Yazd, 6 & 7 March

From Persepolis and Pasargarde we kept travelling northwest to Yazd. This city of nearly half a million people lies at the foot of imposing mountains and sits on the edge of the desert, though with its 60 ml of rain per annum it probably qualifies as a desert city. Even so, you don't have to travel too far east to be in undisputed desert. Water is life and water for Yazd is supplied from a qanat. These deliver underground water, effectively spring-fed mountain water, via tunnels dug by hand, typically just large enough for qanat diggers to crouch in. The excavated earth is brought to the surface via vertical shafts dug every 40 metres or so. The piles of earth clearly mark the path of the qanat under the surface. The process begins on the plains closest to the mountains but still at a higher elevation than the destination. Water is located via exploratory wells; these are the deepest diggings for the entire system.  The qanat tunnels are then dug in the desired direction, the land sloping away from the source so that a horizontal line from the bottom of the well will emerge, at some point, maybe many kilometres away, at the surface. It can then continue in open channels to be utilised for gravity fed agricultural use. Villages and even cities the size of Yazd are supplied while it is subterranean and clean.

While in Yazd, we spent a day in the desert itself, with a guide named Massoud (thanks again to LP).  Massoud drove us out of the city to the desert, which was not really very far, then we took to the desert on camels. Perhaps a bit kitsch, but it really was a great way to see the desert. I was on the rear camel, behind David and Joseph sharing the front camel, and so was able to watch the incredible feet of the camel as it walked. David finished up sitting cross legged on his like a mahout. (Ed: Ali the camel handler showed me how. It is the ONLY way to travel in relative comfort on a camel. Remember this if the need arises). We dismounted after a couple of hours of this, and while Massoud cooked lunch for us, we scrambled up the steep slopes nearby into the mountains.  After lunch, a traditional dish called Eshkene, we headed further into the desert, this time by four wheel drive.  Massoud took us to a qanat, then on to its source, which was a stream flowing from a valley in the mountains and finally to another dry salt lake. This was another great day, seeing more of the desert and spending time with a local who knows his stuff.

Yazd is a wonderful city in some ways but far more conservative than the other places we visited  - the full black chador was very common. The messy cobweb of alleys and streets of the old city are a delight to wander, but give yourself plenty of time because getting lost is likely. Yazd is the city of badgirs - they are simply everywhere and no wonder because the summer here is very long and incredibly hot.

From Yazd, we took an overnight train back to Tehran, there to take our flight to Istanbul.