A journey through Iran

Notes from a recent journey going counter-clockwise around Iran, visiting places such as Tehran, Shiraz, Persepolis, Esfahan, Yazd, Meybod, Meymand, Kerman, Mahan, Mashhad and more.

Touchdown in Tehran

Touchdown in Tehran, the capital of Iran. Imam Khomeini Airport was not the jolliest of places and the passport control was extremely tedious, but here we are.

The first thing I noticed in Tehran was the traffic. I’ve seen some crazy stuff in my days, cities such as Cairo and Bangkok are downright hilarious when it comes to traffic regulations and public safety, but this was probably even worse. I loved it.

We quickly dropped our bags at the hotel in Gohar Shad Alley and went looking for food close to midnight on deserted streets. It immediately struck me that the streets were completely empty on this fine Saturday evening in a city of millions. I guess everybody were at home, since there is no nightlife to mention. In fact, my Lonely Planet had a chapter “Nightclubs” for Tehran but the paragraph only consisted of two words: “Dream on”.

Saturday night in Tehran. Not a living soul in sight.

Onward to Shiraz

Morning in Tehran. After a horrible excuse of a coffee in Jamali Alley, the morning was kick-started with a fierce taxi ride through Tehran. I enjoyed chatting with the driver who really hated the city and played loud music. We drove past the gigantic Azadi Tower, which looked more like a white Sauron tower than a monument of freedom. As expected, the ride actually ended up with a car crash, making a big dent in my passenger door.

Later in the afternoon, we arrived to the city of Shiraz. Left the backpack at the hotel and walked across Hamzeh Bridge. The traffic was a bit less insane than Tehran (but only a bit). We saw a great dome in the distance and soon entered the magnificent Imamzadeh-ye Ali Ebn-e Hamze. The walls inside were covered with mirrors and the tomb of Emir Ali was located in the center. I’ve been told that Shiraz is one of the oldest towns in Iran and it sure felt a lot more conservative than Tehran.

The impressive interiors of the shrine, as always under the watchful eye of Khomeini.

The ground outside the entrance was filled with tombstones, which cost a small fortune for the families of the deceased. A woman released gold fishes into a nearby pool, as a traditional wish for a happy life.

Chador-clad woman releasing gold fishes outside the shrine.

Walked north through Melli park where there was a lot of tents, as the Iranian people sure loves to picnic. I tried the odd local specialty Faloodeh, some sort of frozen starch lime juice with rose water. Weird but not bad.

Faloodeh.

Our path led us to Aramgah-e Hafez, where the beautiful tomb of national poet Hafez brought lots of people into the night.

Getting past the crowd made me hungry, and after a long walk westbound we found the best kebab in town near the gas field. A fitting end to the evening was the furious cab ride home, which cost 20 000 rial but more entertaining than any roller-coaster I’ve ever tried.

• Related blog post: Hunting for kebab in Shiraz

Tomb of national poet Hafez.

The next day we ended up at Daryache ye Namak, a salt lake outside of Shiraz. It was possible to walk quite far into the lake, which made my shoes look like they’ve been through a rough winter in Gothenburg.

Across the salt lake, Daryache ye Namak.

The winds of time in Persepolis

Finally time to visit Persepolis, one of the great places of the ancient world. It was once the ceremonial hub of the Achaemenid Empire with large temples, before Alexander the Great decided to burn Persepolis to the ground. It was probably in retaliation to Xerxes sacking Athens in 480 BC, about 150 years earlier. Talk about holding grudges.

The remains of Xerxes’ Palace in Persepolis.

I especially enjoyed the beautiful Apadana staircase with several well-preserved reliefs. Unfortunately a lot of the items has been brought to the British Museum in London, but the imposing stone columns gave a hint of the former magnitude of this place.

Graffiti from visitors such as Welsh explorer Stanley (visited in 1870) were seen carved into the stone here and there.

Ancient carvings at the Apadana staircase in Persepolis.

From the adjacent hilltop we had a great view of the entire palace area. These hills also holds the tombs of several kings, but even more imposing tombs were located at nearby Naqsh-e Rustam, where they have been cut into the mountain side.

