We arrived in Shiraz on Saturday 22nd April late in the afternoon. Kynsley and Mohammad found a host Reza on CS and I found another host for myself on CS whose name was also Reza. We could have stayed all together but none of us wanted to cancel our previously arranged accomodation. Fortunately they both lived close to each other so it was easy to drop me at my host in the evening and in the morning to pick me up.
When we arrived in Shiraz after 4pm we met firstly my friends' host. We left our luggage in his car and we explored the city. We went to the Pink Mosque which was close in the evening but a man nearby told us that the best time to visit this mosque was in the morning between 8am - 10am. I didn't know why but I learnt it the following day.
Then we walked in bazaar where we saw copper pots, wall clocks, various spices, Persian clothes and other goods.

We were very hungry because we spent a long time travelling and we didn't eat anything since morning but it took us a long time until we found a restaurant where we wanted to have dinner. We order pomegranate rice, chicken and vegetables. It was tasty but we ordered also yellow dessert which I didn't like because it the taste was similar to Khoresht Mast but my friends really enjoyed it.

Afer dinner we went to the citadel where Mohammad smoke shisha and I drank golab. 

We met Reza who took me by car to my host Reza. We talked for a long time about history and political situation in Iran and we went to sleep late. On Sunday we got up at 8am and Reza prepared breakfast for me, we had eggs. Kynsley and Mohammad came at 9am and their host took us to the Pink Mosque.
The morning sun shining through stained window cast colours colours on the carpet and walls. It is better to be there already at 8am when the light is across all room, but we got there around 10am when the sun was higher and the light shrank. We still had a beautiful view on rainbow colours and we took many photos there.

TThis is the view on the mosque from outside in front of the pool. It looks also astonishing. 

I have to admit that my choice of clothes was a bit unfortunate that day because there was a floral motif on the walls and also on my blouse and it matched very well :). I look like a chameleon on this photo.

I used to think that I have visited so many places that nothing can surprise me anymore, but there was one place which Iran which surpassed all my expectations. This place is called Shah Cheragh which is a funerary monument and mosque and it was a breathtaking sight. That's how I imagined real Persia. I walked inside with a tour guide who explained me everything about this mosque for free and she was very knowledeable. I also took a video inside the mosque, you can watch it here. As you see, the interior is decorated with the mosaic of mirror glass. Kynsley went also inside the mosque but I was in the ladies' part so we couldn't join each other there.

Outisde the mosque there was an imam lamenting and many guys surrounded him and they also lamented. I had to wear chador also on the courtyard. My host Reza joined us there and we walked together to the Umbrella Street which was nearby. There are several umbrella streets in Iran but I saw only this one. You can watch the video here.

In the afternoon we took a taxi to Naqsh-e Rustam which is an ancient necropolis with ancient Iranian rock reliefs cut into the cliff. Kynsley managed to enter Persepolis and Necropolis with an Iranian ticket but I had to pay full price.

Then we visited Persepolis which is located 12 km far away from Necropolis. It is an archaelogical site which depicts the history and culture in the Persian empire. The site is large and it was very hot there early in the afternoon. The ruins were amazing and there are wonderful wall carvings and statues like double-headed Griffin statue still remaining. It was definitely worth visiting.

On the way out we met this cute little girl :). I got her parents' permission to take a photo with her.

We returned to Shiraz in the evening. We found a restaurant where we ate rice and meat and then we joined our hosts. We left Shiraz on 24th April in the morning and we took a bus to Bandar Abbas which is situated on the Persian Gulf coast. It was a long way there (more than 8 hours), we left Shiraz at 10am and we got to Bandar Abbas just at the sunset. Once we stopped on our way in a restaurant where we ordered rice, meat and vegetables but we had to eat very quickly because the bus wouldn't wait. Here you can watch the video which was taken in the bus, we talk about our trip there.
The landscape was delightful with trees and mountains. I watched it for some time but then I got tired and I fell asleep. The seats in the bus were comfortable and I slept some hours. I woke up when we were approaching Bandar Abbas.