Blogs from Esfahan, West, Iran, Middle East - page 6

LO STATO CANAGLIA A proposito di terroristi e bombe nucleari Se per voi il mondo è un luogo prevalentemente ostile, allora lo sarà. Ed Buryn E così è giunto il momento di trasbordare.. Alle 9,00 mi presento nell'agenzia dove ho prenotato il biglietto per l'Iran: la patenza è prevista per le 9,30, ma non si vede l'ombra di un bus fino alle 11,30! No problem, comunque.. l'importante è che tutto vada come deve andare alla frontiera. Il viaggio mi regala degli scorci di una bellezza straordinaria: il paesaggio, qui nell'estremo est della Turchia, è di una bellezza mozzafiato: montagne che si stagliano sullo sfondo di vallate aride e selvagge, con paesaggi desertici ma mai banali.. la presenza dell'uomo si fa sempre più rara man mano che ci si avvicina all'Iran e lungo la strada si incrociano ... read more

Our two days ın Esfahan were two of the best of the trıp, ıts such an amazıng place and made us truly gutted that we only have seven days ın Iran. We spent our tıme wanderıng the streets checkıng out the mosques and palaces - fılled wıth wonderful blue mosaıcs, beautıful frescoes and ornate decoratıon on every surface. Walkıng ınto Imam Square for the fırst tıme was lıke walkıng ınto a dream - green grass covered wıth pıcnıcers, horses and carrıages takıng couples for romantıc rıdes, fountaıns explodıng upwards ınto the blue sky, and the amazıng domes of the Imam and Sheıkh Lotfollah mosques rısıng heavenwards. Our favourıte was the Sheıkh Lotfollah mosque, a tıny sıngle dome wıth some of the most exquısıte tıle work ın the world. We were lucky enough to vıew ıt durıng ... read more

So after all Erika’s blogs about Iran so far its time for me to say something. Iran really is one of the best countries we have visited and certainly one of the most surprising and interesting. It is not at all like I had imagined and the people are amazing. We are asked all the time what we think about Iran and what we thought/knew about Iran before we came. I am never sure how to answer as I did not have a fixed view or opinion and guessed that much that we are told in the west would be wrong, which was really why I wanted to come. I now know that Iran is a modern, highly civilised and developed country with diverse landscape, modern cities, and a highly educated, polite and hospitable population. Few ... read more

Hamedan is a pleasant, green city with fantastic views up to the Zagros Mountains, with Alvand peak dominating the skyline. The Farsisch Guesthouse was really welcoming and the 2 crazy old men who run it made us feel very at home, giving us washing powder for our laundry and helping to tie a rope on the roof to dry it, even if they were mumbling stuff about “Hitler, good” and “Britain, hmmm Bobby Sands ha-ha-ha”. It was Friday and so it seemed everyone in Iran had gone for a picnic. We met Majid in the guesthouse, he is a student in Tehran but was working doing civil engineering and surveying for a new railway that is going to be built pretty much along the line that we had taken as a muddy short cut in the ... read more

Tehran to Esfahan on a train - what an experience. If you think Immigration control at Heathrow is a nightmare, trying to get on this train was hell - talk about suspicious guards! Not the most comfy trip BUT a good experience and cheap great hotel BUT toilet mosques/architecture are beautiful markets are plentiful with all sorts of tat on sale friendly people practising their English on you is a nice and welcome interaction... read more