Grand Escapades
Travel Photography & Travel Experiences of Africa, South America, the Middle-East & Asia
Choqa Zanbil Ziggurat
In Southwestern Iran, in the desert not far from Iraq and Kuwait, the Elamites developed one of the first great civilizations in Human History, with amongst others the first fix human settlement ever created, dating back to the 5th Millennium BC! So on my second trip to Iran, I absolutely wanted to discover Choqa Zanbil, Shushtar & Shush… This was a highly challenging time during my trip, but one I clearly did not regret.
iPhone Picture – Haram-e Razavi, Imam Reza Holy’s Shrine, Mashhad
Iran is known for its beautiful mosques – some of the largest, oldest and finest in the world. But without any doubt, the largest, and some of the most delicate shrines & mosques can be found in Iran’s two spiritual capitals: Mashhad and Qom. Continue Reading →
View from Teheran at night from the Milad Tower
I did not enjoy Teheran on my first visit back in April 2014: too big, too congested, too polluted, too noisy, too hectic… So my expectations were low and I planed to only stay there one day en route from Tabriz to Mashhad. But surprisingly, I quite appreciated Teheran on the second trip in September 2017, and decided to stay longer to discover more in depth this tentacular & chaotic megacity. Continue Reading →
Soltaniyeh’s Dome or Gonbad-e Soltaniyeh or Oljeitu Mausoleum
Scenic Northwestern Iran would definitely deserve a separate / dedicated trip of several weeks, one that enables you to really go Off The Beaten Track, enjoying some of the most impressive sceneries in Iran and a different cultural experience in the Azeri & Kurdish parts of the country. Unfortunately, I had not sufficient time at hand and solely discovered a few cultural & historic highlights and had to skip the more remote areas… Well, a good reason to go back! Continue Reading →
Blue Mosque or Kabud Mosque
The historic town of Tabriz, the largest city of Northwest Iran and the center of Iran’s Azeri population, is a crossroad and melting pot of several cultures. Its glorious, if turbulent history bestows this widespread city some of Iran’s most remarkable cultural heritages. Continue Reading →
Woman smoking at the 5-Day Market on Inle Lake, Myanmar – The five villages on the shore of Lake Inle take turns, so there is actually a market each day of the week.
No matter where I travel, I immensely enjoy visiting markets. Many of them, especially in Africa & in Asia, but also in the Middle East & in South America, are an assault on your senses: colorful and at times disorientating, aromatic or even intoxicating, vibrant and eventually hectic places… But this is where “the real life” can be found, so different from touristic highlights (though some markets have turned extremely popular in the last years, also amongst tour groups…) Continue Reading →
Jamkaran Mosque, Qom
We spent two weeks in Iran in April 2014, and covered the cultural heartland of Iran: Shiraz, Isfahan, Na’In, Yazd, Kashan, Qom & last but not least Teheran. Due to the lack of time, we did not travel the north of the country, nor did we go to the deserts – Here you find a selection of 37 pictures from Iran
Iranian friends in Vienna had arranged a meeting with Sasha and Mahse, a young couple who lives outside of Teheran, making a living by selling compost they produce and giving yoga lessons. Together we visited the National Jewel Museum where the many foreign tourists truly stunned them. They were not aware that tourism had arrived back in Iran. It was a great day that ended with a superb dinner in the home of Sasha’s sister. Sasha and Mahse both studied in India and definitely represent the very secular Iran. We truly hope to meet them again. Continue Reading →
Our visit to the royal summer palace brought us to the very north of Teheran, so close to the nearby Alborz Mountain Range. So why not check out the skiing area? From the last subway stop at Tajrish Square it is short cab ride to the Tochal Telecabin, which brings you to the fourth highest ski field in the world. The cabins are tiny, but were obviously designed for 6 persons. The ticket up to Station 5 was not cheap, but what the heck. Only skiers were allowed to go even further up. Continue Reading →
Golestān Palace or Kakheh Golestan in Teheran, Teheran, Iran
Of all the great museums the National Jewel Museum certainly is the Number 1 and that term does not do it justice. We wandered through the semi-dark rooms with our mouths wide open. The beauty of the stones and jewelry was captivating. We felt we could not leave and had to look again and again, crowns, thrones, globes – all studded with huge gems, giant pearls, others so small it was hard to imagine how they could be fitted on a string. Continue Reading →