John hung the washing outside to dry in the sun and wind.
Most of it was dry by the time to move on.
Over
the pass and looked down on fog. Beautiful and green here in the
mountains, Dark, green and COOL. We are seeing a few mosques but not
hearing them.
Many people enjoying the cool of the mountains for picnics and also we now know that travelers are allowed to eat!!
Bee hives are a common site. Often right beside the road.
What else is a irrigation ditch for??
Collecting rice plants ready to plant out.
The traffic just leaves us mystified!!
We
had to stop twice for fuel. The first guy would not sell us any as we
had no card to insert into the pump. The next station would
sell us fuel. A guy in a car asked us if we need help and we asked
him if we could get water close by, he asked the attendant they
chatted for a while then he said to follow him which we did. Luckily
he was going in the direction we wanted – towards the Caspian.
We
ended up at Shahram's house and proceeded to fill out of their well. It was
slow going. Sometimes the well went dry and sometimes the pump
stopped. We were introduced to his sister and little nephew who was
terrible shy. Fatima bought out fruit then a pomegranate drink with
little seeds in it. The seeds get all fuzzy when put in hot water. I
am not sure what they were. They did not share in the refreshments as
they were fasting.
They
live on a 2km square rice farm. Shahram is in his last year of a PHD
in electronics. His sister was a tailor for women.
We
were invited to stay for dinner and the night. John agreed to dinner
but we’d sleep on the Caspian our last chance. Shahram took John
down to find a suitable sight I stayed with Fatima and helped her
with dinner or what I thought was dinner.
She
made potato fritters and salad.
I
went with her mother to the vegie garden which was across a rice paddy
and within a wall. It was at least 30m by 40m. I learnt a little
later that they sell vegies.
They
are 5th generation rice farmers and each arm of the family
tends their own plot so not really a family business. Sounds like a
good way to go. They also grow ducks to sell.
A cousin generously gave John a tray of quail eggs!!
During
the dinner we learnt that it was entree.
Fatima
cooked a duck in
water with onion then once cooked deep fried it then put onion,
pomegranate paste and frozen seeds and tomato paste. Very yummy too.
She used lots of turmeric in the cooking, in the rice and sprinkled on
the courgettes to fry. Also a lot of oil was used. Maybe 2-3cups.
A
really nice dinner and we learnt quite a bit about Iran.
We
drove down to the Caspian and parked on the beach climbing into bed
about 0030hrs, another late night.
185km
185km