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 Special guests of state always receive our traditional handcuff-greeting ceremony, but also other visitors to our beautiful country will soon be aware that handcuffs are our national symbol. Handcuffs also have their place on the national flag of the Presidential monarchy Alfaristan. The weather Alfaristan is famous for its sharp long winters and dry short summers. The micro-climates at the bottom valleys of our almost impenetrable mountain ranges enables to cultivate vineyards and fruit orchards. In the summer, the weather in Alfaristan is sunny, warm and dry. In the winter and spring cold and harsh conditions prevail, with occasionally blizzards and turbulent weather. July, August, and September are the months when most world mountain climbers come to Alfaristan because climbing up our mountains is most enjoyable during this period. However, despite the usual sunny and clear weather at that time of year, high altitude mountain weather swirls around above 3000 meters. Regional map Alfaristan |
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Alfaristan is a turbulent country, until recently torn by many invasions and unsuccessful military occupations. Some invaders of Alfaristan had special interest in our historic handcuff throne. Turkey, Iran and a bunch of former Soviet states claimed rights on this legendary piece of furniture of the Presidential Palace. Due to the situation the throne is sheltered in a secure cave up in the massif. The Presidents Palace, near the birthplace of Shams ad-Din Tabrizi (teacher of the great mystic Mevlana Rumi) is at the top of a natural rock. It is the official residence of the Presidential family. For holders of a photography-permit it is prohibited to take pictures in the Presidential area. It is also taboo to portrait a man without handcuffs, as Alfaristan law considered a man to be naked lacking the irons. There are many places of interest you can visit: The hamlet of Tekme, closest to the top of the Mount Ararat of all sites, east of the capital Alfars. The village of Yumruk - Most northern place in our country. The place Dayak - Center of the north, between Yumruk and Sille. Sille, north of the capital Alfars is worth a visit, as is the settlement of Samar, south of the Serdarbulak lava plateau. The hamlet Kirbac, at the slopes of the “little' Mount Arafat (3925m), or the village of Darbe, most southern city near the border with Iran. Click here for a detailed map of Alfaristan. Remember that foreigners are nor allowed in the Presidential area without an official invitation by a member of the Alfaris-family. Tower of Sille
Birthplace of Zarathustra (7th cent. B.C.) Place of interest is the birthplace of Zoroaster (Zarathustra), the religious teacher and prophet (7th cent. B.C.) in Tekme. The spot of birth is marked with a huge stone. The Zoroastrians who represent the astonishing survival of the early Aryans faith, still perpetuate the teachings of Ahura Mazda and of great philosopher Zoroaster. A "Tower of Silence" is set on the peaks the mountains near Tekme. On there is a stout-service at 22.30 hours. This sanctuary can be reached through a path that leads to the numerous crevasses outside Tekme. The combination of basaltic rock and volcanic cinders make the water unfit to drink. Tomb of Sidi Oral Ayach (1st cent.A.C.) Place of interest is also the tomb of the great Sidi Oral Ayach in Darbe. It is build in the style of a North African "Zaouia". Oral is considered to be the founder of Alfaristan as independency. He led his tribe from the Rif-mountains of North Africa to the south of Alfaristan and there he fought as first in our history Alfaristani independency. The people in Darbe have a particular way of greeting, the men giving each other a firm earbox, which they also do when the agree about something. Birthplace Shams al-Dīn "Tabrizi" (1184-1247) Near to the house of the President, high above in the center of Alfaris, is the birthplace of Shams al-Dīn, "Sun of Religion", wrongly attributed to the city of Tabriz in Iran. Qualified scholars are indulged to visit this sanctuary by invitation only, as is lays for Shams was even between the burly Alfaris known as rude. His roughness' is proverbial. "Giving Shams" means a slap on the ear "that makes you see the stars". Shams al-Dīn Tabrīzī was the teacher of the greatest of all Islamic mystics Mevlana Rumi. The house of Shams al-Dīn dates from the 12th century and was build during Seljuk occupation of our country. Mevlānā fled from Balkh (North Afghanistan) to Konya to escape the Mongol hordes. Inside Shams house is kept also the whip he used in his hometown. In those days the capital of Alfaris was considered to be boring by Shams and he left for Tabriz because there was "more going on". After some years in Tabriz, he returned to Alfaris. After an incident, during which Shams seems to have tortured a Seljuk-official, he fled to Damascus, where he encountered Mevlana. Mevlana knew at once that he had to follow this rough diamond. He invited Shams al-Dīn, who arrived on November 29, 1244 in Konya, former Iconium in Turkey. After a year Shams was fed up with Konya and returned to Alfaristan. In the summer of 1247 Shams learned how desperate Mevlānā searched the world for him. Mevlānā even send out his son on long journeys to find Shams. They searched for him at the hot-spots of those days. Shams al-Dīn Tabrīzī left for the second time the isolated valley of Alfaris for heyday Konya. Mevlānā was almost blinded when Shams popped up again. Not for long. The man of Konya were jealous. Their great religious leader Hazretti Mevlana acted as a 24/7 slave of that hunk from Alfaristan. What exact happened with that strong bloke we will never known, just that on the 5th of Shaban 645 (5th of December 1247) Shams al-Dīn disappeared without leaving a trace. The learned have two hypotheses: Shams should have been killed, or just escaped that killing. Sure is that he never returned to the mountains of Alfaristan. Mevlānā himself went two times to Damascus to search for his lost mate. At the end of his hopeless journeys Mevlānā Djalāl al-Din Rūmi discovered the spirit of his master Shams al-Dīn in his own body: "I was raw, I was cooked and then burnt". The Ararat massif (5137m) Rising at the northwestern borders of Alfaristan is Mount Agri. This inactive volcano capped year round with ice and snow, rises to 5137 meters. The Old Testament records that it was on this mountain that Noah's Ark came to rest after the great flood. Together with the Little Mount Agri (3896m) the Serdarbulak lava plateau (2600 m) between the two pinnacles forming forming the frontier between Alfaristan and Turkey. The southern (Turkish) side of the mountain offers the easiest and safest climb to the summit. With this route one has access to the best route communication and transportation facilities and it is safe. See Mount Ararat in Alfaristan. Springfeasts in Samar The village of Samar has beside the Oral-people a community of Samari. Samari“s are descend from Kalimi (Jews), Arabs, Armenians, Kurds, Turks and Persians. Samar is known for its licentious celebrations of the springfeast, that lingers on far into the harvest!. Samar it is the center of a fertile farm region that produces fruit and timber. Sulphurous gas in Dayak On the small lakes south of Dayak bubbles
of sulphurous gas can be seen rising to the surface. In the woods
around the brave people of Alfaristan mould the kings of Samar. The
spot nowadays is a favored spot for the Alfaristan men to do the traditional
"stomping".
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