Bridge 9: Se-o-Se Pol, the 33 Arches Bridge, Esfahan, Iran

Se-o-Se Pol at night

Biked in honour of Janina Stepek, whose grave in Tehran I visited a few days earlier and whose grandson, Martin, has particularly sponsored this bike crossing.

This amazing bridge dates from 1603 and has 33 large arches below, with 64 little arches on the bridge level.  The bridge is pedestrianised now and is a place of picnic and leisure for Iranians, both local and visiting.  Sadly the river bed is currently dry, the water having been diverted, it is said, to Yazd.

There is no law against women cycling here in Iran but the Council-run city-bike rental place would not hire to a woman.  Doing a walking reccie of the bridge, we met some Iranian young men on bikes and persuaded them to lend me one of their bikes to do the crossing.  In spite of their grave reservations, as reported in my travel blog, the crossing was completed without any police interference. 

My support team - Fouad and Svitlana

Thanks to my super-guide, Fouad Vali, for persuading the Iranian young man to part with his bike and for doing the necessary photography and to Svitlana, my tour companion, for holding my bags (an essential support!).

Postscript:  The water was returned to the Bridge a couple of weeks later - see video and pics.