Hicran Cigdem Yorgancioglu Iran Tehran 2009 coming soon Halının gobeğinde ilmegim Ozan Firdevsi 'nin gazelindeyim Hicapli kadim medweniyetin Kadinsal emelindeyim Deyin ki Acem ilindeyim Yad elindeyim Eşarp yarıya inmiş uzaya kadın gönderiyorsa Bir sebebi var Hicran Cigdem Yorgancioglu Iran Tehran 2009 Ortadoğuya yönelip dört mevsimi yaşayan En eski i medeniyetlerin beşiğini salladım İranı pulladım alladım Kendimi tahran’a yolladım 28.10.2009 [View Full Entry]

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My final hours in Iran - that country that I will never forget, for its generous, beautiful people, so misjudged by the majority of the West. I arrived at the ferry port in Bandar Lengeh as instructed at 7am, for my 10am trip to Sharjah - part of the sprawling city in the United Arab Emirates that includes neighbouring Dubai. At 7am there was no sign of any official activity, but there were half a dozen people already waiting, sitting next to their personal cargoes of identically tied-up cardboard boxes and plastic-wrapped dozens of jars of pickled gherkins. I walked to [View Full Entry]

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For a day and a half I was by the Persian Gulf, in the south of Iran. Here there was a marked liberal air, in relation to the rest of Iran, of course. Clothing was more colourful, women's ankles were often to be spotted (for those who were looking) and that obscure fanciful practice known as swimming was undertaken in full public view. I arrived in Bandar Abbas at 8.30am, and already it was very hot - such a contrast to cooling early autumnal Esfahan. The first sight to shake me from my night-bus hangover was the startling face-coverings worn by [View Full Entry]

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Sunday I had an early start to Shiraz for the seven hour bus trip from Esfahan. Empty dry lanscape to gaze at through the dusty windows. We pass a small truck, almost overflowing with its cargo of juicy-looking sib. Another truck with a load of sheep, and two men only just clinging to the back. A third truck with the disheartening word 'Tesco' emblazed on its flank. A huge sign proclaiming 'Persian Gulf's Premier Entertainment Venue', next to a deserted carpark and several piles of broken bricks. The bus was an old and faded luxury model, with engine problems that required [View Full Entry]

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Sitting at Imam Khomeini airport, the only thing I can think about is how the environment of the ancient Silk Road changed over the millennium. I have traveled from the beginning of the Road in China to its midway in Middle East, each border crossing requiring extensive visa application process, and each country requiring a local guide to translate lunch orders. It was not like this 2,000 years ago. Aside from the infamous conquerors, the road from Beijing to Venice was relative safe and well traveled. The connected countries traded goods, knowledge, religion, language, and culture. Today [View Full Entry]

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We drove over 440km from Shiraz to Esfahan, passing pastures and arid mountains resembling parts of Southern California. Although Iran has one of the highest accident rates in the world, it is well developed in certain aspects. When buses or trucks travel between major cities, they have to register with the police and get a GPS card, with which the speed can be tracked. At gas stations, refueling is done with smart cards, where each personal car is allowed three liters per day to curb over usage. Esfahan nesf-e jahan; Esfahan is half the world. The ancient proverb given by western [View Full Entry]

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"Iran? But it's dangerous there!" That was the common response I got when I told people that I will be visiting Iran, or land of Aryans. The truth cannot be any further from that statement. True, some people do support Ahmadenijad. True, by law women do have to cover their hair. Certain stereotypes about the government and religious rules are evident, but my encounters with Iranians and the ancient culture have to be some of the most eye opening, refreshing, and engaging. Yesterday, south eastern Iran saw another suicide bombing. Sunni extremists attacked a Revolutionary Guard facilit [View Full Entry]

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Ever experienced an extremely cold night before? Well, wouldn't you know.. I had that experience when I was in Zanjan, in the northern part of Iran. When I say cold, I mean cold. Like freezing cold. Like the moment you spill water on the road, it instantly freezes. No, I am not kidding. It was about -13 deg C in Zanjan that night, and apparently, the next morning, I found out that it was the coldest place in Iran. How rad is that?! I was in the coldest place in Iran, really a lifetime-changing moment. Ok, now let's not rattle on [View Full Entry]

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Rukav na letisti Imama Chomejniho usti do letadla ruskeho Aeroflotu. Uz jen par metru, krok na schudek a strhavam z hlavy satek. Ne, ze by mi snad neslusel, ale je znakem nesvobody a nesmyslnych zakonu iranske vlady. Hazim hlavou ze strany na stranu, splihle, dlouhe vlasy vlaji rannim rozespalym letadlem, uzivam si ten pocit. Myslim na Formana a jeho Hair, i tam jsou vlasy symbolem svobody. Vyhrnuji rukavy tricka nad lokte - ruce mam opalene jen po zapesti. Letusky se smeji a rikaji: „Konecne, ze?!“ Opoustim zemi milych usmevavych lidi spoutanych prikazy tech mocnych. Vracim se [View Full Entry]

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So far, I've talked about Kandovan, Esfahan, and Yazd, being the latest entry. Well, guess what? Today, we shall talk a little bit more about Shiraz. Getting to Shiraz was the ultimate experience, not in a bad way, of course! From Singapore, we took a flight to Kuala Lumpur International Airport as there wasn't a direct flight from Singapore to Iran as Iran Air doesn't do stopovers in Singapore. Yes, so from KL, we took Iran Air (IR840) to the Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran. Before the plane descended, I realised that the plane circled 3 times in the air. [View Full Entry]

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