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Let's see what the Alexis got up to next on her Central Asia trip!
DRIVE TO TABRIZ, IRAN (DAY 1):
"We slept only 20km from the border so we were there bright and early. About as easy a border crossing as there is really. The only thing extraordinary about it was we were crossing into Iran! We met our guide Hanieh and we were off! After a few hours of barren landscape and a truck lunch, we hit our first stop, the city of Tabriz. Once the capital of the Safavid kingdom and an important stop on the ancient Silk Road, today Tabriz is a modern and sprawling city dotted with important historic sites, an iconic bazaar and stunning parks. Our entry into the city was celebratory as the local soccer team had recently won Iran’s Persian Gulf Professional League and people were very excited about it! On arrival we visited the famed and beautiful Blue Mosque which dates back to 1465, but was partially destroyed in an earthquake in the 18th century. The partially ruined mosque has gorgeous blue tiling that took 25 years to complete! Our first dinner in Iran followed and it was spectacular! Chelo Kebab, Joojeh Kebab, Gormeh Sabzi, Koofteh Tabrizi, chicken stew and so much saffron rice. All of us entered this country with preconceived notions plus trepidation mixed with excitement. Every day was filled with surprises and mostly completely smashed any ideas we had in our head about the country. Our first day we were made to feel so welcome by everybody we encountered. Words we heard most over the course of 2 weeks were “WELCOME TO IRAN!” Tabriz was vibrant and modern with amazingly stylish young people making us feel especially frumpy in our attempts to dress appropriately. The vibe was immediately safe and welcoming and we knew we were going to have an unforgettable 2 weeks. Welcome to Iran indeed!"
TABRIZ AND KANDOVAN (IRAN DAY 2):
"We headed out of the city this morning to visit remarkable Kandovan, a cave village that dates back thousands of years to a time where people fled invading mongol hordes and carved homes in the slopes of the Sahand mountains. It is basically like the fairy chimneys of Cappadocia only people still live here. It was a Friday so locals were out in droves enjoying the scenery, picnics, eateries and shops that line the river around Kandovan. Not only was it special to visit a home and taste the incredible honey produced here, but to simply get lost alone among local life in a country so many warned us against visiting. A return to Tabriz brought an evening spent like Tabrizis do, strolling El Goli park. Everybody, their mother AND grandmother was out and about. The most special experience was randomly walking into an impromptu musical performance before watching the sunset over the park. There was a real electric energy here. Another great day."
TABRIZ TO QAZVIN (IRAN DAY 3):
"Before arriving in Qazvin, Hani brilliantly suggested we stop to visit the Sultaniyeh Mosque, the 3rd largest brick dome structure in the world! Only Santa Maria in Florence and Hagia Sophia in Istanbul beat it. What made this especially incredible was the fact the power was out and not another soul was inside but us. The lack of light added such mystery and adventure. You certainly cannot say the same about those other spots! We didn’t have much time in Qazvin, the one time capital of the Safavid dynasty and an incredibly important trade center under the Qajar dynasty, but the evening I had was so fantastic. First I lost a flip flop (tragic - see emergency pink shoes in front of the mosque!) so Hanieh and her friend took me to a shopping street and you could be anywhere in the world only with much nicer people. Chancletas in hand we drove (not for the faint hearted in this country!! 🤣) to the famed Sa’d al-Saltaneh Caravanserai, the largest in the entire world! Today it is a beautiful upscale marketplace dotted with cafes. Next door is the Qazvin bazaar and holy hell did that exude energy. Overstimulating in the best way. Next we went to dinner to try Gheymeh Nesar, an absolutely delicious local dish of jeweled rice and stewed meat. Sooo aromatic. I’ve eaten my weight in food daily here and I regret nothing!! It really is fantastic everywhere. I felt so lucky and grateful to be invited to tag along and meet another wonderful person and see the city through a different lens."
