Beautiful Isfahan...

I'm slightly frustrated...between us, Dave and I took over 3000 pictures in Iran, and picking out a dozen or so to share is almost impossible! So, this post will be short on words, and long on pictures.

25 years ago, when I was in love with old-fashioned roses (I had 350 different varieties at the vineyard!), I had one lovely Damask rose which was highly fragrant and beautiful in a "blousy" way; it was called Isfahan, and its origins in Persia were very old.

The name sounded so exotic; little did I know that the city it took its name from would become one of my favorite cities in the world. According to the brochure on our Iran trip, "known as the masterpiece of Persian culture, this former capital of Iran created by Shah Abbas I, in the 16th century, is known as a city of beautiful gardens, fine art, and for its bridges that span the Zayandeh River." 

Arriving in Isfahan, we immediately noticed thousands of trees and the green and flowery gardens...

As in almost all the garden and median strips in Iran, there were "parcours" type equipment for use by young and old...

Isfahan is known for the eleven bridges that cross the Zayandeh river...five of the bridges are very old.

This is the oldest, dating from the 12th century. Most of the other old ones are from the 17th century.

We came across many students, young and older, who were on "field trips"...

Spices in the markets...

and tiles in the mosques...unbelievably beautiful!

And MY favorite...mirrored tiles

Everywhere I looked, there were angles and arches...

And the CARPETS...OMG, beautiful, sometimes very old

We haggled for this one, but walked away without it

And didn't even bid on this one, as it was SO EXPENSIVE...

but I still dream about it....

TTYL....