One of the alleged highlights of Yazd is to visit the Zurkhaneh gym to watch some of the wrestlers train. For what might have been the first time this trip (barring perhaps the search for a Sunni Jummah yesterday), a lack of information regarding a niche event in a small town such as Yazd meant we didn't have much to go on. We did find the gym last night, but the only real plan we had was based on rumour. Long story short, we left the hotel after Fajr to see if we could catch a possible morning training session.
There was no show, so this was a pretty bad bet. We took the opportunity to walk around the old town at our leisure, spending some time in the Jameh Mosque while it still empty and cool.
Mosque #42: Jameh Mosque
We were ready to leave Yazd by 9. Unfortunately our driver wasn't ready so we hit the town one more time, even going as far to check out the Water Museum. It was a decent enough timepass, and we left for Shiraz at 1130.
On the way out of Yazd, we spent some time at the Zoroastrian Towers of Silence. These were colossal squat towers built at the top of hills where the recently passed were placed in order to be reclaimed by nature (usually vultures). That alone gave the sight an air of significance, but the Towers more than held their own as places of interest if you were just interested in architecture or physical activity or having access to some decent views. Well recommended.
The drive was long, perhaps our longest, and we finally arrived at out hotel at 8pm, stopping at Abarkooh for lunch and prayer. This was a small random ghost of a town that I believe even our guides hadn't visited, and I'm glad we had a chance to spend some time in a town that wasn't one of the bigger ones.
As it was evening, we didn't have much time to do much so after dinner we visited the nearby, but no less impressive, Shahecheragh Holy Shrine, which was another deceptively small but actually sprawling religious complex that Iran seems to do so well.
Mosque #43: Shahecheragh Holy Shrine
It was also one of the best examples of mirrored decor I had seen since arriving in Iran.
After returning to the hotel we had nothing left to do but to whip out Coup for a few quick rounds. It appears that the game seems to be quite the hit with the locals.
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