Badger badger badger

The roofscape of ancient town Yazd is covered by badgirs. These are ingenious constructions acting as medieval air conditioning systems.

Yazd

Desert rose

The 1800-year old palace was built by Ardashir Babakan, the founder of the Sasanian empire. But even among the deserted ruins, life finds a way. However it's not really a rose but a papaver (opium poppy).

Ruins of Ardashir-Kwarrah

Life between the rocks

Somewhere in Meymand

More tea

Invited for tea in village somewhere in Meymand

Open air kitchen

Having breakfast in nomad camp

Welcome to Mos Eisley

I bet Obi-Wan would feel at home here.

Alley in Yazd

Below the minarets

We sat down in the mosque at sunset and watched as the hordes of people arrived for the evening prayer, ushered by the endless pre-recorded chants from the loud minaret speakers.

Abbasi Jame Mosque in Esfahan

King of the hill

It's great fun climbing the kaluts (sand castles) in the Lut desert towards Afghanistan.

Reine in Dasht-e Lut

Bridge over river Zayandeh

There used to be lovely tea houses located on the many bridges across the Zayandeh river. For various reasons they have been forced to shut down, one by one. The only one remaining is located on the north side of this 298 meters long bridge.

Si-o-Seh bridge in Esfahan

Looking for Baal

Naqsh-e Jahan is the second-largest square in the world after Tiananmen Square in Beijing, or so they say.

Reine at Naqsh-e Jahan in Esfahan

The sound of silence

Instead of a traditional burial, the Zoroastrians placed their dead on top of a Tower of Silence. The bodies were then picked clean by vultures and their bones later stored in the wall.

A Tower of Silence south of Yazd

Not really a final rest

Cyrus the Great was perhaps the greatest leader of ancient Persia, praised in the Bible for his humanitarian rule. The large tomb is located in his capital city of Pasargadae. Unfortunately it had already been plundered when Alexander the Great visited the site 200 years after Cyrus' death.

The tomb of Cyrus in Pasargadae

Cave man

Reine having tea in a cave in Meymand

Beyond the mud

The 1800 year old town of Meybod consists of mud-brick buildings with gardens featuring pomegranade trees.

Meybod

There is no shuffle here

The 1800 year old town of Meybod consists of mud-brick buildings. This man is creating bricks by mixing clay with straws.

Worker in Meybod

Raiding the citadel

The town of Rayen is located at the foot of Mount Hezar, the 4th highest mountain in Iran.

Citadel ramparts in Rayen

Ascend

Just one more hill. Just one.

Climbing kaluts in Dasht-e Lut

Sins of the father

Since Xerxes sacked Athens in 480 BC, it was probably inevitable that Alexander the Great had to burn Persepolis to the ground in retaliation 150 years later.

Palace of Xerxes at Persepolis

On this rock

Notice the person for scale comparison.

The tomb of Xerxes at Naqsh-e Rustam

I dream in color

This amazing mosque was completed in 1888.

Nasir al-Mulk, Shiraz

House of strength

Attending a Zurkhaneh training/workout. This is the strangest thing I've seen in a long time.

Zurkhaneh at Saheb A Zaman in Yazd

The lost boys

The really cool guys are hanging around beneath the bridges.

Under the Khaju Bridge in Esfahan

Inside the fire temple

Admiring the view from Ateshkadeh-ye in Esfahan

Tea time

Bazar in Kerman

Of love and nightingales

The 12th century poet Hafez remains an idol 700 years after his death. The marble tombstone is visited by happy faces and the area more resembles a picnic spot than a burial site.

Tomb of Hafez in Shiraz

Salty feet

Reine at Daryache ye Namak

Headhunter

The proud chef with a sheep head.

Tehran

Braaaaaains

This is where zombies goes for a late night snack. The mind is a terrible thing to taste.

Having sheep brain in Tehran

Follow the light

This town really needs better signs.

The anonymous entrance of our hotel in Yazd