Donations and Much More

I have been working hard for the last two days trying to figure out the best way to take the four "Have a Heart" animal traps I purchased. My plan: start trapping, neutering, and releasing the stray cats in the gated community where my mother lives. 

I have also received a number of donations from Quarry Ridge Animal Hospital and Ridgefield Pet for VAFA Animal Shelter. 

How do I pack these?

Lots of Donations to Pack. Photo: S. Ardalan

Medications for the Shelter. Photo: S. Ardalan

After many trials, this seemed the best thing to do: pack all my clothes and donations in the traps, put the traps back in their original boxes, and check them in instead of suitcases. What do I do for the trip back for a suitcase? Tightly roll up a canvas suitcase and pack it in one of the traps. 

Hope This Works. Photo: S. Ardalan

In the end, after much explanation and negotiation, I was able to check in two of the traps in place of the two suitcases allowed, paid for the third trap as extra luggage, and checked in the forth trap free of charge. Thank you, Lufthansa. 

All Checked In. Photo: S. Ardalan

While in transit at Frankfurt Airport, I noticed an Iran Air airplane getting prepared for a flight at one of the gates. It was touching to see the old girl looking so good. 

Frankfurt Airport. Photo: S. Ardalan

Iran Air is the oldest airline in the Middle East, pioneering in 1944 and currently operating services to fifty eight destinations. It is also referred to by its Persian acronym: HOMA (Havapeymaye Meliye Iran) and from homa, a griffin from Persian mythology. 

Iran Air Logo by Edward Zohrabian

In order to come up with a logo, a competition was announced through the newspapers in 1961 with judges from Tehran University, College of Fine Arts overseeing the selections. Using the Persian mythological griffin as his inspiration, twenty two-year old Edward Zohrabian came up with the turquoise winner design. In 2013, the logo was selected as the most beautiful in the airline industry by Skift, the largest industry providing media, insights and marketing to key sectors of travel. 

By Darkred from sv,
CC BY-SA 3.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1443258

The mythological griffin, which sits atop columns in Persepolis, has three distinct characteristics: an eagle's head, cow's ears, and horse's mane. Without legs, the griffin never rests, living its entire life flying above the earth. 

Persepolis, Iran. Photo: K. Farrokh

Persepolis was built in 518 BC by Darius the Great of the Achaemenid Dynasty. The name is Greek, given by the ancient Greeks who used to war with the ancient Iranians. Both countries fought each other in endless battles. Some of these battles have been highly and wrongly dramatized in such Hollywood movies as "300". Best read the history from both sides and not depend on Hollywood for your knowledge of ancient history (or anything else, for that matter). 

http://shsiranwebquest.weebly.com/persepolis-ancient-capital.html

So the Greeks called the city Persepolis, from perses polis or Persian City. The ancient Iranians called it Parsa which means City of the Persians. Persepolis is located sixty kilometers (roughly 37 miles) northeast of the city of Shiraz in Fars (Pars) Province in Iran and is made mostly of limestone. 

https://media1.britannica.com/eb-media/94/94894-004-5CF8B482.jpg

http://www.funwithcy.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Persepolis_001.jpg

Persepolis exemplifies the Achaemenid style of architecture. UNESCO declared Persepolis a World Heritage Site in 1979. It was sacked and looted by the Not So Great Alexander the Macedonian in 330 BC. According to the Greek historian Plutarch (AD 46- AD 120), Alexander carried away the treasures of Persepolis on 20,000 mules and 5,000 camels. Sounds like a lot of treasures to me.