The Golestan Palace - Take Two

It was exceptionally cold and at least 10am when we woke. Heinz came in, and he really did have half the money, including a most unlikely looking 10,000R note, which we had to go and check with the hotel boss to make sure. After a slack morning we had some lunch and Heinz reappeared with the rest of the money. Then Brian disappeared for about an hour looking for his trousers!

Later we ventured forth to the Golestan Palace. For your 30R you get a guided tour, in fact Brian and I had a 'chick' all to ourselves. She was probably older than us and was very pleasant. The palace is most impressive. The entrance and staircase are covered in mirrors, even the ceiling. The lower part of the walls is covered with tiles (from Mashhad?). First we were shown the coronation room. Shah Reza Pahlavi had himself crowned here in 1967. There are carpets, of course, and some beautifully carved furniture from Kashmir. Some ghastly Victoriana including a mammoth clock with a peacock dancing in front of it, which is now defunct. There is another Victorian clock which has lots of little dials round it showing the time in other countries. There is a replica of the Peacock Throne, what a lot of jewels, but the settings somehow make them look like bits of glass. You can't appreciate their beauty. There is some other porcelain from Europe and Russia, all gifts from various monarchs. Also, some good paintings by Iranian artists.

The guide was very good but there was much too much to take in. Some excellent vessels of malachite, green stone from Siberia, it is lovely stuff. Next we visit the banqueting hall. The tables are laid out as at the Grosvenor Hotel (in Chester) for North West Offshore Association dinner. I think there were some Georgian brass pieces there. Then we went into a sort of corridor where there was the 47 metres by 2½ metres of red carpet that took three years to make for the coronation. On the whole the English stuff was pretty horrible, except for one or two bits. There was a lot of lovely European porcelain. The marble of the stairs was really beautiful. It is modern, and the best you can get in Iran.

We returned to the hotel, changed, went to the Bank of Iran and Japan, found it closed at five, went to Bank Melli and changed $50 at 78, which was put into Brian's passport. Then we went down to see Babaian to say goodbye (also to Mr Chook). Next we had a huge curry followed by a frankfurter each and some potato salad from Heinz - all very good. And finally, we had the last of the Christmas pud. Heinz produced 200gm of butter and we bought 100gm so there was quite a large quantity of brandy butter, and we invaded Heinz's room to eat it.

His equipment is very good. Uher tape recorder (including amplifier), Telefunken deck with Bang and Olufsen cartridge. He also had a huge box of filters (in a kind of box that allows them to be selected at will). He was recording at the time, and it was very interesting to hear the difference between the record and the recording, and the difference between 7½ips and 3¾ips.

John knocked on our door and was duly introduced to Heinz. Then we went down to the lounge with him to have coffee and meet some of the others on the bus; Inta, Mary, Jan, Judy. John has got them well trained. He farts, flirts and generally treats them with great disrespect. After coffee people gradually drifted away. We returned to our room, with all its chaos and started packing. Everything went into suitcase and kit bag! I had bought an aluminium carrying frame/backpack and it appears to work. Went to bed about 2:30 and set alarm for 7:30. Absolutely excelled myself fartwise!