Iran: A Persian Odyssey - home from Tehran via Ayatollah Khomeini Mausoleum

at the Ayatollah Khomeini Mausoleum Tehran

We are in Tehran and about to go home after a fantastic tour of Iran over the last 11 days - and how much we have seen - described in the last several blogs.

Smog is bad across the mountains this morning – by 9am they are practically obscured. We see on BBC World News that on the recent Day of Cyrus there was a huge disturbance at Pasargadae around his tomb - a nationalistic demonstration which we visited only the other day – all tour groups had to be kept away as 1000s converged and local guards couldn’t cope – but seemingly all went off without any obvious extreme violence. How lucky we were able to visit when we did.

The smog today has affected my chest badly and I cannot actually now wait to get out of the city. Before we left the hotel I went up to the 13^th floor for the advertised view from the Chinese restaurant there but cannot get out of the lift lobby as the doors into the restaurant with the views is locked. 

inside the Ayatollah Khomeini Mausoleum Tehran

The hotel advertises a garden – this must be the public Laleh gardens just up the road to the left from the entrance. I stroll up there and it is quite a large area with map at entrance but I do not have the time to fully explore. Others said it was very pleasant and relaxing among trees once one was away from the rather urbanised entrance.  

Suitcases checked and loaded on the bus - we are soon on our way to the airport via the Ayatollah Khomeini Memorial. We pass by the American Embassy building – scene of the American hostage crisis when the Embassy staff were held hostage for 444 days from October 1979. It is now an exhibition hall and the Swiss embassy is responsible for the American Embassy at the moment. The British Embassy only opened quite recently – hence enabling our own visit.  

Driving through the streets it is noticeable that the many small shops on which the Iranians seem to very much depend are grouped by product – thus there are concentrations of shops selling shoes, brass ware, musical instruments, bread, meat, hardware, building materials, wheelbarrows and so on… 

Ayatollah Khomeini Mausoleum

At the Ayatollah Khomeini Memorial we girls all enter to the left – where we have to take off shoes at the edge of the carpet and put on chadors – it is very difficult to get the hang of these – the ladies there smilingly help us put them on, quite amused probably at our clumsiness. Cell phone cameras are allowed but not other cameras – it is difficult anyway to take a photo and hold on to the chador at the same time!! We meet the men inside, who have their own entrance to the right of the shrine – they are shoeless but no special dress otherwise required for them – they are amused by the ethereal group of white chador clad womenfolk drifting over towards them across the carpets.  

the blood fountain at Behesht-e Zahra (cemetery)

Once outside again we see the blood fountain - red water symbolising the death of the many soldiers who were killed in the Iran Iraq war as well as those killed in the 1978 demonstrations against the Pahlavi regime - and the campsite of tents for the many pilgrims who come here to pay their respects.  

Back on the bus we make our presentations to the driver and Ali – who have looked after us so very well throughout our trip. 

So to the airport – a train line is being built alongside the road to the airport from the city – this should go some way to relieve the traffic pressure on this extremely busy route.   

All in all it was a wonderful trip and I would love to go again to see so much more that we didn't have enough time for in 11 days.

Before taking a break for a while from posting here - until the next pilgrimage perhaps - I would like to thank Rachel and McCabe Pilgrimages for such a well organised trip, the Revd. Canon Adrian Slade who made such a good job of leading and spiritually guiding us, our excellent local guide Ali with his encyclopaedic knowledge of just about anything we wanted to know, and our driver who transported us safely and cheerfully throughout the journey, always there to meet us and look after us and give us another picnic! And thank you to all my fellow pilgrims for being such good company. 

So where shall I be going next? Any ideas welcome and I would love your comments on any of my blogs to date. 

I wish all my readers a very happy New Year. May there be more peace for everyone in 2017.

Last Day in Bahir Dar - our pilgrimage draws to a close

the boat display on Lake Tana outside our hotel

This is our last day and we fly back to Addis Ababa at lunchtime. But first we have the morning for a little last minute savouring of the culture of Bahir Dar.

