Blogs from North, Iran, Middle East - page 3

It took 3 hrs to get to Kashan. We got a taxi from the bus drop off point to a hotel in the guidebook, it was a nice place in a historical house but they wanted US$35 for a box room that just had 2 beds and a narrow runway between with a shared bathroom or double that for a slightly bigger room with bathroom. The taxi driver had waited and said he knew somewhere close that was cheaper (he spoke basic English) so we headed there. For US$35 we got a room in a historic house with 5 beds to ourselves and our own bathroom next door. This was a bit of hassle as it meant that technically we needed to have arms and legs covered and headscarves on to go from one to the ... read more

La mer Capsienne, c’est autour de cette dernière que nous avons voyagé ce dernier mois. Nous quittons le Kazakhstan pour rejoindre le Caucase et transiter par l’Azerbaïdjan pour quelques jours. L’objectif est maintenant l’Iran. Pays si convoité depuis des millénaires et si souillé à l’heure d’aujourd'hui par toutes nos politiques respectives. En logeant chez l’habitant pendant un mois, nous avons pu découvrir de l’intérieur ce que voulait dire "être Perse”. Loin des clichés fanatiques et moyenâgeux que nous enseigne notre société, nous sommes tombés nez à nez avec la douceur, la générosité et l’amour d’un peuple emprisonné dans son propre pays. Une découverte déroutante remettant en question - encore après 10 mois de voyages - toutes les idées préconçues que nous pouvons avoir sur notre monde. De nouvelles merveilleuses amitiés, des échanges inoubliables; notre séjour en ... read more

TABRIZ to STEPPES CAMP. 14 SEPTEMBER, 2016. Stage 98 Last night i enjoyed the best meal on the tour so far, a true home cooked Iranian delight. Apparently the best cooking in Iran is done in the home, and a few enterprising cooks open home cooking cafes, serving only 1 or 2 tables in their kitchens. Our meal was one of these. Certainly have not seen the opportunity to order, let alone eat, a meal like I enjoyed. First was an Aubergine soup, with yogurt and green herbs (it was a mix of smoky flavours and a light sweetness), then was a meatball, the size of a softball or large grapefruit (a mix of a small amount of chicken mince, lamb mince, chickpea, sultanas, rice and an Iranian bean. The mix was not dense or dry, ... read more

ZANJAN to RIVER CAMP. 10 September, 2016. Stage 95 120.50 Kms SubT. Kms 2156.90 kms . Road Condition: okWeather: BLUE SKY MILD 29c Time in Saddle: 4:15:11 Av Speed: av. 28.3 kph. Av Cadence. 78 RpmElevation: 50 m up; 50 m downCalories burned : > 5500 Today there was no headwind and no climbing, so a relatively easy day. Road was busy with trucks, mainly tip trucks, no idea where they were carting loads. Dinner last night was in a Turkish Restaurant on the outskirts of the CBD. An excellent meal! Zanjan was a large city as I discovered riding out this morning. The city roads were very busy. Large roundabouts added to the complexity! The original camp site was to be adjacent to an old bridge. The bridge and surrounding rocky mountainous scenery made it ... read more

TEHRAN to TAKESTAN 8 September, 2016. Stage 93 56.17 Kms SubT. Kms 1893.17 kms . Road Condition: Rough 50% due to Road construction. Balance okWeather: BLUE SKY MILD 25c Time in Saddle: 2:22:14. Av Speed: av. 23.7 kph. Av Cadence. 74 RpmElevation: 500 m up; 150 m down Calories burned : > 4500 After 3 nights we departed Tehran by bus due to the manic traffic and convoluted highways and freeways. We drove about 130 kms, 80 kms of which was still within Greater Tehran! 15 million people need room. A huge amount of construction was passed, multi highrise developments that look like public housing. No grass. Even the train carriages are double stories. Past the airport name after A. Khomeini. Tehran surrounded by naked hills, which in winter are snow covered, apparently the skiing is ... read more