In the morning took a photo from our room of the city.

Today we visited National Museum of Iran that preserves the country’s historical and cultural record through the presentation of some 300,000 artifacts — the oldest dating back more than 30,000 years. Its two buildings are dedicated to pre-Islamic and post-Islamic periods.

The National Museum of is an institution formed of two complexes; the Museum of Ancient Iran and the Museum of the Islamic Era, which were opened in 1937 and 1972, respectively.

When we arrived at the museum, there were a  group of female students also waiting on the steps.  I took a photo of them and I had the usual exchanges with several of them – Hello, How are you?, I am Fine.

One of the girls asked me where I was from?  I said, “United States.”  Several o f them responded with wide open eyes.  Then the girl said, “Trump.”  I put my fingers into my mouth and gestered my disgust.  Many of the girls gathered around me with laughter and more fun photos were taken.

historic copies of the Qur’an.  I took a few photos in the museum although glare on the cases made that difficult.

The girls were following me around and I apologized to their teacher because they were paying more attention to me than to what they were supposed to be doing.  I would rather have been talking with them,

My favorite highlights of the museum were the stone reliefs and sculptures from Persepolis.

The sign near his relief from the northern stairs of the Apadana at Persepolis said that it is one of the most important examples of Acaemenid art that shows Xerxes sitting on a throne.  Behind the king are the crown prince, the chief Magian, king’s weapon carrier, and two guardsmen.  The releif shows the king receiving an important official who announces the arrival of the tribute bearers and performs the ritual greeting that is known as proskynesis  He is followed by two guardsmen.

This is the statue of Darius.Although the head and upper body are now missing, it survived from the Achaemenid period.  The king wears a Persian dress with a dagger stuck into his belt.  The pleats on his robe are inscribed in cuneiform in the three official languages of the empire – Old Persian., Elamite, and Babylonian on the right and in Egyptian hieroglyphs on the left.  Although the king wears a Persian costume, the pillar at the back and the decoration on the base are Egyptian in style.

This is a fragment of a composite column capital with a human head and a four-legged proteome is also from Persepolis.

This is a part of the main staircase from the southerlies of the tripylon (a palace with tree gates) carved on one boulder of Stone.

On one side of the staircase there is a ritual representation of Persain lancers and archers.

This is a clay figurine of the god of Bacchus (ancient Greece)or Dionysus ancient Roman).

This is a stone oil lamp.

A stucco Mihrab (praying Niche)

Stone Myrab.

Wooden doors,

A Panel of tiles.

After the historical museum, we visited the Museum of Islamic History where I did not take any photos.

In the restaurant where we had lunch a man baked bread in the shape of a heart.

It was fun to watch him bake the bread ….

 

.and great to eat it.

This was a delicious stick of sugar which I ate like a lollipop.

This man brought a Nightingale to the restaurant.

It was sad to see it in a cage.

After lunch we visited the Treasury of National Jewels.  It was collected over centuries. This priceless collection includes a staggering array of crown jewels from the Qajar and Pahlavid royals and others going back 25 centuries. The collection is so valuable that it has been used to back Iranian currency.

We were not allowed to take any photos.  The jewels were astounding but it was too crowded and we were rushed from case to case.

Dinner was delicious.

In the evening Jane and I turned on the TV and reached CNN news.  Mike Pompeo was speaking on the dangers of the IRGC (Iranian Revoluntionary Guard Corps).  I wanted to pull him out of the screen and scream at him (or maybe even hit him over the head).  I have been in Iran for 12 days.  I have had wonderful interactions with the people in Iran and the girls being with the girls today topped it off.  I know there are problems with the Iranian government.  Even some people in Iran have problems with their government.  We have major problems with our government.  there are wonderful people here in Iran.  His statements and the actions of the US government are dangerous.  Are they blind.