It is a big day in Bahir Dar. The Amhara National Democratic Movement (ANDM) are celebrating the 35th anniversary of their foundation with a variety of proceedings and celebrations and the closing ceremony will be held in this town, capital of the Amhara region.

the kingfisher we rescued that flew into the
hotel window

We noticed some of the preparations in the hotel last night and the high security all around town and in the hotel gardens this morning - soldiers and police. There was also a crazy display on the lake early this morning of boats, of all sizes, circling around with increasing speed in ever decreasing circles - quite a stir on the water and quite fun to watch! Perhaps this is also for the benefit of the ANDM. There is also the unveiling of a new statue on a roundabout near the hotel - perhaps part of the same celebrations I suspect. There are crowds of people all around it as we drive by - with all the photographic paraphernalia of the media. On our return it has been unveiled and the crowds gone.

Before going to the market, said to be one of the best in Ethiopia, we drive up to the top of Bezawit Hill, about 2.5km out of town, for the view of the town and the Blue Nile below. Here we see the hilltop palace which was built for Haile Selassie, heavily guarded with no entrance allowed. We can pick out hippos wallowing in the shallows of the river near a sand spit.

the Martyrs Memorial Monument

On our way down we see massive plastic sheets laid out by the side of the road on which seeds, pulses and spices are being dried in the sun. Just past the bridge over the Blue Nile we see the large Martyrs Memorial Monument that is dedicated to those who died fighting the Derg.

panoramic view of the Blue Nile below Bahir Dar
We spot hippos wallowing in the shallows

After a stop for a coffee and cake in a local café we are soon heading for the airport for our flight back to Addis Ababa, where after a rest and supper at the hotel we head back to London.  

Lasting impressions of our trip:

There is much poverty but also much happiness.

Bahir Dar market

Lives in rural areas at least are simple but the diet seems nutritious, making for lovely teeth and smiles. There is a very strong Christian faith - the people often walking miles and miles to attend churches and festivals, often barefoot. Children can walk for many miles to school each day. They invariably want money and pens from us. But such begging, we are told, can divert them from education which is becoming much more widely available and so very important. There seems to be very little obesity. They are very friendly. The strong faith underpins strong moral values and mutually supportive communities and families. It seems to me that there are so many lessons for us to learn here.

spices for sale in Bahir Dar market

And the countryside: sometimes words seem inadequate to describe some of the views. Dramatic, spectacular, beautiful, stunning, breathtaking, awesome…so many superlatives are appropriate.

Of course the country has its own problems to find if we scratch below the tourist veneer. No place can be perfect. But we had a wonderful time and I feel sure that given the opportunity many of us would wish to return.   

My blog for Ethiopia has come to an end. Thank you for staying with me to the end and I would love any comments.   

view of Addis Ababa from my hotel balcony

Before taking a break for a while from posting here - until the next pilgrimage perhaps - I would like to thank Rosemary and McCabe Pilgrimages for such a well organised trip, The Revd. Canon Adrian Slade who with his wife made such a good job of leading and spiritually guiding us, our excellent guide Johannes with his encyclopaedic knowledge of just about anything we wanted to know, and our drivers who transported us safely and cheerfully throughout the journey, always there to meet us and look after us. And thank you to all my fellow pilgrims for being such good company. 

The Fasil Ghebbi compound in Gondar

The Egg Building in the Fasil Ghebbi compound Gondar

We are on a Christian pilgrimage to Ethiopia with McCabe Pilgrimages. To quote from their website, "as pilgrims, we travel to discover more about our world, the peoples who inhabit it and the faith which shapes our understanding of life."

the fireplace separating male and female rooms and note
the holes for horns to hang meat

In Ethiopia, we are discovering more about the largest Oriental Orthodox church in the world today… and as with all McCabe pilgrimages, we try to engage with the local Christian community and return home with fresh insights into our own faith, enriched by all that we have experienced as we journey together.

one of the lions' cages

We are nearing the end of our visit to this fabulous country, and have already enjoyed many extraordinary experiences. But we still look forward to much more. Today, after visiting Debre Birhan Selassie (or Mountain of the Enlightened Trinity) we visit the Royal Enclosure or Fasil Ghebbi compound in Gondar, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979, enclosing six castles and related buildings over an area of 70,000 square metres in the heart of the city. This is a great fortress-city, residence of its founder the Ethiopian emperor Fasilides and his successors.

