Iran - Generalities

Iran is not a country that leaves indifferent and our families were more than scared to know that we would visit this country. From our side, we knew before coming in Iran that the country would be nothing like the images of fanatism spread on Occidental media. But reality has been even further than what we could have imagined. To summarize, we could say that Iran is a country of contrats and with this post we just want to share our two-weeks-trip-in-Iran experience. Because Iran is not only about Persian carpets! ;)

Vakil Bazar in Shiraz

There we lived our most memorable counchsurfing period. We notably spent a few days in two Iranian family : siblings composed of two girls and three boys, and a couple with their daughter. Both of them have been extremely generous and kind with us, in their hospitality and in their sharing Iranian traditions. Our host in Esfahan also introduced us with the best of Iranian culture like the traditional ice-cream.. taste "rose water and saffran"! Delicious! ;)) And we can say that the Iranians we met during our trip were generally benevolent and helpful, when for example we asked for direction in the street.

THE ice cream

After a neighbour offered Luis some food in the street

We felt Iran as a very safe country. Not once we have been scared by what was happening around us, even when we were carrying large amount of money with us. In fact, for political reasons, neither Visa, Mastercard nor American Express work in Iran. So every foreigner has to bring with him to Iran the whole budget he will need during his stay, in euros or in dollars for example, and change it for local currency in the country.

Our first two posts about Iran in this blog testify clearly our appreciation of what we visited and saw of the Persian culture. Iran has many cities and sights really worth visiting, rich in beauty and History!

Nevertheless, one can not totally forget that he is traveling in a radical theocracy and some specificities of our travel in Iran made us feel uneasy. First of all, the way women are considerated. The veil is compulsory in Iran for every woman, to hide all hair from men' sight except brother(s), father and husband.

Before coming, we did not know exactly what Axelle was supposed to wear so we bought in Syria a long black dress. We then realized that fashion evolves and a lot of Iranian girls actually wear colorful skin-tight tunics or manteaux (overcoat) as they call it. We saw also a somehow relaxed way of wearing the veil which only covered the back of the head and/or the bun. Still a branch of the police dedicates all its time to check if women respect the local dress code.. The main idea remains to hide hair, cleavage and ass! Any source of excitement is PROHIBITED!! We met an Iranian who even told us his impressions, that "everything which could bring joy is forbidden in Iran. The governement wants us sad and depressed... We live like Europe during Inquisition."

Former US Embassy palisade (today called "US Den of Espionage"), covered with some expressive paintings..

Anyway sex segregation appears clearly during the daily life. For example, we took many buses in the country and were surprised that usually the women are seated in the front of the bus. It seemed totally inconceivable that a woman would be seated next to a man she did not know. And it was mainly the women who refused the vicinity of a man. This was a source of some amazement for us, for example when in the middle of a six-hour bus ride, the bossy driver stopped and relocated women to the front of the bus before letting a group of men coming in. For a moment we just did not understand what was happening and what the driver was doing standing in the corridor, shouting and poiting some ladies.

We also learned in a strange way that riding bicycle is forbidden to women. We went for a bicycle ride in a parc in Esfahan. At one point, a policeman stopped Luis and asked him questions in Farsi.. Luckily, we were accompagnied by our Iranian host who explained us that the policeman had tooken Luis for an Iranian and accordingly asked him why his wife was riding a bicycle... As tourists, we are not constraint to respect this local law.

Conversely one thing we do have to compose with in Iran is the local money!! The official currency in Iran is called rial. One euro is worth around 14.000 rials. If the banknots and coins are labelled in rials, everyone speaks and tells the prize in toman.. quite confusing! In fact to have the price in rials, you just have to multiply the price in toman by ten. Well, a lot of zeros and reasons to mistake! Our way to deal with that situation was to think in dollars: one dollar is one thousand toman (ie ten thousand rials). We had to understand this subtility during our first Iranian taxi ride to go from the airport to the city centre of Shiraz. And the taxi driver did not speak one word of English!!

