HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1970-03-12, Page 19t rod45a:
Trip' by donkey .through r ountryside
11J
Continued -
ORNA VINCENT picture them discussing, with the expected to hear shots. not answer our greeting, Some. wa the made the descent with
p � Y� they-made
glee, these green A family .With two young looked the other way, Many, Pi flower samples intact, although
We packed sandwiches, ferangis. They (the villagers) children resting hi the shade <, them, however, smiled' ' and
we moved out of sight I could As we approached, we almost and often the younger Qnea did climb up again and find an easier
we had' a few worried moments
weiners and a kettle for makling might not be able to read or an overhanging rock, . fell in exchanged "salaams." • Most watching them. '
coffee.: With all seven of us write but -they could ride , behind, us as we passed, 'Much to people in this country rarely
crowded into. --the embassy- �donke s with an air of regal our surprise, they were on foot :underst ...a foreigner who rides We ,returned to our picnic
Station -wagon, we set out for .a' g ° y, our guide carried a 1ttn while two heavily lacer. donkeys a •lowly donkey for pleasux Place for a siesta, and just as we
village near the mountains where di nit were wafted off on receding
pole, and toughly poked any walked ahead. The mother . when he has a. car at his disposal. g
we could hire donkeys by the day. We had lived in Tehran only lagging animal, as he walked gratefully accepted an' offer to; To them, It does not seem waves of water-ratttsic, .we felt
behind thegroupof riders give the', little ; ones a ride, and reasonable, and they gaze • at us Ql gee cehl drops ,falling :on our
a short'°time; and this was a new faces, We reluctantlysat
,. „�; Whine •ytce. ,passed along the''' two of the girls took a child each . with • the tolerant pity which . up
and •. exe>tting adventure. z- ,w ,-- w ne `. mi` ht bi�stow on ' mi -e. -real zt-ng-,-that---it--had--Started-ter
shady stream, then tip a duster A to share her saddle. ,I was 1 y g rain. The o
However, friends. we had talked road winding around bare nibs, amazed . at the docility of the . 'mentally' deranged. h sky to .ked .ominous
'` ' into w
joining
began
us were quite e g n to straighten our children' •• who settled back, When we came to a. glade at and we heard distant rumbles of,
skeptical of the expedition. • Spines" a ,d to loosen the relaxed and'content, in the arms the junction of a.lovely waterfall thunder• The guide hastily
After a hot and dusty rude we grip on our mtfunts, of "strangers; so ;different from and a quiet pool,we agreed rounded tip 'our donkeys who
• desperate
saw the grillage ahead, lying like's objected . strenuously to the
I. admired the way in 'which themselves. These little . ones unanimously that 'we were
green jewel amort, the: bare hills. interruption of their • lush
our patient animals ignored with looked healthy in spite of their hungry. The donkeys were
Iti nestled'.., a thick grove of banquet, and we .started .down
trees surrounded by cultivated dignity the frequent pokes of ':v. soiled garments, matted hair and driven off to graze on, the towards the village.
the guide's stick. Who could unwashed skin. Neither of them surrounding hills - while we The thunder' bynow,
fields. , We were charmed by the blame them for stopping on a uttered a sound until they were hobbled about; collecting brush •
shady street, quaint ',little shops hot day to drink whaenever they returned -•-to-' their parents at our' • for the fire. t a reverberated terrifyingly among
and teahouses. Beyond the mainthe rocky cliffs and our wet
- street, small mud -plaster houses passed close to ' water, or first stopping place. A makeshift After `the noisy city, how
shirts clung,coldly to our backs.
stood on different levels alonga grabbing a hasty snack when we mud shelter like a row of stalls lovely it was in the majestic Y
came to a few tempting green stood in an open area shaded bysilence of the mountains.` Only The' "trail became slippery, and,
runningstream shaded bytall P gP o c Gas' nilly the ,,donkeys
shrubs. We followed the twistin trees and shrubs. Here,travellers the music of falling . water, and
• • willows. A few more pretentious 'stumble We •,entreated our
road steadily upward until we' could sleep, `escape from a the -tinkling stream beyond.the
buildings were surrounded by saw, far below, the village` storm, make tea, or just stretch still pool, filled the air. After guide in all arsi we knew, to
walled gardens: The place looked &nestling in its green valley. A sea their legs. We, dismounted for a , putting the kettle on the fire, we stop poking at them.