The tomb of Xerxes at Naqsh-e Rustam. Notice the human for scale.

We managed to get a car to Pasargadae, the old capital city of Cyrus the Great. He was perhaps the greatest leader of ancient Persia, praised even in the Bible for his humanitarian rule. His large tomb is quite impressive, but unfortunately it had already been plundered when Alexander the Great visited the site in 324 BC, about 200 years after the death of Cyrus.

The tomb of Cyrus in Pasargadae.

We explored the surrounding sites and found writings carved in columns in three different languages. The fortress of Toll-e Takht at a hilltop offered nice views of the area.

The fortress of Toll-e Takht.

Desert camp

Time to leave the civilization and go south. After a few hours we entered the town of Firuz Abad where we found the ruins of an 1800-year old palace called Ardashir-Kwarrah.

The ruins of Ardashir-Kwarrah.

Among the deserted ruins were red papavers (opium poppy), a welcome splash of color in the otherwise barren site. The palace was once built by Ardashir Babakan, founder of the Sasanian empire.

Inside Ardashir-Kwarrah.

For several hours we rolled across steep hill roads which made the engine roar with displeasure. The temperature was rising and we rarely saw any people or settlements.

Settlements along the desert road in southern Iran.

We finally stopped at a Kashgai nomad camp shortly before dying of the heat. The family was very friendly and we had tea sitting on a carpet they had woven themselves.

We tagged along as they were milking goats, picked berries from trees, farmed vegetables in the fields and made yogurt.

Staying with the nomads.

After nightfall I went on a walk alone and marveled at the impressive starry sky, completely free from light pollution.

A beautiful night under the stars.

Towards Esfahan

I woke up freezing on a Persian rug with aching back. Behind a corner I saw the wicked rooster that had kept me awake for hours, but luckily for him I was too tired to go hunting.

The nomad family baked very nice bread for breakfast and we thanked them for the short but very interesting stay, which really gave me some perspective on our lifestyle back home.

The car engine was not happy at all as it struggled to get across the hills. It was a very long journey north, but we finally arrived in Esfahan late in the evening.

We walked across the Si-o-Seh bridge with its 33 arches beautifully lit across the Zayandeh river. It seemed like a popular place for young people to hang out.

Si-o-Seh bridge in Esfahan.

The next morning we managed to find our way to Imam Square, which is said to be the second-largest square in the world after Tiananmen Square in Beijing. There were lots of families having picnics in the grass and we got lots of attention since we were probably the only non-Iranians in the entire area.

Searching for kebab at Imam Square.

We managed to find our way to Azadegan Tea House, well hidden in a small alley, where we had tea and admired the enormous amount of junk placed everywhere in the tiny place.

The well-hidden tea house in Esfahan.

Other highlights of the day included a bowl of Dizi stew, beautiful mosques and getting stare-downed by an entire school class.

After a full day of walking across town and exploring the old Jameh Mosque, I had a plate of the Iranian national dish Fesenjun, with its special taste from walnut and pomegranate sauce.

Fesenjun. It tastes better than it looks.

We managed to get half lost in the bizarre bazaar, until we found some sort of religious school with large Khomeini paintings on the wall. Deep in the basement we found the worst public toilet ever (a record that would last for only a few days). That was our cue and we walked back to the waterfront for an sunset walk along Zayandeh River.

Ateshkadeh-ye Esfahan from below.

We spotted a cool mountain at the horizon and immediately went there to climb up. At the top we found the old Zoroastrian fire temple Ateshkadeh-ye Esfahan, where we sat down in the crumbling mud brick arches and had a fantastic view of the surroundings.

Back down on the ground we went looking for pigeon towers, once used to hold thousands of pigeons for a supply of guano used as fertilizer for the city’s famous fields of watermelons. More than 700 of the once 3000 towers remains, but the most interesting part was the way there that lead us through a pitch black tunnel filled with animal skeletons.

Searching for pigeon towers is not for the faint of heart.

Back in civilization at Imam Square we joined the picnic families while waiting for the sun to set over the glimmering turquoise mosque domes. As always we drew more attention than an ice cream vendor in Sahara.

