The Red Town

From Isfahan, we began the long drive back to Tehran.  We had flown to both Shiraz and Isfahan, but now we were going to get a sense of rural Iran.  Our first stop was a village called Abyaneh – about two hours north of Isfahan, and just outside of Natanz, the town that has become famous for its nuclear reactor.

One could be excused for thinking that they had just stumbled upon a Moravian retirement home in the Southwest, USA. The town consists of two story buildings made of the local red clay. These earthy homes climb the hillside, in brilliant contrast to the green hills. Cherry trees were in full blossom, and magpies were squawking up a storm. It was a beautiful setting. The local people wear traditional clothing that looked shockingly Moravian. Also, since there is little to do in this village, the young people tend to leave as soon as they are able to get out. The few young people we saw were not Iranians; they were children of Afghani refugees who have fled the political turmoil to the North. Ironically, these refugees were selling special amulets to ward off bad luck. It seems that tourists like me are not the ones that need divine intervention for a better life. We bought some, however, just in case.