Shiraz – City of Poets and Flowers
Some of the sites in Shiraz we took in included the Citadel of Karim Kahn with its Statue Room.
“Shiraz is known as the city of poets, literature, and flowers. It is also considered by many Iranians to be the city of gardens, due to the many gardens and fruit trees that can be seen in the city.
It is regarded as one of the oldest cities of ancient Persia and has been a regional trade center for over a thousand years.”
We also visited the the Masjed-e Vakil Mosque and the Bazaar-e Vakil with its hundreds of shops.
That first night, on a stroll near our hotel, we met Hamid, an Iranian on vacation with his wife and grown son. He walked up and asked Steve, “Do you speak Italian?” As it happens, he does. Hamid had spent several years in Italy, studying geology.
Their animated conversation led to plans for Hamid to visit us the following week when we were to spend the night in his nearby hometown.
Continuing on our stroll, past restaurants and the famous gateway in Shiraz we were invited to join a family picnic by the side of the walkway.
We had tea and fruit with them before returning to an elaborate buffet dinner at our hotel while a live band and singer performed for us and children danced in the aisles.
Dining in hotel restaurants is a primary form of entertainment for wealthier Iranians who often bring their children along.