To say a few words about taxis in Iran, as we experienced also in Jordan and Syria, road code is not respected at all! You feel in a NASCAR circuit, but in city centers full of both-ways streets. Goes first the one who is less scared, the chicken game! And another thing, it is better to have small notes of small denomination with you, to avoid some scams with change.

Traffic in Tajrish square, Tehran

To conclude, we were relieved to leave the country and the long black dress that Axelle took off immediatly after entering in the plane to Nepal. And the dress did not go out of the plane with us! ;)

In Iran it was impossible to access our blog and many other websites and social media platform, for example: Facebook, CouchSurfing, Flickr, even Gmail sometimes... During those two weeks it was difficult to maintain contact with home and the logistical preparation of our trip really felt behind.

Iran - Esfahan/Tehran

Esfahan is defenitively the most beautiful city of Iran. Its jewel? Imam square, the second largest square in the world after Tiananmen! Polo games played on this square were very popular 400 years ago!

On Imam square, we visited three exquisite sights. Imam mosque is gorgeous with its blue mosaics. A lot of those are used as patterns for persian carpets. A special feature you can find in this mosque is the almost perfection of its construction and decorations: the architect respected a perfect symmetry, except some minor details to express that the humankind cannot defy Allah's perfection.

Imam Mosque

Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque is a lot smaller but the interior is even more radiant. This mosque was used privately by the royal family. To protect the king's wives from being seen outside, a tunnel was constructed from the Mosque to Ali Qapu Palace, the royal residence just across the square. This palace is fully painted with frescos inspired by the nature (flowers, birds, etc.) and some portraits. Its main attraction remains the elevated terrace with a fantastic view over the Imam Square. Ali Qapu Palace was in fact the dorway of a former huge royal complex. Chehel Sotun Palace was part of this complex, and is the last palace still standing.

Cupola of the Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque

 Ali Qapu Palace

 North part of the Imam square

View from the elevated terrace of Ali Qapu Palace

South part of the  Imam square with the Imam Mosque on the right

View from the elevated terrace of Ali Qapu Palace

Chehel Sotun Palace or the forty columns palace was a pavilion for entertainement and reception. The Great Hall, the main room of this palace, is covered with amazing and very precise frescoes. The designs are so rich and varied that you just don't know where to land your eyes on!

On the façade of the Chehel Sotun Palace

Great Hall, Chehel Sotun Palace

Like a Parisian passage, Bazar-e Bozorg links the Imam square and the old Jameh Mosque. You can find there typical miniatures of ancient scenes. Some of these are inspired by the paintings in the fourty columns palace.

In Espahan we had a very nice and peaceful bicycle ride in the park along the Zayandeh river. Some bridges are part of the historical heritage of the city and a must see. The park is well liked by the inhabitants who come for picniking, pedal boating and just relaxing.

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Then, the capital: Tehran! The city is famous for its chaotic traffic and related air pollution but we experienced a complete different Tehran. We had read about the Nowruz (New Year) festivities and holidays but we never would have imagined a deserted capital, like Paris in the middle of August but without the tourists! And the Nowruz holidays last at least thirteen days, with the administration (post offices, etc.) closed during a full week! 


A really incredible feeling, to be in such huge city where nearly every shop and museum, the bazar and even the mosques (!!) are closed. Our days in Tehran were shadowed by the long walks to find the closed doors of a museum we wanted to visit. We found only one museum (the national museum) and one palace open, the Golestan palace.

This palace is composed of several buildings set around a carefully looked after garden. The old royal administration ruled the country from those pavilions, sumptuously decorated. Also the private art gallery in the Negar Khane reflected a taste for European art and museums.

Negar Khane in the Golestan Palace

In one pavilion of the Golestan Palace

We were very surprised to discover that the north part of Tehran is bordered by high and snowy mountains that can be seen in many spots of the city.

Iran - Shiraz/Persepolis/Yazd

We arrived in Iran after a long journey: flight from Damascus to Sharjah (United Arab Emirates), where we spent sixteen hours in the transit zone before our second plane. A quite special world this transit zone! You can pay to stay even a few hours in the expensive transit hotel, in a dorm or in a private room. But most of the people sleep in the waiting rooms, on the seats or on the floor. One thing we all have in common, whatever country we come from, we all take our shoes off for the night... What a perfume! 

