The bus from Yazd to Kashan (so I thought) left in late morning. It was pretty empty...meaning that we stopped EVERYWHERE to pick up people flagging us down from the roadside. I was getting extremely annoyed. I hated arriving in a new place late at night when it's dark!!! But because of the many, many stops, that's exactly when we arrived.
Well, "DROPPED OFF" might be a better terminology. The bus I got on turned out to be heading to Tehran, not Kashan, even though I repeatedly asked the guy at the ticket counter and the bus driver for a bus to Kashan. If you want to go to Kashan, they can drop you off at the highway exit nearest the city.
And that's where I ended up....
The side of the highway isn't the easiest place to pick up a cab. I admit, I was getting a bit anxious. I had no clue what to do!!!
Luckily, a girl who had gotten off the bus with me, figured out my dilemma and offered to take me into the city; her brother was coming to pick her up.
Things got even luckier when she invited me to stay at her home instead!!! I've heard about this (random Iranians inviting tourists to their homes) from other travellers. Only good things. So I immediately agreed! How exciting : )
It was one of my most memorable nights so far.
When we got to her house, her immediate family was there to welcome me. And then a bunch of people started to show up while we were getting acquainted. It seemed like she contacted all of her relatives and invited them to come over to see the alien in her house! I felt like a superstar surrounded by the paparazzi. Flashes going off here and there on everyone's mobile phones. It was all good fun!
With everyone gathered together, we had a meal of lamb kebabs on the floor (I normally don't eat lamb, but forced it down this one time...) and chatted the night away.You're probably wondering how we communicated. Most of the younger generation study English in school, and one of the sisters was an English teacher, so it was quite easy.
Conversation topics included:
Religion. The basic theory I got was that they truly believe in living a good life now to have a good afterlife. When I told them that I didn't believe in anything, they were really shocked
Japan. With a focus on the drama Oshin. It was a huuuuuge hit in Iran a few years ago. When I asked why, they told me that the strength and success portrayed by the female character was very inspirational. Hmm... I've never seen the program, so no comment
Education. The kids go to school every day except Friday. Wow.
Carpet. It turned out that grandma (of the girl who picked me up off the highway) made carpets. And it's a family affair, the women working together on one carpet, and the skills handed down from one generation to the next. The one they were working on now was wonderful. I want one!
I had such a great time, it was difficult to say goodbye to the family the following morning. But I had planned to do some sightseeing in the morning, and catch an afternoon bus to Tehran that day.So, onto the sightseeing...
Kashan is known for their mansion-like, traditional Persian homes around a pooled courtyard. There are several in the city open to tourists; I checked out two of them. The details in the walls, ceilings, and windows of the structures were stunning! I can totally imagine some international hotel acquiring these properties and converting them into a 5-star resort.
The other attraction is the Fin Garden. I walked through the garden, the Persian buildings, and the bath (where some historical figure was assassinated) without much interest.Frankly, I don't think the sights in Kashan was worth the stopover. It's definitely nice, but nothing to rave about. But I'm REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY glad that I did make the stop. How else would I have had the opportunity to stay with an Iranian family?!
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