Calendar Shoot Diaries

Iran Day 6

Up bright and early to the sound of the cockerel. 

Beautiful sunny morning. Abol has been up for some time and has got the outdoor breakfast going. You can hear the the birds singing accompanied by the murmur of the river near by.  Another day in paradise. I take a walk around the place. Huge garden at the back. The horses have been tethered overnight. They seem contented. We have one bay mare with a four month old colt at foot, another mare and a grey stallion who is kept away from the others for obvious reasons. They all look in great shape. The colt is roaming free. He is the most unusual colour. 

At the bottom there is a small hut where the house keeper Soraya Khanoom lives. There are quite a few chickens running about. Boiled eggs for breakfast?

At the end of the garden I find the most magnificent old villa, with all the ornate woodwork on the upper balcony and the traditional Gilani roof style where wooden tiles are held down with small boulders. The building does not seem to be occupied but it is not in any way neglected. Later in the day Maryam Sadr, whose uncle has offered us the house for the duration of our stay, explains that this old villa is of historical significance. 

We are told the famous jungle outlaw and freedom fighter Mirza Koochick Khan stayed in this house whist he was on the run from the authorities. He seems to have been very choosy about where he stayed. Maryam lives in Italy where she is studying architecture. She is over in Marjon Lot for the summer. Lucky girl.

Abol, Ateshe, Colin and I set off to explore the area and choose locations. We walk up a hill to find the smallest hamlet I have ever seen. Just a few houses made of the local timber and  simple mud. No cars. Time seems to have just stopped in these parts. An old man approaches with the traditional morning greetings. Have you had breakfast? I immediately assume that he knows Abol. I am later reminded that this kind of greeting is normal amongst the locals.  We look around.

At first we assume this place to be some kind of village hall. We are soon and very politely informed that this is the village mosque and the mats are prayer mats... 

Abol asks our opinion about the scenery. Colin and I, ever seeking the perfect shot, ask if there is anything else to look at. ‘Sure’ comes the ever positive response. Let's drive down a small track to the next village. I am sure you would like that one better. 

So we set off in his amazing Toyota - dubbed ‘Abolmobile’ by us as of now. 

We drive down a very narrow track for about a kilometre and enter the most amazing village. Steep hill on the one side covered by thick forest and a little river running down the other. Time has certainly stopped here.

The buildings are all made out of odd strips of wood covered with mud. The roofs are all covered with some kind of tree bark held down by small rocks. How can they survive the elements? Abol tells us that this is a summer village. The residents migrate to their other houses further down the valley in winter. This place can apparently get covered in a couple of metres of snow in winter. That much snow in what seems like a tropical forest! Now we have seen everything....

We all sit down to enjoy the breakfast. Feta cheese, local jams and honey, water melon, melon and some sort of local muesli make up the menu. A  jug of milk is on the table. It is still warm. I know it is fresh because I saw the cow tethered in the garden earlier this morning. The bread is freshly cooked by Soraya Khanoom and is still hot by the time it is on the table. Later I find the bread oven. Just a simple small hut with  a mud oven dug out of the ground. An armful of twigs is enough to get it hot enough to bake the bread. Yet again I am struck by the simple and sustainable life style. 

The best spread seems to have been provided for the grooms. They seem happy and contented and are tucking in wholeheartedly. 

Breakfast over, we set about again looking around in the area. Discussions are held between Colin, Ateshe and myself about which horse to use on what day. We are keen to show a Caspian Horse at work. I want to see one of the Caspians bringing in Heezom ( logs for the fire) from the mountains. For this we need a Paloon- a traditional horse/donkey saddle. But there are no signs of a Paloon anywhere. We seem to have forgotten that we have a guardian angel with us. Abol! Seconds after briefing he disappears in the village . Upon his return we are informed that yes there is a Paloon in a derelict barn up the hiil and it can be borrowed. Fantastic. He and I set off in Abolmobile and drive up the hill on a very narrow track. The vehicle only just squeezes in to a ravine from which appears another magnificent vista. An old barn is standing in front of us. Someone has left a Paloon at the door for us. How does he do it?

We set off back to base with the Paloon firmly strapped to the roof rack. On the way we have frequent stops  letting cows and their calves cross the narrow road on their way to the forest for the day.

By now it is mid day. We walk back to base. Another feast awaits us. Then, everyone disappears to one corner or another for a siesta. I find Colin looking lost wondering where everyone is. They are asleep, Colin. Find yourself a cool spot and take a nap... 

I walk in the garden armed with a small rug and a pillow. I find a nice tree, spread the rug on the ground and close my eyes. I listen to the sound of the Caspian horses grazing within metres. Birds singing. I drift off....

An hour or so later I wake up. I wander into the chalet, and find the Samovar in full action. A glass of tea in hand, I set about looking for Colin. 

I find him on the edge of the fires by a stream. He has found an extremely narrow wooden foot bridge and is busy taking pictures of it. Cameron is acting as his guide and assistant. He is trying to talk Colin into walking on the bridge to demonstrate how safe it is. Colin wisely limits himself to the camera work. Back to the village again to take more test shots in the afternoon and early evening light.

Once in the village we come across a couple of ladies purposefully walking about, sleeves rolled up, hands and arms covered in what seems like blood. We are all alarmed. Abol starts to giggle with a mischievous look on his face. There is clearly some activity going on in the village that involves a very red substance. Upon arrival the penny drops. The air is filled with the aroma of boiled black cherries. The women of the village are busy making the legendary “Lavashak". This involves the boiling of black cherries in huge vats and to a soft paste, rolled and flattened to a thin sheet and dried in the sun. The dried sheets are then cut into strips and eaten by all, particularly children as a snack. No pop drinks and sweets for these kids.

Before long Colin and I have identified three possible locations for our shots. All we have to do is work out where shadows are going to be at any given hour. We also work on a theme for each shot. This is the best part of the Calendar shoot: trying to create a beautiful  scene given some of the best elements an artist could wish for. As far as we are concerned time has just stopped.

On one of my excursions, I discover a beehive outside someone's house. This is irresistible for me as a beekeeper. I spend some time watching the bees going in and out of the hive bringing back all types of colourful pollen in their knee sacs. I wish I had packed my bee suit. The thought of spending an hour with a mountain beekeeper in such a remote place is truly exciting.

All quiet now. I am in my sleeping bag thinking about the day. The people, the houses, the walnut tree, the cheeky children, the bees and the forest. I feel grateful to the Caspian Horse for dragging me out of my comfort zone, half way across the world to this enchanted place. 

The night forest is by now in full song backed up by the murmur of the river running down the hill. The sky above is not black. It is silver even though there is a crescent moon out. What must it be like on a moonless night. So many stars.

Big day ahead tomorrow...

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Iran Days 1 & 2   |   Iran Day 3   |   Iran Day 4   |   Iran Day 5   |   Iran Day 6   |   Iran Day 7 

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