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We finally arrived in Shiraz, the cradle of Persian culture, city of relaxing gardens and poets! Hafez and Sa'di, the most renowned Persian poets, founded the literary school of Shiraz and are burried in the city. Shiraz is now mostly an administrative centre but remains famous for its universities.

Hafez Mausoleum

The most beautiful buildings of the city were built in the 18^th Century during the Zand dynasty and its first ruler, the enlighted Karim Khan. Shiraz was then the capital.

The city has also some of the most exquisite mosques: Masjed-e Vakil is the only one remaining from the Zand dynasty. Aramgah-e Shah-e Cheragh is for us the most impressive for its architecture and decoration, especially at night when articifial light reflects on its walls. And Nasir-ol-Molk Mosque striked us with its elegance.

Aramgah-e Shah-e Cheragh

Nasir-ol Molk Mosque

Winter Prayer Hall, Nasir-ol Molk Mosque

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At 50 kilometers from Shiraz is located the archeological site of Persepolis. To get there for a cheap and local price can become quite complicated. We walked one hour  from our host's house to the main bus station and tried to share a taxi with other people as we had been advised. But we did not succeed in making ourselves understood. When we had at least twenty taxi drivers around us, comunicating became impossible. So we reached the mini-bus station. Once we found the mini-bus going to the right direction, time for the usual price negotiation... with five bus drivers around us! Those mini-buses do not have timetables and only leave when they are full. One can wait five or fifty minutes! But the mini-bus took us only to the city closest to Persepolis, Marvdasht. Then a taxi is needed to cover the last twelve kilometers to the sight.

Persepolis was the capital and masterpiece of the Achaemenian Empire which spreads to three continent, to Ethiopia in Africa, the Danube in Europe and the Indus River in Asia. The city was taken and destroyed by Alexander the Great in 300 BC.

The ruins that can be seen today are neither big nor impressive but one needs to keep in mind that the city was lost for many centuries, burried under sand and dust until 1930.

 Xerxes' Gateway

 View of Persepolis from the Tomb of Artaxerxes III

Detail of the Palace Tachara

 Tomb of Artaxerxes II

When in Persepolis, the huge rock tombs of Naqsh-e Rostam deserve the five kilometers detour. They were built in the 6^th and 5^th Century BC for the "Great" kings Darius I, Xerxes I, Artaxerxes I, and Darius II. The tombs of Artaxerxes II and III in Persepolis were modelled on those previous tombs. Also eight Sassanian stone reliefs are cut into the cliff showing official ceremonies and wars scenes.

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At the time of Persepolis, Zoroastrianism was the offical religion. Nowadays some of the most important festivities of the Iranian people come from this belief, for example the Persian New Year called Nowruz (new day). This celebration coincide with the first day of Spring. Families gather and share a dinner around a table filled with seven goods which names start with the letter S in farsi, for example sib (red apple), sekeh (gold coin), etc. All Iranians also buy little goldfishes to symbolise movement. In fact, the new year officially starts the 21 March at 2:45:45 am and has its full meaning of new beginning. Iraniens believe that what they are doing during this night is representative of what they will do during the year to come. That's maybe why we decided to take a train during Nowruz night! ;)

The last Tuesday evening before the last Wednesday of the year is celebrated the Chahar Shanbe-Soori (Wednesday fire). Every guest is supposed to jumps above a fire to be freed from his ill luck and/or deseases. We were lucky enough to be invited to such a party!! Considering that Nowruz and Chahar Shanbe-Soori are pre-islamic festivities, their celebrations are viewed with suspicion by the theocratic regime.

Luis jumping and getting rid of his many sins! ;)

Chahar Shanbe-Soori party

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The old city of Yazd is a really unique ochre labyrinth where every single house is made of sun-dried mud bricks.. Getting lost in this ancient town in the middle of the desert is a real exotic pleasure. Some traditional houses are visitable along the counselled itinerary like Lariha Mansion. But outside this official walking tour, part of this town collapsed and a reconstruction does not seem on the agenda.

