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Glimpses Of Northwestern Iran: Sultaniyeh & Takht-e Soleiman

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 →

Top 10 Things To Do In Tabriz

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 →

The 15 Best Markets For Taking Stunning Pictures

A Personal Selection of Markets in Africa, Asia, the Middle-East and South America

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.

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 →

Meeting The Locals in Iran

In Teheran, IranIranian 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 →

Skiing In Teheran

Iran-186Our 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 →

Teheran’s Many Museums

Golestān Palace or Kakheh Golestan in Teheran, Teheran, Iran

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 →

Teheran’s Messy Center

View from Teheran at night from the Milad Tower or Teheran Tower, Teheran, Iran

View from Teheran at night from the Milad Tower or Teheran Tower, Teheran, Iran

The trip from Qom to Teheran was swift, it is only one hour by train or bus. Quickly we learned our first lesson, it was a big mistake to stay in the very center, close to the many museums and tourist attractions. Traffic is abysmal, pollution nauseating, it is noisy, crossing the road a suicidal affair and the cab ride from the bus station to the hotel is a nightmare. Continue Reading →

Meeting Jamshid’s Family

Iran-182Our friend Jamshid left his home country Afghanistan in the 1990s via Iran and has lived in Vienna since then. Learning that we were traveling to Iran he arranged a meeting with his uncle’s family in Qom. His uncle, Mr. Asghari, is a clergyman who commutes between Iran and Afghanistan, where he teaches at the University of Kabul. Continue Reading →

Qom – Iran’s (Second) Vatican

The Fatima Masumeh Shrine in Qom, for Shia Muslims the second most sacred city in Iran after Mashhad - The golden dome lies right above the mausoleum, Qom, Iran

The Fatima Masumeh Shrine in Qom, for Shia Muslims the second most sacred city in Iran after Mashhad – The golden dome lies right above the mausoleum, Qom, Iran

The shrine of Fatima, sister of the 8th Iman, makes Qom the second holiest city in Iran, after Mashhad. This is conservative territory. All our Iranian friends were surprised when they we heard we were going there. This is where Khomeni lived and where the revolution against the Shah began. But we were too curious to leave out such a place and never regretted our decision, we would even claim it was a highlight of our trip. The shrine is huge with lots of different impressive buildings, stunning architecture. Inside pilgrims were milling around, men, women, families. Many of the walls are almost blindingly bright, small pieces of mirror form geometrical mosaics. All we could think off was how long it took to cover such vast spaces with tiny little pieces of glass, besides the word was flawless. Continue Reading →