The Emperor was tired of the pattern of migration that had characterised the lifestyle of so many of his forefathers, so he moved his capital here in 1636 AD. It is a photographer and tourist paradise, with great historical significance, as well as a place where locals also like to come to stroll and relax in a green haven of peace away from the city bustle and noise just the other side of its high stone walls.

The locals call the first castle we come to the Egg Building, because of the domed tops of its watchtowers. Inside the main hall is split into two, segregating the men and the women, sharing only a fireplace built into the wall between the two rooms. We are shown holes in the wall where meat was hung on horns because metal hooks would spoil the flavour. These horns are also seen in the Turkish Baths on the site, in this case used to hang clothes.

horn hooks for clothes in the Turkish Baths

Three of the castles are interconnected by trenches. We see the so called Window of Love, where the Emperor and his wife would apparently like to sit enjoying the pleasant view to the bridge and the people going about their business outside the castle.

A beehive high up in a tree is wrapped in savannah grass to protect it from the rain. Honey is introduced to attract bees and there can be as many as four harvests in one year if conditions are favourable.

the Mentewab Castle

We also see the old lion cages - where the poor beasts were kept until as recently as the 1960s - some guidebooks say the 1990s - to entertain the residents of the castles and their guests. There are stables and a stable yard to accommodate the horses of guests as well, and a banquet hall.

The sixth and last castle we visit was the only one commissioned by a female, Empress Mentewab, acting as regent for her young son, Iyasu II. It is the most impressive and well preserved of them all, decorated on the outside with Gondarine crosses. We can only view from outside the gates - we are not allowed near. 

entrance to the King's Baths

the channel to fill the King's Baths

We drive back through the town towards the King's Baths, also attributed to the same Emperor, and the site we are told of one of the best Epiphany festivals of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Here 10,000 or more pilgrims will gather annually and the huge reservoir is filled up from the local river for this occasion. It takes a month to fill. The Ark of the Covenant is brought from the local church in procession and the water is blessed. Everyone will try to be sprinkled with this Holy water, and many will swim in the water as well. There is song, dance, and a great mixture of religious and secular activity. Having experienced the recent festival in Lalibela we can well imagine what an incredible sight this must be. Scaffolding is erected at the far end of the bath for tourists - everyone else has to join the milling crowds, no doubt many climbing any available trees for better views of the activities. Johannes tells us that this festival of Epiphany is also a traditional time for dating. Boys would buy lemons and throw them at the girl of their fancy. If she picks it up he knows he is in with a chance. Nowadays, he says, they expect Apple iPods!!

the King's Baths

It's been a full day 
and tiring. 
But we somehow find the energy at the Four Sisters restaurant to join in the dancing around the tables with the curious shoulder, neck and arm movements - even somehow employing bosoms and hips - which seem quite unique to Ethiopia. The dancers display incredible energy and flexibility which we cannot hope to achieve so soon in our stay - although some of us have a reasonable attempt in a day or so in a night club in Bahir Dar! Dancing and entertainment is good enough reason to come to this restaurant if you are in Gondar, but the food is also fabulous - many different traditional Ethiopian dishes, alongside some more westernised offerings, all very well labelled and very veggie friendly - and as much as you can eat - come and come again style. It was a very good evening out, a great way to unwind and relax after what have been some very full days.

The sun sets over Mayleko Lodge. Tomorrow is Sunday and we will return to the church we saw today to experience a service Ethiopian Orthodox style…

Ethiopia - a pilgrimage in search of the Ark of the Covenant

Addis School children 

All my inoculations are up to date - hepatitis A, diphtheria, tetanus, typhoid, polio and yellow fever, and I've been taking the malarial tablets for a week. I'm ready to leave for Ethiopia "in search of the Ark of the Covenant" along with the other 13 in this party of pilgrims organised by McCabe Pilgrimages. So it is that after a busy Sunday in our local church I find myself at the airport in the early evening for the overnight flight to Addis Ababa, the world's third highest capital city - sprawling across the southern slopes of central Ethiopia's Entoto hills and reaching an altitude of more than 2600m at its highest point.

detail of the roof in Holy Trinity Cathedral
Addis

As we start the descent into Addis Ababa after a fairly sleepless night - why do airlines turn up the lights again and serve breakfast just as you are beginning to nod off from sheer exhaustion? - the scenery below us is stunning - the rock formations are incredible, and the mountains appear to be cut into huge slices of cake with precipitous drops from huge plateaus. I fear I see a little air pollution hanging at the base of the hills in the near distance though.

