Some are more beautiful than others - I have already spoken about the one in Tabriz -, but all are really fascinating to me. I have visited some in the morning (when they are usually most busy), some around lunchtime when many (in some Bazaars even most of the) shops start closing for a siesta (and only reopen around 4 or 5 pm) or - if the shops do not close - the shop-owner often nevertheless takes a nap in the shop (which is though had a special charm, but I mostly did not dare to take photos...) and some in the evening (when people come back shopping at the end of their work day) and when in my view most bazaar were the most atmospheric. To some bazaars (such as in Shiraz), I came back several times at different moments of the day. In Kermanshah, I also finally got an answer to one of the questions I had from the very first day in Tabriz: what happens in the Bazaar when it is raining, as they all have small open holes in their vaulted ceilings to let the light in. A huge (and dramatic) thunderstorm went over the city and a torrential rain broke loose and not only did the rain come in through those holes and the shopkeepers - some very relaxed others with a certain sense of panic) took away all their merchandise affected, but the water also came in through another source: the drain of the roofs actually was diverted through pipes into the alleys of the bazaar, which provoked quite a considerable stream. Again, reactions were very different: those happy about it (the kids, who started to walk in it or even jump in it quite to the frustration of their mothers) or at least pragmatic (many shopkeepers used the water to clean the dusty alley in from of their shop or even the shutters of the shop), and then the others who were annoyed (notably the Iranian ladies , whose often very fancy shores got completely wet as at some places the stream covered the full alley) or in panic to protect their merchandise laid out on the floor of the alley (with one very inventive older guy who used some full rubbish bags to divert the water flow around his merchandise and being very proud of that, showing off his system to others with a huge smile on his face). The Bazaar in Tehran is less beautiful, but nevertheless fascinating as it is the biggest of the country and when I say BIG I really mean it. It is probably also he busiest one as many shopkeepers from around the country come here to buy in great quantities. This is why there is also an incredible amount of merchandise transported back and forth on two-wheel carriages pushed by sweaty men (often quite old...), some of them completely overloaded. This is where - despite the warning of the Lonely Planet - I got twice hit by a some of those carriages. No major damage however - fortunately... But as a non-Farsi speaking tourist, often I did not hear the warnings shouted by the guys pushing them as I could not distinguish them from the other noises. Despite the prohibition, it is also not unusual that motorbikes drive through the bazaar even at the busiest moments, which also causes (however astonishingly few) accidents with people and those carriages. A permanent feature in the bazaars are of course the carpet shops and sellers, some of which really push hard to make you buy one... (I actually did in the end in Shiraz, but only a very small one...). In he courtyards or some side-alleys of the bazaars, you often have workshops still producing the goods which are sold nearby so gnat transport costs and efforts are rather minimal. ;-) However, one of the nicest bazaar impressions for me are always the spice shops, which you can smell already from far and I just love the colours of the spices and flowers / tea they are selling... In total, I took hundreds of pictures in bazaars and many of them are great (in my humble and non-partisan opinion), but I had to select just a few.. Here they are... (And perhaps more to come as there will be more bazaars along the Silk Road (trading was after all the main purpose of the whole thing ;-) )
Photos
Photos
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