Scary volcano

An early start for the 7.5 hour drive to The sacred Zoroastrian site of Takht-e Soleyman. We headed south parallel with the Turkish border passing through some Kurdish villages then further south it was Iraq. The driver took the wrong turning in a big town - I think he’s trying to escape - one day we were almost in Azerbaijan, now today Iraq! This meant we got to the site late so the sun was almost gone behind stormy clouds and we needed jackets. (The Australian who always wants the aircon on was teased as she needed to borrow the guide’s coat).

The setting was lovely, at 2300m, in a bowl of mountains, ringed by 1500 year old walls. The site surrounds a ‘bottomless’ crater lake. It pours out 90litres of water a second, channelled down to irrigate the apple orchards below. The ruins are fragmentary and some have been propped up by scaffolding since the time of the Shah.

It was colder and more overcast by the time we drove the few km to Zendan-e Soleiman a dramatic conical cone about 100m high. Once there was a religious sanctuary there dating back to 900BC, the remains of which can still be seen. It was a steep climb to peer into the dizzying sulphurous void.

It was another 40 km to reach Tabek in the dark and rain. In contrast to last night, the hotel was ‘no stars’. Our room had 4 beds, a table and chairs but the loo leaked so badly the whole floor was covered so we moved to a smaller room. The loo did not leak, but it was on a kind of throne in front of a basin at normal height which was a manoeuvre to use.

Dinner was the usual barley soup (tasty), Shiraz salad of cucumber and tomatoes cut small, and I had the tiniest thirst fish, also tasty.

I have backblipped for a few days if you want to look.