Trip to Iran : Shiraz to Kuala Lumpur 8th to 10th may 2014

Breakfast at 9.20am. We woke up late as the tour is scheduled later in the evening. In the meantime we were dying of boredom because there is no english channel on tv and most internet websites were blocked. I understand that most Iranians used same kind of software to get around it. The hot news in malaysia is now about brunei's hudud law. Most of the countries practising hudud are failed nations. Maybe i am just feeling homesick after a week in Iran or maybe i am tired of scratching my legs ....but they feel soooo gooooddd..i mean the scratching....aahhhhhh....and then i get scolded by the kids.

Hotel Persepolis. One of the best hotels (i think), 2 bedrooms but no proper kitchen. hmph!!

The road leading to Persepolis but we stopped by the Tomb of the 4 Kings first.

 Naqsh-e Rustam (Persian: نقش رستم‎ Persian pronunciation: [næɣʃeɾosˈtæm]) is an ancient necropolis located about 12 km northwest of Persepolis, in Fars Province, Iran. It lies a few hundred meters from Naqsh-e Rajab.

Our 62-year old guide who could outran us and do hand stand, buying tickets 

The tombs are of Darius I the Great (c. 522-486 BC), Xerxes I (c. 486-465 BC), Artaxerxes I (c. 465-424 BC), and Darius II (c. 423-404 BC). The unfinished one could be Artaxerxes III, or Darius III (c. 336-330 BC)

The mythical Rustam dude.

Murals depicting wars.

One of the 4 Achaemenids KIngs' tombs. It is claimed that the western christians took this cross symbol for themselves. copycat :)

We took a break with local drink that is good to quench your thirst. a cooling drink.

i have been eating this for 3 straight days for breakfast. Yummy!

Persepolis

the 7th Imam Mausoleum and Mosque

You need to wear a chador to enter, if you are a woman. The place is worth going into. The 1,100 year old mosque is under repair so most of their prayers were done in the mausoleum. Cameras are not allowed in so i had to hid my phone camera and sneakily took the pictures. It is fun wearing the chador...

lotsa tiny mirrors in the mausoleum. it is beautiful; looks magical

praying in the old mosque

Old mosque under repair

i have no idea what the board said.

there is a small uilding which they simulated circumbalating the kaabah. why do they do that? i have no idea.

the guy was so happy that i took his picture but actually he photo-bombed my picture of the shop.

Eram Botanical Garden

Milad Tower

Okay i don't knnow how to take awesome pictures...

Mr Taheri and the woman...

panoramic view below the tower

view from the tower

view from the Tower

cakes to die for.

art gallery in the Tower

women were wearing head coverings way before Nabi Muhammad. I told you it is culture and not a religious requirement

the garden surrounding Milad Tower

at a shopping centre where i bought some shawls and table cloth.

Imam Khomeini Shrine

Somehow it reminds me of MasjidilHaram in Mecca. Are they trying to compete?

I am sure once completed this place would be really grand

i should have brought my own blanket

Note the money on the floor. I am going in tonight to clear a space there

Add caption

The tomb

Women relaxing 

Taheri's note to our taxi-driver to make sure he stopped by the Imam Khomeini's shrine first before proceeding to the airport.

flight back to Kuala Lumpur transiting in Muscat

i forgot to carry my AK47

our ride is here!

Oman is not a cheap country.

i see a lot of indonesians at the Muscat, Oman International Airport. I guess they are on work visa.

ok...next time we will take direct flight KUL-Tehran instead of transiting a night in Oman.

at the lobby

double bed

Variety of food for breakfast, At RM800 pernight, i expect nothing less though i only ate cereal.

Oman money

We came home to malaysia without our baggages. Finally got them the next day. I had to quickly put the fruits in the fridge because they were starting to rot.