Imam Square

We spent 7.5 hours and walked 6 miles around some of the many sites of Isfahan. What a stunning city, despite a lot of it being under scaffolding.

We headed to Imam Square, second in size only to Tiananmen Square in size. It is surrounded by lavishly decorated mosques and dotted with fountains. It was begun by Shah Abbas the Great in 1602 when he moved the capital south to Isfahan. First stop was Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque or ladies mosque with its ornately painted domed ceiling and elaborately tile decorated entrance. We saw how repairs to the dome were made. Next we saw the Shah’s mosque started in 1611 regarded as a masterpiece of Persian architecture and with the square, a UNESCO world heritage site. The scale is hard to describe.

The guide gave us free time to wander when we came out - a chap spoke to us, asking the usual, where are you from- then asked where our guide was as being British, we were not allowed to be without him. I said we had had to rush to a toilet while he minded the rest of the group. Amir says we are under surveillance - well not us, he is, and he has to be questioned after the trip.

After that we needed a coffee and a sit-down before crossing the square to visit Ali Qapu Palace with its balcony overlooking the square and the almost Uzbek style wooden columns and ceiling paintings.

We went to a shop in the bazaar to see a famous miniaturist painting on camel skin - someone bought one for $250.

Next we saw the Chehel Sorun Palace containing a huge number of complicated frescoes depicting famous scenes in Persian history. It means 40 columns - there are 20 supporting the building and when reflected in the pool that makes 40. However there was no water in the pool today.

We called at another small palace set in paradise gardens before calling at a swanky hotel to drink tea in the garden but tea was off till 5 so we relaxed among its persimmon trees and rose bushes.

A day of visual overload!