Our second day in Shiraz was filled with as much culture as the first, courtesy of tour guide Khosro. In the morning, Khosro's sister-in-law was very keen to take me to the Mausoleum of the King of Light (Aramgah-e Shah-e Cheragh) and I could definitely see why. Inside, there was an expansive courtyard with fountains, surrounded by glittering gold minarets and a huge blue-tiled dome. Unfortunately, I couldn't take photos to illustrate as cameras were forbidden. Only muslims are allowed, so I was fortunate to be able to go inside. To enter any mosque, women have to wear the Chador. This is basically a large sheet of cloth which you use to cover everything except your face. There are no fastenings, so you have to hold it closed with your hands. This was my forth experience of wearing one, and I still was having trouble! Once inside, ceilings and walls glittering with tiny mirrors greet you, much like the mosque interior in Qom, except on a much grander scale.

According to the history, it houses the remains of Sayyed Mir Ahmad, one of Imam Reza's 17 brothers. He was hunted down and killed by the caliphate on the site in AD 835. There was also a museum which displayed objects, such as pottery and coins from different periods of Iranian history.

After this, we visited the Naranjestan and Khan-e Zinat ol-Molk. Like many of the sites in Shiraz, this place had a beautiful garden with palm trees and orange trees. It is the setting for the impressive Naranjestan-e Qavam pavillion. This was built for the wealthy and powerful Mohammad Ali Khan Qavam al-Molk between 1879 and 1886 as the public reception area of his family home. The Khan-e Zinat ol-Molk housed the family's private quarters.

We came home for lunch with the family and a well deserved rest. Later in the afternoon we went for a stroll around the Bagh-e Eram (Garden of Paradise) botanical gardens.