Addis street view on way to hotel

We arrive into a chilly dawn, staggering bleary eyed into an airport which is much quieter than I imagined. We are very soon being whisked off to our small coach and introduced to our driver and our wonderful guide Johannes who will accompany us throughout the trip. Although the air is brisk, the sky is a clear pale blue, tinged with the various hues of a pink dawn and promising a pleasantly warm day ahead. Already the streets are very busy with people scurrying to work, if they are lucky enough to have a job to go to. It is soon apparent that unemployment is a problem here, as we see scores of young men poring over the huge notice boards which we are told list work vacancies. The contrasts everywhere are stark: modern buildings tower over mud and corrugated iron roofed huts, beggars plead on street corners as children in their neat uniforms stride purposefully to their schools, bundles of books under their arms, and there are small flocks of sheep standing around for sale awaiting their fate - these are destined for private homes where they will be slaughtered by the family, skinned and butchered for the next few meals.

City of Refuge Church sign

bustling Addis early morning

We are glad to arrive at our hotel where we have a welcome breakfast. Eggs will be cooked however you like them as you watch - I particularly like the omelettes which incorporate finely chopped onions, tomatoes, peppers and chillies - very tasty. We have time for a few hours rest before we are taken on an orientation tour of the city. The National Ethiopian Football Team is staying in the hotel - there seem to be presentations going on and much noise in the room next to mine! I am reluctantly forced to ask a maid if they could please be quieter. Once we are suitably refreshed we will visit the National Museum of Ethiopia, a must to see on everyone's visit to Addis Ababa, and the Trinity Cathedral where Emperor Haile Selassie and his wife are buried, with its wonderful stained glass windows and wall paintings.More about that in the next post...

Corinth - the climax of our pilgrimage In the Steps of St Paul

The sea is grey today, reflecting the cloud cover as the sun struggles to come out. We are following the coast road to Corinth, 70 kilometres south of Athens beyond the Canal of Corinth, which connects the Aegean and Ionian seas. We enjoy beautiful views of the sea to our left for much of the way, with the Island of Salamina clearly visible in the distance across the bay.

Corinth was second only to Rome in its ancient heyday, and we are promised something much greater than Ephesus, which I recall clearly from a baking hot visit on holiday in Turkey many years ago.

We are to see the Bema - the seat of judgment and authority, elevated above the crowds. The Jews were offended by Paul saying that Jesus Christ was the chosen one, resurrected for us. The leaders and Kings were offended that Christ through Paul's teachings usurped their authority. But Gallio the Proconsul before whom Paul was brought by the angry Jews could see no case to answer and dismissed Paul before he even needed to defend himself. See Acts 18.

Corinth is forever remembered through Paul's letters to its church there, formed after his first visit. a young church which has become tainted by the general paganism and immorality of the day. Here he recruited two assistants in his mission - Priscilla and Aquila. Paul departed here from the port of Corinth, Cenchreae on his way to Ephesus.

The Corinth Canal service area where we make a comfort stop on the way to Corinth served for an expensive 2.50 Euros what was without doubt the very worst coffee of the trip, and it was surely instant coffee. 

Comfort break!

The City of Corinth and the Island of Rhodes apparently have the most sunshine in Greece, but it's still quite cloudy when we arrive, although the sun soon comes out for us.

