My British friend says:
APRIL 1997 It's my last day in shiraz.I am going to see the ancient palace complex at persepolis,60km away. Yesterday I got my visa extension.It will last two weeks.

The visa officer told me that his favourite movie is BRAVEHEART.I told him,to his dismay,I had not seen it yet.We talked about movies for ages.

I took a bus that morning.My abiding memory of Iran is getting on a bus and having a group of boys waving at you to come and sit with them.Today I sat with two blokes.We laughed and joked all the way.

I spent a couple of hours around the ruins of persepolis and the remains from the celebrations of 2500years of the persian empire in 1971.From here I went to Naqsh-e Rostam where four cliff tombs are located.It's only a few km from persepolis so I decided to hitch.

A motorbike with two guys on stopped.They insist in taking me there.I told them there is no room.Finally I get on and we zoom off.Having spent an hour at the tombs I began to hitch back to Shiraz.However, it's proving to be more difficult.

Many cars pass but they are all full.Several of the occupants wave and smile as they pass.Then a car stops.It's a lone man going all the way to Shiraz.My lucky day.He is about fifty and speaks good english.In the seventies he worked in the oil industry at Abadan.

On arriving at Shiraz he invites me to his house for something to eat.The house is in a wealthy district.He offers to go and get alcohol for me.I refuse.After eating he said "I want to show you a video".He moved the bookshelf away from the wall and from behind took out the the video.

Why hide it I thought.It was a recording of the anniversary celebrations of the persian empire from october 1971.I do not know if it was recorded privately or bought.Kings and Queens,Princes and Princesses and prime ministers attended.It was a fantastic gathering.

He told me living in Iran then,it was the best of times.We watched it all together.He offered to drive me back to my hotel.I thanked him but decided to walk instead.

It had been a great day.

This post is writen by "Sidney Phelan"