Hamadan was our first real encounter with the Moslem architecture which was to dazzle and hypnotise us during our 23 day stay in Iran. On top of every other mosque built in every major city, it seems that the rulers of the day also built special mosques for Fridays, called Friday Mosques, or Misjag al-Jame. The Friday mosque in Hamadan was just opposite our hotel, a delightful place were travelling Iranians would sleep together on the floor in dormitory rooms, the toilet was always blocked, and the ceiling fan made too much noise.

But the receptionist spoke perfect French and the terrace of the hotel overlooked this marvellous mosque which, at sunset with the cooling of the air, changed colours, from blue to green; finally tapering off to a delightful night-time grey. What joy to sit out there and drink a tea and smoke the water-pipe and watch the birds circling around the minarets!

Inside the mosque compound there are two mosques, one undergoing renovations, and between the two of them a pool of cool rippling water and some plants. The poor sleep in the shade of the mosque and the whole area is full of architecture students making copies of the wonders for their homework.

Hamadan is also famous for the tombs of Esther and Mordechai, and the synagogue there is an important pilgrimage site for Iran's ancient Jewish community. This was our first introduction to the Jews of Iran and we were always warmed by their welcome, here as in Shiraz. The Islamic Republic forbids non-Jews entrance into synagogues - for fear the Jews will try to convert them or possibly recruit them as spies for Israel aka the Zionist Entity - and so Marie-Do very gracefully lied her way in and with the little bit of Hebrew she learnt in the above mentioned Entity I must say she was very convincing.

As a Jew from abroad I was a curiosity, and as an Ashkenazi Jew I was a novelty and as a Modern Hebrew speaker I was a forbidden delight and so Moshe, the gabbai showered me with honours and I was invited to recite the blessings over the wine. A double honour indeed, since I was able to drink twice as much home-brew as anybody else and thereby join the legions of ancient Persian poets who grew intoxicated on this famous wine.

It was also in Hamadan that we drank Islamic non-alcoholic beer for the first time. What's really frightening is that I grew to like it.