Drove out to Qalat, a very old village some 36km outside Shiraz, where a lot of the oldest buildings were in ruins. It was situated on a hillside, fairly steep, and lots of families were out walking or picnicking. Some even camped in small tents across the other side of stream, on dry barren ground. We walked up the path quite a distance, before returning to a coffee shop in the village. Took ages to produce coffee and tea, as kitchen was around the back and they were having problems with heating water.

We’d been joined by a young man and his girlfriend. Mehdi knew him, and he had returned from California where he was working as a civil engineer, to visit his parents. Later, after returning to Shiraz, we drove to their beautiful home for dinner. His father, also an engineer (retired), had built the 2 storeyed house for his wife some 30 years ago. Marble paved floors, chandeliers, ornate balustrade on stairs, high ceilings – and outside a large paved area with pool (empty) and barbecue where father and son were cooking chicken kebabs for our dinner.