural genius.

Sit down to dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Moshir-Al-Mamalek Garden Hotel

(breakfast, lunch, dinner)

� Day 9: Yazd Friday, 13 November 2015 Yazd has been continually inhabited for about 7,000 years. Marco Polo described it as “a very fine and splendid city and a center of commerce.” Genghis Khan

and Tamerlane spared Yazd, and it flourished during the 14th and 15th centuries.

Yazd is the center of Iran’s Zoroastrian community. In fact, this is Zoroastrianism’s worldwide center. Even now, roughly 12,000 of the citizens adhere to this ancient religion, and though their fire temple was turned into a mosque when the Arabs invaded Iran, a dignified new fire temple was inaugurated 1,300 years later.

What is Zoroastrianism? Zoroaster, who was born circa 1500 B.C., preached dualities: the good and bad mind, day and night, life and death. Zoroastrians believe in the purity of the elements and—as a result—they developed specific ways to take care of their dead. They don’t believe

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in burial or cremation (both pollute the earth or the air), so bodies were traditionally placed in Towers of Silence, where they were exposed to vultures.

We visit a Zoroastrian Fire Temple whose sacred, eternal flame is said to have been burning continuously since A.D. 479. Today the bodies are often buried in concrete containers to adhere to traditional beliefs. The towers we see have not been used since the 1960s.

Next we’re off to the city center to see the 14th-century Amir Chakhmagh Complex. This fabulous building, with its three-story facade, commemorates the death of Imam Hossein, son of the Prophet Mohammed.

Water has always been of paramount importance in the Middle East. To learn more about the subject, we visit Yazd’s Water Museum, which illustrates Persia’s water transactions, endowments, traditional distribution, and ancient implements used for the storage and movement of water.

After lunch we have a look at Yazd’s Friday Mosque. Masjid-e Jam Mosque construction began in the 12th century, though the structure we see dates to several building phases during the 14th, 15th, and even the 19th

centuries. Notice the remarkable interior tile decoration, the dome’s geometric decorative brickwork in turquoise and white, and the mihrab (a wall niche that indicates the direction of Mecca) lined in beautiful faience mosaic.

A handicraft shop in an old Savafid house provides a rooftop view of the city.

We walk through the old part of town to see Alexander Prison, a 15th-century domed school referred to in a Hafez poem. It is said to have been built by Alexander the Great and used as a dungeon.

Then a look at the thousand year-old Shrine of Davazadeh Imam (Shrine of the Twelve Imams) in the Fahadan neighborhood. It functions both as a religious shrine and funerary mosque. Abu Saeed and Abu Ya’ghoub, both military

governors of Kakuyid ruler Ala-al Doleh Faramarz, began construction in A.D. 1036. Later Seljuk additions are seen in decorations on the front portal. The structure consists of a square chamber and 12 domes dedicated to 12 Shiite imams.

Dinner is at the hotel. Overnight: Moshir-Al-Mamalek Garden Hotel (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

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� Day 10: Yazd, Abarkouh, Pasargad, Shiraz Saturday, 14 November 2015 After checking out of our hotel, we’re off on a six-hour drive toward Shiraz. We make interesting stops along the way. First, the ancient desert town of Abarkouh, where we see a 4,000-year-old cyprus tree and an ancient mud-brick ice house (think of it as an early walk-in refrigerator) as well as a ninth-century Friday mosque.

After sitting down to lunch, we continue on our way. Next stop? Pasargad, Persia’s first capital. Its history

stretches back to 550 B.C. See remains of the ancient palaces of Cyrus the Great, the first emperor on earth. Also here, his impressive tomb, a white limestone monument that stands in excellent condition, though his sarcophagus is no longer inside.

UNESCO has recognized Pasargad as a World Heritage site, citing “the palaces, gardens, and the mausoleum of Cyrus as outstanding examples of the first phase of royal Achaemenian art and architecture and exceptional testimonies of Persian civilization… Spanning the Eastern Mediterranean and Egypt to the Hindus River, it is considered to be the first empire that respected the cultural diversity of its different peoples. This was reflected in Achaemenian architecture, a synthetic representation of different cultures.”

Continue on to Shiraz where we check in to the Shiraz Hotel, our base for the next few days.

City of roses and nightingales, city of poets, wine, and flowers, and city of gardens. Shiraz is called all of these. It was the home of Hafez, one of the world’s greatest poets, who lived there in the 14th-century. The city was the capital of the Zand dynasty, which ruled parts of what is now Iran from 1750 to 1794. As a result, many monuments in Shiraz date to this time and the Qajar dynasty which followed. A Qajar family member held the

position of Shah of Persia from 1785 until 1925. Overnight: Shiraz Hotel (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

� Day 11: Shiraz Sunday, 15 November 2015 After breakfast we’re off to uncover the secrets of Shiraz.

Shiraz is synonymous with sophistication—education, poetry, wine (not anymore), gardens, and the like have all contributed to make this a remarkable Persian city.

