Shiraz, IRAN

A 6-hour journey bus journey safely brought me to the city of Shiraz - my base for the next three days. Among the amazing sights in the area is the magnificent Persepolis (70km north of Shiraz) which was constructed over many years starting about 518 B.C. In contemporary Iran the site is known as Takht-e Jamshid (Throne of Jamshid). To the ancient Persians, the city was known as Parsa, meaning the city of Persians, Persepolis being the Greek interpretation.

The Achaemenid Persians of central Iran ruled an empire which comprised of Iran, Mesopotamia, Syria, Egypt and even parts of Asia including India. Their ceremonial capital was Persepolis in southern Iran founded by King Darius the Great (522-486 B.C.). However, Persepolis was burned by Alexander the (NOT so) Great in 333 B.C. This was apparently in revenge for the burning of the Acropolis of Athens during the Second Greco-Persian War.

Only the columns, stairways, and door jambs of its great palaces survived the fire. The stairways, adorned with reliefs representing the king, his court, and delegates of his empire bringing gifts, demonstrate the might of the Persian monarch. What a sight to see!! You need at least one full day to explore these ruins with all its detailed inscriptions, carvings and statues.

UPDATE
Over the past few days I had some amazing experiences here in Shiraz. In particular with the amazing nomads (locally referred to as Qashqai or Ghashghai) who travel across the south of Iran with their sheep and goats. I spent a lot of time with them, took lots of great photos. The Qashqai are a Turkish-speaking tribe of pastoral nomads in southern Iran. They migrate between winter pastures near the Persian Gulf and summer pastures on the Iranian Plateau. They have shown greater cohesion than most Iranian tribes and number an estimated 790,000 back in 1997. They are dirt poor but make best with the little they have. Extremely reliant on their herd of goats and sheep - for wool (clothing and tents), milk (cheese and yogourt) and meat. They are such lovely people!!!

Gotto run now to the airport. Flying to Bahrain.