Last few days in Iran

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From Ramsar traveled East, back up towards mountains. Mr Yazd has many contacts, one is building a villa in hills West of Lahijan. So we stayed in Hamish's place who works for an airline in Tehran. Villa was warm and dry, but still bit of a building project. In-a-Jungle bit of an optimistic description, more woods or scrub, still very different to other city stops.



Tabriz was nearly last stop in Iran, some how this place feels Turkish, which is just 300km to west. Well educated people, but girls are now segregated on buses (section at back of bus), but do travel with the men in a taxi. Getting colder, now 18°C on bike, where was well over 40°C only 8 days earlier, Romania could well be 15°C lower again - brr!.



Maku just 20km from Turkey surprised me, because of depth of gorge in Zagros mountains, and huge cliff hanging over city. In the spring rainy season a massive waterfall piles over edge to land just behind houses, but recent rains not enough for even a trickle.





The guide was keen to find a real authentic last tea house, for me I wanted some 95octane petrol, the regular at 80oct was making bike engine knock - not good (in Marand some 200km before, found an Octane booster in bottle).

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Photos

Lahijan city
Area between Alborz mountains and Caspien is highly populated, Lahijan is example, does have nice lake, and a park area overlooking the city.

Lunch in Lahijan
Typical chicken kebab with rice.
Green 'Salt' on cucumber was different.

Hamish's villa
Still a project, but nice getaway from Tehran.
On a small plot of fairly steep land.

inside Villa
Typical kitchen, kettle bit odd with tea pot to stay warm on top.

Jungle view
Northern Iran is wet enough to support a variety of agriculture. See fair quantity of hay stacks.

small cultivators
Lots small tractors cultivate the huge areas, some 4WD.

Zagroz mountains
Large flats plains between fair size mountains.

Bike in Maku hotel
Well was raining, bit disappointed to see 2nd oil puddle, chain is normal, shock leaking is new problem!

Last tea house
We stopped in hut just outside as 6 pipe going in main room.

Dress design
On display at restaurant complex near old castle, too dark to climb the 1000 steps to castle.