The word Eram is the Persianized version of the Arabic word Iram which means heaven. Eram Garden therefore is so called for its aesthetic attractions resembling heaven. The Eram Garden is owned by Shiraz University and is protected by Iran’s Cultural Heritage Organization. It includes a palace built in the Qajari style. In the gardens, we see charming Chai-Khaneh, or tea houses.

Next, Khan Theological School (also known as the Madraseh-ye Khan), housed in a 400-year-old building. This is a theological college for about 100 students.

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Dating to the Qajar period is the Nasir-ol-Molk Mosque, popularly known as the “Pink Mosque” because of its colorful tile decorations.

After lunch, we visit the tomb of the revered Hafez. The tomb of Hafez (Hafezieh) is located in the Musalla Gardens. On his tombstone is one of his poems from, “The Garden of Heaven.”

Where are the tidings of union? that I may arise- Forth from the dust I will rise up to welcome thee! My soul, like a homing bird, yearning for paradise, Shall arise and soar, from the snares of the world set free. When to my grave thou turnest they blessed feet, Wine and the lute thou shalt bring in thine hand to me, Thy voice shall ring through the folds of my winding-sheet, And I will arise and dance to thy minstrelsy.

We’re off to see the Zand Dynasty Vakil Mosque and

Bazaar. The mosque, completed in 1773 (just think—America was three years away from signing its Declaration of Independence) is a study in vaulted stone ceilings and spiral carved pillars. Its outstanding floral tiles date from the Qajar Dynasty.

Vakil Bazaar, with its blue-tiled dome roof, is considered by many to be the most beautiful market in the world. Step inside, and you are completely removed from the outside world and immersed in an age-old rhythm of buying and selling. Vendors’ cries fill the air, as do the hammering of the coppersmiths and silversmiths, the toiling of cloth printers, the sizzling of kabobs over open flames, and the grinding of aromatic spices.

At Saray-e Moshir handicraft bazaar, there is time for chatting with locals or browsing and shopping.

Overnight: Shiraz Hotel (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

� Day 12: Persepolis, Naghsh-e Rustam Monday, 16 November 2015 This morning we have a full day excursion to the city of Persepolis, one of the most important sites in the ancient world. This was the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid kings. Among the many remains of Persepolis is the palace complex of Darius the Great, his son Xerxes, and the Artaxerxes. Here bas-reliefs depict kings, courtiers, and gift-bearing representatives of the tributary nations of the Persian Empire.

At Naghsh-e-Rustam, to the northwest of Persepolis, we visit the royal tombs of the Achaemenid kings. These tombs bear seven magnificent Sassanid reliefs. We also visit the Ka’ba-ye Zardosht, built in the 5th century, whose name means the “Cube of Zoroaster.” It was once thought to have originated as a Zoroastrian fire temple, but the archaeological opinion today is that it was likely a royal tomb in the Achaemenid era.

This evening we gather for our Farewell Dinner. Overnight: Shiraz Hotel (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

� Day 13: Shiraz; Istanbul, Turkey or Doha, Qatar; U.S. Tuesday, 17 November 2015 You are driven to the airport for your departure flight.

(breakfast)

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� Prices Per person sharing …………………………….$6,850 Single Supplement ……………………………$1,890 Air fare between Dubai –Tehran and Shiraz –Istanbul or Doha…………………..TBD Unfortunately, in Iran the hotels do not confirm actual reservations until closer to departure so final confirmation will not occur until late January/early February. While we do not anticipate any problems, if space cannot be confirmed we will refund all deposits without any penalties. For this reason we suggest waiting to book international flights until final confirmation is provided.

� Inclusions Accommodations (based on double occupancy); hotel taxes; ground transportation; transfers; sightseeing and meals as indicated; and beverages (soda, water, coffee, tea) with included meals; entrance fees; gratuities to local guides, drivers and baggage porters.

� Exclusions International airfare; costs of passports and/or visas; sightseeing listed as optional; personal expenses such as laundry and meals or beverages not listed; room service; excess baggage fees; porterage; communication charges; airport and port taxes; gratuities to tour escort; personal insurance coverage. Note: Iran prohibits consumption of alcoholic beverages so we will be unable to provide any throughout our stay there.

� Registration A deposit of $1,000 per person is required at the time you book. The remainder of the cost of your trip is due 90 days prior to your departure date. Payment can be made by personal check, Visa, MasterCard, or Discover. If your reservation is made within 90 days of departure, the entire cost of the trip must be paid at the time of confirmation.

� Cancellations Cancellations received 90 days or more prior to departure are subject to a $300 per person/per tour cancellation fee. Cancellations received less than 90 days prior to departure are subject to the following forfeit as a percentage of tour cost: 89-60 days, 10 percent of tour cost; 59-30 days, 35 percent of tour cost; 29 days or less, 100 percent of tour cost.

© 2014 R. Crusoe & Son 1 December 2014