Here among the ruins at Corinth in a lovely setting we gather together for our final open-air Eucharist. A distant church bell strikes twelve as we begin and the Dean gives a homily on Paul's reading in his second letter to the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 4: 7) - we now have this treasure as a light from God in our hearts, but we are like clay jars in all their fragility and all power comes from God alone. The Dean reflects on the fragility of human nature and the difficulties of getting on with each other even today, so visible in international tensions. It is lovely to hear a Hong Kong pilgrim group echoing our service in the distance and singing hymns and alleluias. Finally Rob reads with great sensitivity the letter from Paul to the Corinthians on love ("If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels but do not have love...") and two tourists listening on the periphery of our group are visibly moved: as indeed was I.

the dog who accompanied us all
around the site!

We finish with the Grace - "The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all evermore Amen".

So much information is available on line about Corinth - with a good article on its biblical significance here and its history here - suffice here to show some photos of our visit.

As we leave some of us have time to rush down to the theatre - where we find the name of Erastus carved in the stone - possibly this being Paul's friend Erastus mentioned in Romans 16: 23 and 2 Timothy 4: 20. This is a rare and important archaeological find.

Erastus plaque

A taverna on the bank of the Corinth Canal gives us the best food of the holiday - great ambiance with Greek locals making music and dancing as only they can - some of us even join in. Two of us share a vegetable platter - very good indeed for just 7 Euros, plus two local beers, as we watch the canal road bridge lowering into the water to allow boats through. As the level is raised again, seagulls and local boys compete in trying their luck at catching the trapped fish brought up from below. The waiters are rushed off their feet serving us all and do a great job. If Corinth was spiritually satisfying, this restaurant experience was magical in its own way.

Tonight we have dinner all together in the Thissio View Restaurant which has the most fantastic views over the Acropolis - for a while many of us try to get the perfect shot from the restaurant balcony of the Acropolis at sunset, while all food is forgotten.

So Saturday arrives and it is time to go home. In the morning we are left to explore Athens on our own and many of us make immediately for the marvellous new Acropolis Museum in an attempt to beat the later crowds who will throng through its doors. And this museum should certainly not be missed on any trip to the city.

the Acropolis at night

I then have time to further explore the area around the acropolis, and the plaka, or shopping area, and I have to revise my initial impressions. Athens is a remarkable city and I would love to return to see even more of its many treasures. 

Corinth Temple of Apollo

The pilgrimage has had its highs and lows for me. But overall it has been a wonderful experience both spiritually and culturally even if I have not always been as receptive in the moment as perhaps I could have been.

Images that will stay with me:

The warmth and friendliness of the people

The lovely hot dry sunshine and the sparkling blue sea

Plentiful food - at the centre of life!

The beauty of the countryside and the pink and white Oleander everywhere

Religiosity of the people in its sense of "piety", or "the state of being religious".

Crazy drivers and the general disregard for seat belt and other laws - reflected in so many sad roadside shrines.

The Bema information board at Corinth 

The Bema or Rostra at Corinth

The fountain courtyard Corinth

Enormous thanks go to McCabe Pilgrimages who as ever organised the whole trip so well for us, to our lovely guide Mara who gave us so much guidance and information and our driver Tassus who looked after us so carefully, to the Very Revd. Andrew Nunn, Dean of Southwark cathedral for his excellent spiritual guidance and leadership and to Mark Vernon for adding so much to the pilgrimage with his philosophical perspective on early Christianity. 

Travelling through Greece - in the Steps of St Paul - The churches of Thessaloniki

There are many Byzantine churches to enjoy in Thessaloniki - indeed here is the richest collection anywhere in Greece. 

We have time to see just two. 

agia sophia

We first make our way to Agia Sophia,  reminiscent of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul on which indeed it is based, with its 9th and 10th century mosaics, and one of 15 UNESCO World Heritage sites in the city. Here we are treated to the beginning of a Greek Orthodox wedding! We were taking plenty of photos between us and no one seemed to mind - but we were surely being disrespectful?

The seats in the church are extremely uncomfortable - but then worshipers are not meant to sit in them for any length of time.

wedding at Agia Sophia

We have lunch all together in a local restaurant - and very good it is too - but they really cannot cope with us all descending on them at once - and there are problems with paying afterwards. But hey go with the flow - there is no Greek word for deadline apparently.

