capítulo 3 - inglés

 
            Deunpunto Alotro Diary

                                       

The confort of the Iranian Buses, called VIP bus incites us to travel by night. Therefore it is in the black of   

dawn that we arrive in Isfahan. After the sunrise we head for the city center to meet with our host in the main square of this artistic and cultural city. It is an explosion of architectural beauty that we discover. A Persian jewel, where locals enjoy to walk, paint and dawdle around as well as to get lost in the surrounding market.

After only seeing a hint of this beautiful city that we leave east, in direction of Varzaneh. We have been told the desert is waiting for us... At first, no sign of any desert in the horizon only arid plains with adobe towers, few centuries old pigeon houses. But kilometers later, leaving the village behind, we see from afar high golden waves, the dunes we impatiantly expected.

The taxi leaves us at the start of the desert and we begin the ascent, loaded like caravan camels, in search of

a magical place to set up camp.Once on top,
we found a never endind horizon

of sand dotted with small dry bushes. 

Night comes in early with threatning clouds, 

we have just enough time to put up the tent 

and start a fire. We will not have the chance 

to enjoy the milky way, but we have a good 

time playing music and eating our falafel 

sandwishes warmed up by the fire.

Winter nights are cold in the desert, and in 

the morning the rain follen rain during the night has 

            

           frozen leaving a thin white crust over the sand and rare bushes. It is a good time for thinking.

           On the way back, hitchiking in a truck since

           since there was no more buses to take, 

           we get in touch with Hossein met in a 

           music shop while doing some shopping 

           the first day we arrived in Isfahan. 

           He comes and pick us up in a small 

           Peugeot 206, and it is stuffed that we 

          head to Poulard Sharhr where his family lives.

           Finally, we are for the first time immerged in 

           an Iranian family.

           Hossein is a DJ playing at weedings and 

           flamenco guitar player, and Rahmat his 

          younger brother an artist with magical fingers. 

      Not even 18, and already an incredible talent for

          painting, as well as hairdresser he managed to put

          some order in Guiller and Thomas beard and hair! 

          Also a real pleasure for Manue to have a hairdresser 

          at home!

          Time flies incredibly fast when we are in good 
          company... And there, we found a real family. 
          Welcomed by a mum full of love and attentions 
          for us. Every meal something different and delicious 
          to eat, sweet words, tender gestures, smiles and 
          laughs shared, that is what made us stay one week 
          in our new family.
          Every day, friends came to play music, 
          dance and eat together, laugh and talk until the 
          end of the night!

         The 24th of December came, Christmas... Obviously, this festivity is not celebrated here in Iran, but with all the respect they have, they wished us a "Christmas Mobarak" and let us cook for everyone. Not always easy to be able to cook food when you are invited, but on this occasion we did not have to fight so hard for them to allow us to make diner.

So we made them some typical plates from home 

(including a tortilla of 20 eggs!), and everyone loved it.

 The meal ended with tears of laughing too much!

Needless to say how hard it was to leave this home...

 And when we did, the tears of laughing became tears of crying.

We go in another family in Isfahan, 

in order to renew our visas and discover the city 

and its ancestral beauties. Internet is good and we 

send news and find the way to send the moto 

through Iran at the Turkish border. The fight with 

administrations continues, we don't let go, even if it is sometimes difficult to keep the focus.

New year's eve is coming and we are still undecided whether to spend it in the desert or on top of a mountain. After some hesitation, we opt for an evening in the city in company of our host. It is on top of a neighbouring mountain climb by steep trail that we start our evening, invited in a cave to share some Irainian snacks with traditional music played by our new friends. At dawn, we head for the arty theatre, and a restaurant to spend the last hour of 2014. It is with a burger, fries and a coke, along with the 12 traditional Spanish grapes that we spend the first 12 seconds of 2015. 

A strong moment that they shared with us full of joy although it is not their habits. 

A walk in the splendid Armenian neighbouhood a coffee, again meeting with amazingly kind, smily people full of interests in ouselves without expecting anything in return.

A new year that started with travelling, adventure and meetings!

A new road is waiting for us, through the desert into the city of Yazd.