Persian lunch

We didn’t need to leave till 9 as it wasn’t too far to the picturesque (and touristy - lots of Iranians were exploring too) village of Masouleh. It is perched on a steep wooded hillside in a narrow valley. As we climbed up through the wending narrow streets we realised we were standing on the roofs of the houses below. Along the streets were shops selling bags, trinkets made in China, knitted dolls in garish colours, knives and axes, and even a bookshop run by a sociology teacher who sold Alex a Bertrand Russell book (in Farsi). We stopped with John, one of the group, to have a double espresso. We were missing our coffee fix as tea is more common here and in the hotels it is Nescafé.

Again lots of people spoke to us, asked for selfies and Mr C got stubble rash from all the times men kissed him. Considering he greets his oldest chum with a handshake he took it well.

We had our traditional Persian lunch in a local home. It was delicious. It was spread out on the floor. Lavash bread, saffron rice and crispy rice, pickled garlic, smoked aubergine mashed up with egg, a bean stew, some spinach and herbs and a chicken stew cooked with a rich sauce with plums. It was all delicious. Then the hostess produced some garish knitted dolls and socks to sell. I bought myself and the daughters socks. They are pretty lurid.

We then drove back down the valley to the coastal plain with the rice fields till we reached Bandar-e Anzali on the Caspian Sea. We had a walk on the beach and a paddle in the sea before getting back into the bus to reach our hotel which is out of town. It’s on the beach but our rooms are the basic ones facing the road.

The temperatures are in the upper 20s and very pleasant though the 2 Australias in the group find it too hot so need the bus aircon on. The rest of us have coats on in the bus!