                         

Agia sophia

From Agia Sophia we go to St Demetrius Basilica (church) or Agios Dimitrios, the site of Demetrius' martyrdom, and the largest church in Greece, with a very rich religious history and fine mosaics. The crypt of Agios Dimitrios, where according to Christian tradition Dimitrios died in AD 303, is probably the oldest surviving part of the church, and some mosaics dating from the early 7th century can be seen here. This church gives us an idea of what Basilica A would have looked like at Philippi.

By contrast with our previous experiences in Georgia and South East Turkey on previous pilgrimages, females do not generally wear headdress in church. This we are told is because during the Turkish occupation the Greek Orthodox were made to cover their heads to identify them, and this current practice is therefore a reaction to that!

Agios Dimitrios

Some in church did have their heads covered though - Mara said these would be perhaps Russian Orthodox, therefore they are showing respect in their own way.

There is a rare mosaic of a dead Jesus Christ - a symbolic of hopelessness.

How do I feel in here? We listen to the beginning of Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians, one of his earliest written letters, which he wrote to strengthen and encourage the young church here, and we see the relics of St Demetrius. The mosaics and icons are all very beautiful and there are lots of locals crossing themselves three times in front of everything and kissing icons. In fact many people here make the sign of the cross three times every time they pass a church as a sign of respect. In spite of all of this I do not find this a "thin" or very spiritual place at all.

Agios Dimitrios

Perhaps I am in spiritual overload. We are all certainly very weary and ready to check in to our hotel. There is a Greek man who clearly feels as we do - slumped fast asleep in the church head lolled against a pillar. On our way through the city to our hotel I see a group of students at a busy street corner in a very small green space - cooking a BBQ and having a small party!! And a dust cart working on a Sunday!

Agios Dimitrios

So to the hotel to check in at 4pm for just one night - we are all very glad to get to our rooms - but first we are warned by Andrew that we must not expect the ambiance and quality of our accommodation in Kavala. He was right! The Holiday Inn is very acceptable but certainly not up to the standards of that chain elsewhere as I remember them from my business days - but hey we are in Greece and it has more than its fair share of problems at the moment so let's not be too critical. 

Agios Dimitrios - some of the wonderful mosaics

And the hotel cannot really compete head-on with the wonderful waterside setting of our hotel in Kavala. This hotel has also clearly had its own difficulties. I read that not so long ago it suffered from an influx of Libyan refugees. Those poor people - there seems to be a family group "squatting" on the street corner below my balcony with their few possessions in bags of all description. So much suffering - and we quibble over the niggling defects in our hotel rooms.

Pray for refugees and the homeless everywhere - pray for solutions to the great political and social problems that cause such unhappiness and displacement in so many parts of the world.

And our greatest suffering at the moment beyond small gripes about the hotel is from information overload - so much to absorb, all so interesting.

I for one am still finding it difficult to get into the pilgrim mode; I still feel more of a tourist than a pilgrim, although the chanting in the church at the Orthodox wedding (which we "gate-crashed") touched a spiritual spot with some of us.

Agios Dimitrios wonderful mosaics

We finish the evening as usual with Compline - Mark tells us that Paul would have been influenced by the Stoics - and that Acts is not always a strictly accurate historical record - although Luke is known for accuracy and detail - but in the end meaning is what counts. I was so tired after Compline I tried to open my room door with my credit card instead of the bit of plastic which served as a key!

Today we hear the news that the latest negotiations with Greece and the EU have failed - this poor country - how will it end? And poor Georgia - the destination of our wonderful pilgrimage in 2014 - have just declared a national day of mourning over lives lost when the River Vere in Tbilisi burst its banks on Saturday night and flooded large areas of the city, including the city zoo. 

carpets in Thessaloniki

Many are homeless and animals, many dangerous, wander the streets. It is surreal to see pictures of lions and tigers in the streets, a hippo looking bemused, a bear clinging to the side of a building on an air conditioning unit! So sad that many had to be shot. We pray for Georgia, Tbilisi and our lovely guide Maka who accompanied us on that Georgian trip, and are so happy that she is OK - the wonders of instant communication on Facebook.