The view from my "office"

[Geegeela]

Port Erroll, Scotland, UK.

 

[romney]

Just a few photos from our “rest break” in Dubai. Staying with family here and one of our daughters flew over for a few days.


We took a day trip to Abu Dhabi to see the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque


The A380 at Dubai Miracle Gardens


Advertising for the new Louvre opening in Abu Dhabi in a few days


The Dubai Mall fountain show. We seem to end up here every time we’re in Dubai


At the Dubai Garden Glow. A whole pile of light displays, with a dinosaur park and an ice park.

 

[OZDUCK]

Actually from my daughters office in Thornlie - a suburb of Perth. This is a Dugite which was climbing up her front door which was ajar with her two young kids inside. Luckily it slithered away. She is getting the house treated on Friday - especially to remove any mice that are hanging around.

 

[RB]

Fantastic photos Rhomney- to my eye clear & great detail

 

[JohnM]

Hasht Behesht Palace, Esfahan (aka Isfahan), Iran.

 

[Daver6]

Yesterday afternoon's office in Perth

 

[RooFlyer]

Actually from my daughters office in Thornlie - a suburb of Perth. This is a Dugite which was climbing up her front door which was ajar with her two young kids inside. Luckily it slithered away. She is getting the house treated on Friday - especially to remove any mice that are hanging around.

View attachment 110011

Surely the dugite would take care of the mice <ducks>

 

[RooFlyer]

Main square Isfahan. Main mosque is to the right out of view and is enormous and beautifully tiled; however the light was bad this morning and we'll go back tomorrow.


Carpet shop; I know what you are thinking (same as me before I got there) tacky, horrid place - but this was definitely on the better quality side. No pressure to buy, just a good selection of 'nomad' and 'city' carpets, silk, silk+wool and wool. Prices from US$400 to US$15,000 and up. The DO take western credit cards (they phone through to their guy in Dubai). I went close (cheaper end!!) but managed to resist.




A finely woven silk job - abt US$10,000 from memory.

 

[OZDUCK]

Surely the dugite would take care of the mice <ducks>

I am the only Duck allowed here!

 

[romney]

Fantastic photos Rhomney- to my eye clear & great detail

Thanks RB

 

[Pushka]

Main square Isfahan. Main mosque is to the right out of view and is enormous and beautifully tiled; however the light was bad this morning and we'll go back tomorrow.
View attachment 110016

Carpet shop; I know what you are thinking (same as me before I got there) tacky, horrid place - but this was definitely on the better quality side. No pressure to buy, just a good selection of 'nomad' and 'city' carpets, silk, silk+wool and wool. Prices from US$400 to US$15,000 and up. The DO take western credit cards (they phone through to their guy in Dubai). I went close (cheaper end!!) but managed to resist.

View attachment 110017


A finely woven silk job - abt US$10,000 from memory.

View attachment 110018

I went to a carpet sale in Turkey that was sheer hell as I was on my own. Ephesus.
Gorgeous carpet but $12,000 US

 

[RooFlyer]

This office view unfortunately isn't my office - its the Hotel Abbasi in Isfahan, the best digs in town and home to the who's who of visitors. Abt US$250-$300/night which is absolutely outrageous for Iran. It was a large caravanserai, converted to a hotel during the time of the last Shah.

We were there to have a slap up dinner in their restaurant (see the 'What I ate today' thread). We cooled our heels in the garden waiting for our 7pm reservation:

Looking towards the tea-house:



And back towards the main hotel. the top floor is a new addition; the other floors each have a terrace opening to the garden.



Its the same on three sides:



In the garden, many persimmon trees, totally loaded:

 

[JohnM]

Bridge of 33 Arches, c. 1600, Esfahan, Iran.

 

[OATEK]

I went to a carpet sale in Turkey that was sheer hell as I was on my own. Ephesus.
Gorgeous carpet but $12,000 US

Luckily Mrs Oatek and I were on a bus with 13 others from Ephesus to Kusadasi, and managed to resist the hard sell. They were not impressed when I said I bought my "persian-style" carpet at IKEA.

 

[Geegeela]

Peterhead, Scotland, UK.

 

[love_the_life]

Yesterday we had a few hours to fill in before leaving Wellington to fly home. Decided to visit the Te Papa Tongarewa and the Gallipoli exhibition. Weta Workshop was responsible for the creation of the figures, roughly 2.5 life size. The company web site gives some details : Gallipoli: The Scale of our War (2015) » Weta Workshop. Apart from the technical aspects, the exhibition was very moving. It was interesting to get a NZ slant on the campaign.

 

[kermatu]

Jerome, AZ.

 

[JohnM]

Chehel Sotun Palace, Esfahan, Iran.

Front.



Inside.



Back.

 

[JohnM]

Masjad-e Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, Esfahan, Iran. This was the mosque for the women of the shah's harem. At the right angle, the light reflected on the ceiling emulates a peacock's tail.

Another ho-hum day in Iran...

 

[RooFlyer]

The outside of the mosque in Isfahan illustrated by JohnM . Its on the cover of Lonely Planet for Iran.





Lunch (lentil soup with noodles and fried onion on top), with bonus Persian cat.




Afternoon tea office (actually a mojito and cheesecake)






Street outside our hotel this afternoon - possibly one of the most unusual sights in Iran - a deserted inner city street! Today is the 40th day after the anniversary of the death of the third Imam (Imams here are the 12 immediate descendants of the Prophet, not current clerics). Its a major remembrance day with many things shut this afternoon. Many families in the parks and public squares in the morning, with the little kids very curious about the westerners. Sometimes a shy 'hello' from them, then astonishment and delight when I answer with "Salam .. chattori?" (Hello. How are you?). Also groups of young blokes usually want to chat and ask how we like Iran etc. My now well practised reply: "Mahn Iran rhar doost dahram"



Earlier in the day, we walked though the bazaar which was mainly closed due to the anniversary. But we came across a 'rally' of the shop owners. Loud chanting, with flags and banners etc and would have been intimidating if we didn't know what was going on. As we passed we were offered tea and dates (accepted) and make welcome - as was the case last evening when there was another rally.