Tower of Silence, Yazd

Our hotel Moshir-ai- Mamalak is 4km from the old city so the bus took us there after breakfast. Our first stop was Bagh- Dolat Abad. It cost 1 million rial for us both to get in. That’s over £12. Once a residence of Persian regent the small pavilion is set amid UNESCO listed gardens. The water channels and fountains extended for about 500 yards towards a smaller pavilion. Built in 1750 the house has a superb interior with intricate lattice work and stained glass, and boasts the highest badgir (wind tower) of over 33m.

Next stop was the Zoroastrian fire temple said to have had the flame burning for 1500 years. It was all indoors and not as interesting as the old one we saw in Azerbaijan. However the Towers of Silence made up for that. They are set on two lonely barren hilltops outside the city. They were last used in the 1960s till leaving the bodies to be pecked by vultures on the hilltops was banned. Apparently vultures have an enzyme which means that even if the bodies had died I’d cholera etc, they did not spread the disease. In the area were old dwelling houses, a well and some wind towers. We climbed to the hilltop. The bodies were left in a pit in an enclosure so that other animals couldn’t get in.

Next we went to the old city, one of the oldest on earth according to UNESCO. The buildings are made from sun-dried mud bricks and there are dozens of wind towers around. After a wander we climbed to a rooftop veggie restaurant for lunch. It was expensive and even hummus was tasteless - no garlic, lemon or oil.

Leaving there we went to Masjed-e Jameh which dominates the old town with one of the tallest entrance portals in Iran. The 48m high minarets have inscriptions from 15th century. The tile work is stunning, consisting of tiny mosaic pieces of delicate subtle colours.

Last up was a visit to experience Zurkhaneh, a strength event, part of Iranian culture where men work out with heavy clubs and chains whilst a leader bangs a drum, sings and recites poetry. It took place in a pit and was interesting to see, especially the bit where they took turns, with varying degree of success to whirl round in balletic movements like whirling dervishes.

We got a taxi back to the hotel as we did not want to eat dinner and have to wait for the others who did. Tomorrow is a long day of 600 km back to Tehran then our departure at 9.30pm for the airport.