neater and more prosperous than of willows rose above the short rest but our - legs dangled our wirm feet in the When we came out' of the
,most villages in this area. winding stream, screening it` threatened to collapse under.`us. cold water. This was the - Iran I gorge, we left the storm behind
Manymen lounged around We wobbled down to the stream liked best:. close to the fragrant us in the °mountains. The sun
g from view. The citta beyond lay
the main teahouse.' One of them in a haze of dust, and waded about in the cold earth,. under the willows on -a shone on the plain, and we were
in the °traditional workman's From here; after crossing 'a waterwhich seemed to restore mountain stream. grateful for its warmth on our
costume of stiped pyjamas and bare plain baked' by the our foundations. When we left, We cooked our weiners, made wet backs. We passed shepherds
skull cap,' sat breaking up '-raw relentless sun, we entered a cleft everyone' tried to remount coffee and spread out our with their flocks travelling in a
sugar with a hammer, Although •t'hroutgh the mountains. Now, without help but our efforts sent sandwiches which we had to "cloud of dust. We came to a
gathered up into bowl's ' andalong the older edge of 'the • ' started to walk woo Sino e;tastedi .- •
e'
passed around to the customers. and narrow trail. Although, by • away, dragging • me ,helplessly rarest of banquets. The guide
Some men slept soundly on the now, ,they had won our , with it. My terrified screams had, wandered across the river to village nestling in its green valley
wooden divans, while others sat_ far below. Before We drew near
confidence, most of us refrained brought. the : guide. running. At snooze .in the shade while --the " -
cross-legged; smoking . rented from looking down. When our the last moment, he 'saved me donkeys munched contentedly to it, some of us dismounted to
water _ _es ciliac hu ble from. beim _dismembered.This on their salad ireens.._ .._ ._ - relieve the pressure on a certain
__I:Apes . _ , _., :..._ - path. lay :across the stream, all g. °g at"f=o tete om .When the
bubble) which made ,loud the donkeys stopped ` and thea pastime, I thought;seemed more , Afterwards, , some of us Y
gurgling noises. Next door a guide drove them with his pole suited to acrobats than people of walked further along,the trail, villagers saw its approaching. on
good-looking • young cobbler foot, ythey smiled knowingly as
into the ' swift' current., We sedentary habits.' lured `by each curve that revealed
chanted - to himself as he s
enjoyed ,'shower of cold spray The bells on our donkeys ' new- vistas of beauty. We drank though to say, "These ferangi
' pounded happily on his leather. as it splashed on our warm tinkled gaily as we trotted along the .cold, fresh water of- a spring have had enough, and we shall
As soon as the car stopped we bodies. On high narrow ledges, the trail, and the blue beads gushing out of the rock, and sat never see them .again.
were surrounded by people the animals crowded one ' attached to each halter added a meditating' on the indescribable Although some of us could
converging from all directions. .another, and we squealed with festive- look. roaching ‘ joys of nature. A variety of scarcely sit down f8r two days,
In' the background a few timid . fright, es eciall when a cavalcade jingled its presence s w e e t perfumes from we still thought donkey travel in
especiallyIran the best of pastimes, as well
women stood witheir irathaclors. Waterfall roared far below. This from around a bend. We greeted w i 1 d f i o w e r s . - o n t h eas the only way to see the real
pulled welt•over their faces, The secreted always to amuse the with pleasure these riders along mountainside, floated past our
children hid shyly` -behind Them: guide, and- he . poked at our the t
his bare feet were resting against our path followed the the guide into more gales, of protect from an onslaught of lonely lamb, crying pitifully for
the white mounds in front of swift -moving 'stream and our laughter. When I succeeded in ants. Our simple lunch, its mother, but we could see a
G
_shepherd coming after it When
him the sugar _pieces were sure footed erbeasts eted getting oeJoot over -he addlk delicately �fiavoxed-• -with
th d t b wT steep my donkey d k l k -tli" Twe-reaehed the other side of this
desert area we
could see our
rail. ,Some were 'nostrils. Two younger members beauty . of the .mountains.. Many
t dt h 'll
-An unshaven man with an mounts more maliciously than sturdy -looking women who fed
appraising eye, 'stepped forward ever. , Walls of delicately tinted their babies_ as they 'travelled.
to ask our business. When we rock-irrgWeeping patterns rose to Others ware colorful costumes -
ordered . eight donkeys for the : sunlit peaks on either•side of the of . the tribespeople ' These
day his°face broke into a broad stream: Dark cave -like openings usually • were ,, more friendly
smile, a and he bargained , appeared • here and 'there,, ,an • types, but most of the women
engagingly for a very high Jnice. excellent protection •in earlier wrapped their chadors more
en h .r4 discovA ed : that .`W days for brigands and 3rpbbers closely about therx as we passed'
, well-inforrii'd , �. ,'ir►�""'`"i'��.:. °
matter, he settled for our rate. A
bo'y was dispatched at once td
round up the animals, 'and I was
�! ' surprised to hear within a few
minutes their approaching bells.
The unkempt looking guide
stored our supplies neatly in
saddle=bags on the spare donkey.
The saddles were old, dusty
pieces of carpet folded and
• strapped : to the animal's back.
The halters had pieces of chain
or rope attached, to which one
might cling for balance. Most of
the donkeys in Iran had slit
nostrils which enables them to
continue breathing -when vastly
overloaded. Most of us
, approached, the , steepy looking
animals with great caution but
r one member of our group, in an
effort -to show off, - tried to
mount his steed with a . running
leap: The momentum took him
too far and he landed flat in a
M mud puddle on the other side.
When he slowly arose with his
immaculate sports. shit covered
in muddy water he looked like a
deflated' - balloon, especially
when the spectators rocked with
suppressed laughter.
. The guide ran from one
'• donkey to the next, helping each
of --us to mount in our own
clurfisy fashion. NI.y - donkey,
without rope or chain, followed•
the cavalcade, while I, at first,
clung affectionately to its neck.
Only one person in our group
was an experienced rider, and
the villagers pointed to her in
wonder -when they 'saw how
- easily she mounted and sat
relaxed and straight with her
hands resting on her knees. The
awkward efforts of the rest of us
• kept the villagers amused until
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Mmes, We re urne o t e vt age
of our group climbed,, a steep
mountainside across the stream for expeditions, and the people
to gather floral samples: The
always -crowded arourui .our car
with-smlies :and ,salutations like
descent proved • much ; more
difficult 'as it dislodged loose old friends. On our return,' they.
pieces of steric and .gravel. regathered to watch closely the
Although the girls, when mote financial • negotiations • for our
A, thstn'" half -way down: had to trip.
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We no longer passed the regal
looking peasants on the trail
with our eyes downcast in
,embarrassment. In fact, we have
ridden right up among the peaks
where the majestic and
incredibly beautiful panorama of
the autumn landscape would
enchant the most indifferent
eyes, At that season"of the year,
the valleys 'are splashed, with big
dart s o gol'd,, rust and •„green;