QAZVIN TO TEHRAN (IRAN DAY 4):
"What can I say about Tehran. It is a full on assault on the senses. To say it is bustling is an understatement. The only thing I can compare the traffic and driving to is Vietnam only with fewer rules and both cars and motorbikes participating in the extreme sport. Crossing the street is just like Vietnam, you walk and hope for the best only here there is much more of an air of unpredictability! For example sidewalks are appropriate places for fast moving vehicles and street direction is only a suggestion so always look every which way before walking! It is a VERY exciting place to be. After risking the group’s life crossing a major street we arrived at the hostel which was very conveniently undergoing a full renovation complete with toxic paint fumes. Cute place otherwise, but already Tehran was feeling a lot less calming! A beautiful lunch at a historic palace followed and then I was off to hit the streets on my own. I was on a mission to see two things. The former US Embassy (no comment) and Dice Cuban Cafe! I couldn’t resist the call of a Cuban cafe in Tehran and it was awesome, though I didn’t dare try the ropa vieja on the menu! I think I cleared 15km of walking and it was unbelievable to just be and wander and take in this city. I was walking alone in Tehran! Never in my wildest dreams. As exhausted as I was , I was invited to the cinema and how could I say no to one of my favorite things. We saw “Sadam” a COMEDY about a Sadam Hussein look alike who gets himself into “hilarious” trouble. There were no subtitles of course which made it all the more incredible. Absolute gem of a time in a cool little theater. Also amazing was the family watching who would clap and sing along and let us know when we should laugh 🤣 Excellent"
TEHRAN (IRAN DAY 5):
"Started the day with a city tour of historic sites and museums. Nothing prepared me for Golestan Palace. I expected ornate, but certainly not the world champion in bling slinging. If you are expecting a mere hall of mirrors, that is not what this is! The seat of the Qajar ruling dynasty is a beautiful example of Persian and European art and architecture colliding, but damn is that hall something else. The Grand Bazaar of Tehran was next where we ate at a hugely popular spot for chicken and tahdig (my absolutely favorite thing) and many other delicious things. This bazaar complex is so huge one could easily get lost for days, I mean lost lost and can’t get out and now you have to live in the bazaar forever kind of lost. It certainly is a lively place! I needed a long rest after trying to escape the markets, but was once again so kindly invited to join Hanieh and another friend of hers for an evening in Tehran. Although my guilt for intruding was high, it was so great. Her friend gifted me a beautiful scarf and we went for a stroll on Tabiat bridge, the largest pedestrian bridge in the city that was designed by Leila Araghian, a brilliant, young Iranian woman. Finally somewhere peaceful in Tehran! Once again deeply grateful for the hospitality and opportunity that went above and beyond."
TEHRAN TO KASHAN (IRAN DAY 6):
"What a difference from the big city! Kashan with its ancient alleyways and beautiful historic houses really impressed us and restored the zen. The hotel couldn’t have possibly been more charming. It was like stepping back in time but with a cool vibe. New cafes and restaurants have popped up here giving this traditional, conservative town a modern edge. We visited Borujerdiha House - built (over 18 years) because a prominent merchant agreed to marry his daughter only if the groom could build a house as magnificent as his own! and it is pretty magnificent. We went to Sultan Amir Ahmad hammam dating back to the 16th century and another beautiful example of Iranian architecture. We visited Fin Garden, one of the most important and largest historical gardens in Iran. This place has seen coronations, assassinations and everything in between. A stop in Kashan, the city of roses, wouldn’t be complete without sampling some rose water and various rose products. My favorite thing though was getting lost in the maze of alleyways and waking up before the city and having it to myself. Another excellent stop."
KASHAN TO ISFAHAN (IRAN DAY 7):
"Today we arrived in what is without a doubt the best city in Iran. Isfahan is not only historically and culturally one of the most beautiful and significant in the country, it’s also just freaking cool (literally and figuratively). After making Mick feel awkward at his birthday celebration at the hotel, we headed to the Armenian Quarter for a tour and dinner. We visited two churches, a genocide memorial and learned about Persian carpets (one so intricate it took 3 people 15 years to make!). We wandered around all the cool boutique shops and cafes feeling really uncool (so many cool kids!) and reminded of how ignorant we were about what Iran would be before we crossed that border. The highlight today though was without a doubt Si o Se Pol bridge. The largest of the 11 historical bridges, it comes entirely alive at night (all the bridges do). Take a look for yourself!"
ISFAHAN (IRAN DAY 8):
"City tour day and with this being Hanieh’s city, we knew we would have access to real insight, hidden gems and a wealth of knowledge. There is simply too much history to repeat it here so this is a brief recap. We started with Chehel Sotoun (Forty Columns) Palace, visited a miniaturist, hit the remarkable Naqsh-e Jahan Square starting with the Shah Mosque which rivals Registan in Samarkand. Hunger hit, but first we stopped at a saffron shop and followed it with probably the best lunch of the trip at Namakdan Cafe. Beautiful, charming and part museum AND they serve extra plates of Tahdig chips. I mean come on. This was also the best Gormeh Sabzi I tried. Absolute winner. Back to the square after for Ali Qapu Palace and Sheik Loftallah Mosque - this royal mosque built by Shah Abbas has been described as “the most beautiful mosque in the world.” The entire square is surrounded by covered bazaar full of both touristy and local stalls and goods. You could spend all day just around here and I can certainly see why Hani would call this square the most beautiful place in the world. (Iranians much like Cubans and Greeks are big fans of hyperbole and everything def started here!) In the evening several of us visited a traditional hammam which was such an interesting experience. The massage, hot pool and the place itself were great, but can’t say I’ll be running back for the half naked violent body scrub in full view of others part but when in Rome I guess 🤷♀️ it certainly got all the overlanding off us though! I returned to the square for a solo stroll at night and once again there was a beautiful electric energy. Forced sobriety has been a wonderful thing. Nobody is rushing to a bar at the end of the day, instead we have been able to be fully present and involved. Some habits die hard though and people have been throwing back those zero alcohol beers! Who knew there would be such a massive selection! I on the other hand have significantly increased my caffeine intake. Coffee shops are the thing and Isfahan has more cafes than Miami has ventanitas. I am happy."
