Shiraz to Kerman

We headed off to Kerman. We stopped at a caravanserai on the way. The “keepers” used flashing mirrors to signal our arrival so they could get their entry fee.

On the way, we passed an Iraqi refugee camp, a square area about a mile on each side, filled with military tents lined up in a grid formation. Room for thousands of Sunnite Iraqis from the enemy side seeking shelter from their Iranian Shiite enemy. A high wall surrounded the place and you could see children playing soccer inside. The camp was in the middle of the desert.
It’s strange that Iran is the home to thousands of refugees from Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, plus Kurds from all over. These people find Iran a better bet than the places where they were born.
We stopped for a picnic lunch then had another rest stop for tea in the afternoon.

Cyrus talked about adultery. For the 1st offence: 100 lashes; 2nd offence: another 100 lashes, 3rd offence: the judge can hang them –but, you’ll need 4 male witnesses. If the adultery is with a family member…. it’s a stoning!

We had a brief stop at Negriz and had to deal with kids begging for pens. Cyrus called it this behavior “the pollution of tourism”.

Cyrus continued his stories by telling us of his 2 years in the Iran/Iraq war as a tank gunner. He was hit in the leg. Cyrus’ view on the relative merits of American versus Russian tanks: the tank itself is not the important variable…it is the desire of the crew to fight. He relates a terrifying example of this concerning how his tank platoon got behind an Iraqi tank roadblock covering a gorge through which he had to pass.

We arrived at the hotel in Kerman and once again, we ducked the group dinner and headed for a local restaurant.

* We determine that Khomeini, meaning “comes from Quom”, actually is based on “Quom- meanie”
* No dogs in Iran…except with sheepherders….dogs are considered dirty… cats are, too. Birds are OK.
* Metaphor for Iran—the bird in the cage.

We found a wonderful little restaurant and met the owner, Reza. He spent 6 months in the US, but his wife hated the US so they moved back to be with her family in Kerman. He’s planning his 3rd restaurant…pizzeria’s are big in Iran.

* Reza calls the Afghani’s our “Mexicans”—they “drink Pepsi, eat bread and work hard”.
* Tells us that their women are like compressed springs….they hate the chadors.
* “They’re always talking about paradise and the girls and the gardens…. I want it now”.
* “The restaurant business is tough…no one goes out to eat.”

We had salad, bread, soup, kebab and steak, plus sampler pieces of tah-chin, cokes and coffee…for $10.00
We noticed that as you go from west to east, from Shiraz towards Kerman and towards the Pakistani border, respect for law and order declines.