We managed to sneak into the Abbasi Jame Mosque at dusk and sat below the minarets as they echoed with loud prayers while serious men poured into the big chambers, praying on big rugs on the floor.

• Related blog post: The splendor of Esfahan

To Yazd

I really liked Esfahan, but now it was time for a completely different experience. We found our way to the bus station, where we entered an old bus mostly held together by duct tape. After a steaming ride through the desert we finally arrived at the city of Yazd.

Endless mud brick alleys.

Yazd is located in the middle of the desert. The city was once a popular travel hub along the Silk Road, so extra tall minarets were used as landmarks for the ancient camel caravans. It turned out to be very easy to get lost in the mud brick alleys.

The roofs of Yazd are covered with badgirs.

We went up on the roof of a mosque and admired the roof tops which had a lot of “badgirs”, ingenious constructions acting as medieval air conditioning systems.

Practitioners of Zurkhaneh in action.

The evening ended at a weird place. Saheb A Zaman Club Zurkhaneh was an old water reservoir built in 1580 but these days it is used as a dojo for practitioners of Zurkhaneh, a thousand-years old mix of religion and martial arts. A referee recited poetry of Hafez and beat the drum like crazy to provide a sonic backdrop for the performers whirling around in the center pit.

• Related blog post: Getting lost in Yazd

The quite discrete entrance to our hostel.

Meybod and beyond

We drove for hours into the desert before arriving at a mountain. Far up on the slopes we saw Chak Chak, the old fire temple which is the most sacred pilgrimage shrine of the Zoroastrians.

Ascending the slope was quite tough in the desert heat, but we finally reached the shimmering bronze gate. An old man unlocked the gate and we entered the shrine barefoot. To my surprise and delight, the floor tiles were cold and wet. Next to the eternal flame was a small drizzle of water next to a very old and gnarled tree. A most unexpected sight in the middle of a desert.

Later in the day we arrived in Meybod, another old trade center along the Silk Road. From the top of the Narein castle we had a great view of the mud brick city which felt really ancient.

View of Meybod from the Narein castle.

Passed through a caravansedai, which used to be sort of a camel motel, before we got to Yakh Dan, a mud brick house built to store ice during the summer. I climbed down into the egg-shaped pit, it was actually quite cold and the chamber gave a nice echo.

The journey east to Meymand

In the early morning we climbed to the top of a Tower of Silence, a place where the Zoroastrians placed their dead. After the bodies had been picked clean by vultures, the remaining bones were stored in small alcoves around the tower.

A Tower of Silence with remains of Zoroastrian buildings.

The day became endless hours along deserted roads through the barren stone desert. Stopped for gas in Shak-n-Babah, a chaotic trucker stop where the drivers fought for access to the pumps. I noticed several American Mack trucks among them, but they were quite old so I guess they were imported during the Shah era. This is also where I found the Worst Public Toilet Ever (unfortunately I didn’t bring any ceremonial plaque for the occasion).

We finally arrived at cave village Meymand in the evening. It felt a bit like the Flintstones when we entered the cozy cave that would be our home for the next few days.

The cave village of Meymand.

Went for a walk in the small village, passing the school building with Khomeini painted on the wall. There were only four children in the village, so I guess they had plenty of space. I bought some peanuts from a toothless old woman and had tea in a cave sitting on a tree log.

Our cozy cave in Meymand.

Lost in Meymand

Despite the hard surface I actually managed to get a few hours of sleep. Splashed some cold water in the face and went off trekking in the surrounding hillside. Our local guide was a young man named Ali, smiling all the time as he climbed the slopes with the energy of a mountain goat. A black dog followed us anywhere we went, but always at a respectable distance.

The poor black dog followed us everywhere we went.

Along the way we came across farmers who gave us almonds, and later we stumbled upon a family picnic where we were instantly invited to share their abundance of tea, dates and bread.

After a few hours of walking we were invited to a small hut where we had omelet with dates, and of course more tea.

Invited for tea in a village somewhere.

Arriving in Kerman

After several days in a quiet cave, it felt like a shock to arrive in Kerman during the afternoon, a busy town where the traffic was (you guessed it) really crazy.

The bazaar in Kerman.

