Our arrival in Yazd after a whole day of nothingness through the desert was very welcome, although it was from one extreme, quietness on the road, not much going on, to another of city busyness, lots of cars and noise.
First stop: the Zoroastrian fire temple (ateshkadeh) where the fire has been burning for many long centuries. The sign of Zoroaster, the Farvahar, embellishes the building. We were just in time before closure and so enjoyed the sunset at this delightful place.
Then on our way to the park-e mosafer or traveller’s park to park for the night. We were directed to Haft-e tir park at a very busy road. After having driven the whole day though, we were happy to just stop and have a simple dinner on a bench in the park. A stroll into Yazd had us pass and enter an ice cream shop and notice was taken of an Italian (!) coffee shop, which was closed but to be kept in mind. Upon our return to the car, the parking attendant was being accosted by a car who had parked in front of ours as he was being issued a ticket with time of arrival, in order to pay when you leave although our car didn’t have one of these. And so Saeed went over and had a chat. He gave us helpful advice for a quieter place to spend the night which we would keep in mind for next time when we would visit Yazd (which we at that time didn’t know yet that we would!).

I was sitting in one of the paved squares where you can put up your tent, apparently the last one available, and so some people were looking for a space and asked if they could use the area where I was writing. No problem, and in my basic Farsi, we had a small conversation. I found out they are from Iranshar in Baluchistan, south-east Iran. They were in Yazd for the father to go to hospital as this city is famous for its choice and specialisations of doctors. The next day when in town, we crossed the son with daughter and uncle several times, realising that the mum and dad must be in hospital.
Baluchistan is one of the poorest areas in Iran. The people wear their traditional clothing: men wear white shalvar kamis and women wear colourful clothes, trousers from the knee down tight with elaborate embroidery, a colourful dress over it and a traditional head cover, nothing like the dress you see in Tehran.

After a noisy night, we went into Yazd the next day to visit the Bagh-e Dolat with a 33m badgir, the traditional, natural air conditioning system, created to catch the wind, which would cool the rooms and water in the house. We were there at opening of the garden (7h30) and wandered around in the orchards of pomegranate and oranges. In the back of the garden we descended a tunnel to a qanat, water storage place, but unfortunately it was blocked of. After a peaceful hour spent here, we continued for a visit of the water museum, located in town, which showed us history and making of qanats, a worth wile profession to have. Around the corner we discovered the best traditional sweet shop in town,  Yazd is famous for its shirini, where we stocked up on some delicious sponge cakes and cookies, which we tasted over a fresh fruit juice and coffee on the main square. We bought Saeed a watch and had passphotos made for my visa extension. Before we were on our way out of Yazd, we went to the Towers of Silence, the traditional burial place of Zoroastrians, on the outskirts of town. Two hills of different ages and different material made. On the top the body would be hung over a pit, so the vultures could clean the body and the bones would be collected in the pit to ultimately set fire to, returning into ashes given back to the earth. Little did we know that at the feet of these hills there were kheileh located, a temporary home for visitors per village/family, delightful structures. Upon entrance of the sight, we had to pay an entry fee, but were told that the office would close soon for lunch, so follow the wall and at the end you can leave the sight. If we had known, we could have come in that way… for free.

We tend to visit sights at midday although it is the hottest part of the day, always very happy though that we did make the effort to go and see. So too with this place.