ISFAHAN (IRAN DAY 9):
"Beauty salon day!! A few women wanted a freshening up and I wanted to be in a women’s only space behind closed doors so off we went. Best idea ever. As always everyone was beyond welcoming and it felt especially poignant in this safe space. A space where you can freely shed all kinds of layers. We were there while a woman in a gorgeous wedding dress was getting her makeup done and I stupidly made a joke about how much would someone pay me to get my Persian wedding makeup done and next thing I know I’m getting eyelashes glued on with 3 Iranian women hovering over my face. Speaking of faces, if you ever want to feel like a hideous ogre, def go to an Iranian beauty salon! We were there for hours and it flew by. Not only was it a priceless cultural experience, but I got to amuse everyone at my expense as well! I’ve never had such aggressive makeup on my face! We then took our new looks to a nearby cafe which was quite literally the most beautiful I’ve ever been in. A lunch at the most famous restaurant in Isfahan followed, I would compare it to something like Versailles in Miami. It had that vibe. Been around for ages, means a lot to community, tells a story of place, you go with your family, always busy, etc. loved it. I had to use the rest of the day for work as the trip is go go go for awhile from here but a dinner with a view wrapped up our stay in Isfahan! Can’t wait to return."
ISFAHAN TO KHUR (IRAN DAY 10):
"Desert driving brought us first to ancient Anarak before hitting our home for the night in Khur. It couldn’t have been a lovelier family stay/eco lodge. Such warm and gracious hosts. Unfortunately I became deeply unwell on the drive in and could not partake in the camel that was prepared for dinner or exploration of the very interesting town. The only exploration was the toilet bowl and the floor where I remained in a fetal position. (Info everyone needed to know)"
KHUR TO ESFAHAK (IRAN DAY 11):
"Salt flats outside of Khur and more desert driving before arriving in the ancient mud village of Esfahak. This village was destroyed in an eartquake in 1978, but rebuilt by the now grown youth of that time who wanted to bring new life to their home. It is now one of the most important tourist villages in the country and their mud architecture so striking, students of architecture from around the country come here to study. We slept on the floor in one of these mud houses as is traditional and I’ve said “feels like we stepped back in time” several times, but here it absolutely felt that way. The other clues we were in present day were things like the impossibly cool architecture students from Tehran running a hipster cafe inside a tiny mud building or the excellent musician who serenaded us in the evening under a sky full of stars. One speciality of this area is a kind of syrup made of dates that we tried on ice cream (it was well worth the risk to my stomach) and it was amazing. Maybe not to everyone’s liking, but for me it was the most delicious thing. So rich and complex, tasting of dates and nut butter and very much of Iran. I had 2 of these ice creams. I don’t have to tell you that was a mistake. In conclusion, Esfahak is not a great place to feel unwell, but absolutely a spectacular place to visit."
ESFAHAK TO GONABAD (IRAN DAY 12):
"Today was mostly about getting to our finally stop of Mashad. We visited a qanat, which is an ingenious water distribution system developed by ancient Iranians but other than that it was desert driving and a hotel dinner. It was far far too hot to attempt anything else!"
GONABAD TO MASHAD (IRAN DAY 13):
"We were in Iran’s second largest city and religious center by lunch time and wow what a change in vibe. Suddenly our “weak hijabs” really did feel out of place in a sea of black chadors. Speaking of, we visited the holy shrine of Imam Rezza. The most important Shia pilgrimage site in the country as it holds the remains of the 8th Imam. It is ENORMOUS and welcomes over 12 million each year. It was one of the most interesting and unique cultural experiences of my life and I’m grateful for being allowed to be there. I will, though, respectfully say I will not visit here again, but as is the case with any holy site, I felt the power of faith and belief. Dinner was a delicious Afghani feast for a little change and that is a wrap on Iran! We will be leaving the country with beautiful memories and very different ideas than we entered with. Quick recap -
Things I love about Iran: People, food, history, culture, art, architecture and on and on
Things I don’t love about Iran: The driving and the currency (don’t even ask)!! I also would like to never wear a chador again.
I’ve tried to keep politics and religion out of this trip as much as possible (until Mashad) because people and places are FAR more than that and far more than what we read in the media. Iran certainly deserves to be shown outside only this one context we see in the west. It is a very special place to visit and highly recommend it. Even if I didn’t have to come back later in the year I certainly would return."
Turkmenistan is next, we'll update you soon!