After leaving the backpacks at a dirty hotel we walked through the bazaar, where we found a very nice tea house located in an old hamam. I tried the local cookie Kolompeh while two men played music in a corner and several visitors leisurely smoked on water pipes. Civilization, how I have missed thee.

We were later invited to a really nice family where we had good things to eat. I am constantly amazed at the hospitality of the Iranian people.

Exploring Dasht-e Lut

The city of Bam once had a beautiful citadel, but it was destroyed in the 2003 earthquake so we went to the nearby town of Rayen instead. It also has an old mud brick citadel which is nearly as impressive as the one in Bam, with a nice backdrop view of snowclad mountains.

Next stop Mahan, where we visited the mausoleum of sufi leader Shah Ne’emat Ollah-e-Vali. My friend got one of his usual bright ideas and soon we were climbing up one of the twin minarets! It was quite narrow but worth the hassle since it gave a great view of the turquoise tiled dome and rest of the city.

Unusual place #23: The top of a minaret.

After meeting a red snake in the toilet, we took off into the Dasht-e Lut.

The Lut desert is a place where the highest temperature ever was measured at a scorching +70 degrees Celsius. It is also famous for the kaluts, big sand castles which reminded me of Monument Valley in North America.

Exploring kaluts in Dasht-e Lut.

After a fuming hot drive for hours, it was finally time to discover what really lurked beyond the endless desert horizon, so we left the vehicle and started to ascend the mighty slopes of the kaluts. We sat down on a ridge and enjoyed the tranquil sunset over the kalut horizon.

Northbound train

Time to put on the backpack once again and head for the train station. The station of Kerman turned out to be as chaotic as expected, but as soon as we settled in our cabin, things got better. We were offered tea by the train steward and there were even some strange cookies. The barren landscape passed outside the window but at least there were pretty mountains and even the occasional wild dromedary.

The train stopped in the evening so passengers could get off to say their prayers. We were likely the only people left on the train.

We also had an ongoing feud with the cabin next door regarding the wagon temperature. The women clad in heavy chadors thought that the fuming desert heat was too cold and insisted on increasing the temperature. I woke up in the middle of the night, close to fainting from the heat before I managed to crawl to the window and push it open for cold air like a fish on dry land.

Entering Mashhad

Our night train arrived in Mashhad early in the morning. This is a pilgrim city close to Afghanistan which holds the shrine of Imam Reza, the eight Imam. The other eleven are buried in Iraq and other places, so this is the holiest site in Iran.

As non-Muslims we were not allowed to enter the innermost sanctum, but we watched from a distance as large crowds gathered to pray. The shrine is like a city within the city, filled with domes, fountains and courtyards. The area is so large that there is even a freeway intersection below it.

What to do next? Explored the bazaar area, had great kebab and got free cookies!

Back to Tehran

In the morning we went back to the train station of Mashhad, which was fortunately better than Kerman.

One of the magnificent train stations.

The westbound train ride went pretty smooth and I saw beautiful mountains in the countryside, including Fuji-shaped mountain Damavand in the distance as we got closer to Tehran.

After what seemed like an eternity, we were now finally back in Tehran. The train station was pretty busy, but we got into a cab that took us north through the insane traffic.

The streets of Tehran

I woke up to the sound of prayer chants at 5 AM. Today it was time to explore the northern part of Tehran. The entire city is built on the slopes below snowclad Alborz mountains and for half an hour we traveled constantly uphill. The mountains in the north turned out to be of great help for orientation since they are visible from most places in the city.

We found our way to the Sa’d Abad Museum, the luxury complex where the shah used to live. Only the legs remained of the statue of Reza Shah in front of the White Palace. Had a look inside the various palaces and weapon museums to learn more of this turbulent era.

Tehran is the largest city in the Middle East and today it really lived up to the name as we passed lots of blocks and it just never seemed to end. The National Museum turned out to be a disappointment though. Only a few of the items were from Persepolis, as the rest had unfortunately been shipped to British Museum in London.

• Related blog post: Tales from Tehran

Epilogue

In conclusion it was an interesting journey. Some parts of the country will force you to leave your comfort zone and it can unfortunately be quite challenging for female travelers, but I found the people to be very friendly and the sights are nothing short of spectacular.