  Old city

Water Museum in a traditional house

Syria - Palmyra/Damascus

We headed toward the centre of the Syrian desert. Palmyra, known as "the bride of the desert", is located in the Tadmor oasis. On the caravan routes between the Mediterranean Sea and Persia, Palmyra prospered during more than four centuries. The end of this florishing city in 274 is linked with the destiny of its heroic Queen Zenobia. 

This queen stretched Palmyra's kingdom to the South of Egypt and the Bosphorus. Her success threatened the Roman empire and the Emperor Aurelian raised an army to march upon Palmyra. The city was destroyed and Queen Zenobia taken prisonner. The great kingdom never manage to get off the ground after this defeat.

View of the old city from the citadel

Nowadays Palmyra's old town comes down to the monumental ruins of a theatre and the great colonnade (a one kilometre long street with columns) linking the temple of Bel and Zenobia's palace. Parts of some other temples are still visible. A lot of stones and colums lost in the middle of the desert.. 

 

Tadmor oasis

The great colonnade

The citadel on the left, 
the tetrapilon in the middle and the great colonnade on the right
 

The theatre

Other places of interest: the three brothers tomb famous for its painting of Achiles and the citadel to admire the sunset. For the bravest, we have heard that the sunrise is fantastic but it is at 5am with a one hour walk to climb to the citadel... ;)

Tombs valley

In front of the three brothers tomb

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When we left Palmyra, we were caught in our first sand storm!! Very impressive and so dusty that we had the taste of sand in our mouths! To see the sand dancing in the streets is simply unforgetable. The sand is so thin that it goes everywhere.

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Our tour in Syria ended with a couple of days in the great Damascus. Most of the touristical attractions of the capital are located inside the old town's walls. Damascus' old town has a crazy atmosphere with narrow streets, building standing only god knows how and a lot of people everywhere. On the main streets, every door opens to a shop, a hotel or a restaurant.

Spices and sweets souk

Behind the crapy facades of the old town still remain a few wonderful palaces like one can imagine in its oriental dreams. Azem palace became the national museum of the Arts and Popular Traditions. So its visit is a double win: we could admire the magnificence of its decoration and architecture and also learn about local craft, domestic lifestyle and customs.

Umayyad mosque is an imposing complexe which hosts the shrine of John the Baptist (Prophet Yehia to Muslims). It is said to be one the most impressive and beautiful mosque, a source of inspiration for many architects. The prayer hall and the courtyard are richely and glittery decorated!

  Prayer hall

Next to this mosque, the mausoleum of Saladin (Salah ad-Din):

 

A-Sayyda Ruqayya Mosque is named after a little girl, Say'yeda Roqayya, who died of sadness after having seen the cutted head of her dead father. Her tomb is an object of devotion. Men and women – in two seperate areas – touch, kiss the railings surrounding the shrine and also rub their scarves or clothes against the railings. Those scenes are kind of impressive and moving.

     

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After twenty days in Syria and Jordan, we got used to the practice of this region: wild trafic, zero respect for the pedestrians, bargaining for every price from shampoo to taxi ride, etc. Concretely, the prices of food and public transportation are far less expensive than in Europe.

Below the train tickets we bought for a two hours trip from Aleppo to Hama. It does not matter we do not understand what is written on the ticket.. We paid only 2,20 euros!! This second class ticket is normally 1,50 euros each. But Luis paid only one euro with its student discount and for Axelle they justified her discount with her height?!? :) We still have no clue where that second discount comes from... And those train are not bad at all!

Train tickets

Last but not least, on our crazy journey from Damascus to Iran, we had to change flight in Sharjah.. mmh.. We spent the whole flight wondering in which country we would land! Having no idea of the country, we could not guess its time zone nore the duration of the flight...We also met strange winged passagers in the boarding queue.. 

In the boarding queue

Behind our seats on the plane