19th Century Nasir-ol-Molk Mosque lit up like Christmas at prayer time, Shiraz

Mosque minarets are typically lit up with green light, the color associated with Mohammad, and serve as beacons for prayer. Nasir-ol-Molk Mosque, Shiraz

Pop-up tents are very popular in Iran, as are city parks containing concrete tent pads. Iranians camp out a lot in front of tourism sights in order to save on hotel costs.

Notice anything odd about the woman in this restroom sign? (She is wearing the "hejab," or headscarf!)

"The Gate of All Nations," entrance to Persepolis, capital of the Persian Empire during the Achaemenid dynasty, dating back to 513BC.

Columns in Persepolis entrance, the Gate of All Nations.

The Gate of All Nations is guarded by a pair of Lamassu's, bulls with the head of a bearded man

Excavation of Persepolis has only been going on since 1930.

Persepolitan architecture is noted for its use of wooden columns such as cedars from Lebanon and teak from India. Since it is believed to have been destroyed by fire, that is why more stone columns were not found.

The bas-reliefs of the Apadana Staircase showing Persian and Median soldiers are still in excellent condition.

Sometimes the eccentric tourists can be more interesting and photogenic than the historical sites.

I have become one of those eccentric tourists. You cannot imagine how hot it was in the baking sun with a yard of fabric wrapped around my neck. So I converted my headscarf into a personal tent for shade.