Iran: What to pack ladies and what to tell the man to wear

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What the official word is. Our hotel won’t serve you if didn’t look llike this

What to pack

What men and women wear when visiting an Islamic ruled country like Iran is something most travelers should take time to study.  Men travelling to Iran should not plan on wearing shorts or short pants in Iran no matter what the temperatures are like.  It used to be against the law for men to wear short sleeve shirts,  but now they can wear them and style their hair like elvis.  It’s always good to pack at least one long sleeve collared shirt just in case.  It’s not uncommon for travelers to be invited to family celebrations or family meal.   It would be smart to dress properly for it.

Short packing list for the ladies :

  • At least one scarf that’s dark in color or at least not shear enough to see through and is wide enough to cover the length of the top of your forehead to a few inches below your shoulder line
  • Long sleeve Tunic that covers your neckline,  is long enough to go below your rear and is comfortable since it combined with the scarf will make you warm.  I found one at Muji here in NYC.
  • Good walking shoes that cover all or most of your feet.  I just took one pair of Keen’s Sandal’s like these  Somewhat ugly…yes…it was hot and they are comfortable yet passable.  Many women wear an Iranian knockoff of the Converse All-Stars Low Tops as well.
  • Comfortable pants or skirt that are loose and don’t show off your curves.  I wore my Northface Convertable Travel Pants.  Extra fugly…yes again.. but like the Keen’s, comfortable in the heat of September.  It helps that my scarf is pretty cool and my Tunic covers the not so flattering high waist of the pants.
  • Plenty of cash for new local digs

Of course,  things are getting better for women there but the law states that all women in Iran must cover their entire head and neck areas – usually with a scarf, wear loose-fitting tops which provide modest cover for roaming eyes, wear loose-fitting ankle length pants  and shoes which cover the entire foot while in public.  The moral (aka fashion) police are known to give foreigners a little leeway but it’s best to stick to the rules out of respect.  The easiest thing for women travelers who can’t find what they think is acceptable and comfortable is to buy clothing when you get to Iran or any other Islamic country.   Just be sure to pack or wear at least one outfit since once you land the law is in effect.

In light of this, I decided to add a shopping trip into our first day’s itinerary in Shiraz.  If I don’t find anything ,  I’ll just have to wear the same thing for 14 days.  It’s not like I haven’t done it before.  It’s a good way to stave off the urge to sleep the day away and make the best of a potentially wasted day.   Our plane journey will take us a day and a half – this includes  a 6 hour layover in Istanbul from JFK – but we arrive into Shiraz at 2am.  Ataturk is a great airport with many lounges to choose from.  The departure area has a decent mall where travelers can buy scarves and other clothing suitable for women traveling Islamic countries, and of course Turkish Delight.   Even some of these items pictured below.

Iran has some pretty tough dress code policies enforced by the moral police. Travelers are guests, must play by their rules – it’s their rules and I have intention on disobeying anyones rules no matter what.  I sound paranoid but I’m not taking any chances especially when it comes to clothing.   I ended up finding a tunic that would be good enough to get me there and scarves are easy to find.  Our first day was going to be a wash since our flight arrived into Shiraz at 2am so it would be a good day to do some shopping.  Here’s a government picture of what women should officially look like:

And here’s what most women looked like in Iran:
Ladies in Persepolis

Iran – The Plan

Our Plans are coming to fruition

Our flight on Turkish Airlines departs on Thursday at 11pm EST and lands in  Shiraz at 2am Saturday.  No worries since there’s no way to get around it.   Mahmoud from Pars Travel Agency  is going to meet us on arrival and will then  take us on a short 14 day tour.  The journey will take us over land and through the desert and visiting many UNESCO sites located along the eastern side of the Zagroes Mountains.    We will finish our tour in Tehran where we will tour museums and hopefully will have some time to enjoy  this modern and relatively new capital of Iran.   We will be taking another early morning flight out of  Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport to Istanbul. Our trip was extended since while were in the neighborhood we mine as well turn the 5 hour layover into a 3 day stay.   Visiting Istanbul is never gets old and who can get tired of seeing the great Blue Mosque at night and walking the streets of the Sultanahmet.

Sunset in Shiraz

Rick Steves and other thoughts about Touring Iran

Jameh Mosque of Isfahan

Rick Steves managed to get himself and a film crew journalist visas to Iran back in 2008.  He too seemed apprehensive about the trip even with his travel resume and years of teaching others how to travel.  They were allowed to film 10 short days  and brought PBS viewer a very thoughtful piece about travelling to Iran.  It was a very bold move on his part since his target audience is made up of those who think European travel is exotic and a trip to Iran is not included in many of there bucket lists.  This show was all about going  in the front door of Iran with the promise that he would shed some positive light on country who can not escape its past thanks to western media.

The U.S. does it’s best to discourage its citizens from travelling to Iran.   The U.S. State Department Consumer Affairs site at least informing its citizens of the risks involved with travelling to that region and where the hot spots are.  It’s words should of course be taken seriously.

Taking risks is a part of everyday life and where you travel to may increase the likelihood of being harmed or taken advantage of.  Being well-informed and confident helps prevent such things happening.  Of course, personal safety is a concern for most travelers who venture away from home and into the unknown.  U.S. official warnings made me question what motivates me to travel to areas where there are potential dangers for me as a U.S. citizen.  The U.S. does it’s best to discourage its citizens from travelling to Iran.   The U.S. State Department Consumer Affairs site at least informing its citizens of the risks involved with travelling to that region and where the hot spots are.  It’s words should of course be taken seriously.

Is traveling to Iran was the smartest thing to do right now if ever?   The answer is yes there’s never going to be a good time it seems.   Researching the h@#ll out of it.  What else are you going to do while awaiting for the Fed-ex delivery person to come?

Thanks Rick Steves

Breaking the news to my family that a trip to Iran was going to happen was another thing.  Rick Steves  made it look so tempting since it’s been on our minds for years and guess what – my husband and I are going.   Couldn’t think of any reasons not to go – unlike family and friends who have lots of opinions on the subject.

The application process was underway and the journey itinerary with Pars Tour Agency in Shiraz on May 22nd.  I have to thank many including Rick Steves, a few supportive friends and family, and the large amount of positive trip reports made by others who had done the same journey for giving me the push to go.   I soon be relaxing in tea houses, getting lost in the alleyways of the souks and visiting Zoroastrian caravanserais and fire temples.

Surprisingly, many say that it’s common for US citizens to get rejected but this chart displayed on Iranvisa.com says otherwise.   We were well aware that we could get our visa within days of our scheduled departure.  A Persian-American friend of mine confirmed that we could be getting our visa one day and boarding a plane the next.  There’s nothing like watching airfares go up and down and not being able to take advantage of any deals.  No visa – No sense in buying tickets.

13 weeks later, our passports are back in our hands.  It’s late August and we leave in 2 weeks.  The scramble begins. We promptly booked tickets to Shiraz via Istanbul just in case we got rejected at upon arrival.  If we thought it would be wise to put Istanbul in the plan just as a back up.  It’s a pessimistic move but I’m getting practical in my old age.

The problems between the U.S. and Iran will unfortunately not be resolved anytime soon since some old wounds seems to take a very long time to heal.  History shows that there’s not good chance of the two countries will not be buddies anytime soon.  The most recent media circus involving a used Persian car salesman nicknamed “Scarface”, members of a Mexican drug cartel and an attempt to kill a Saudi Prince baffles me and many others.  I’m not sure what to make of it all.  Now, there’s even more travel warnings posted on the U.S. Travel site, the media and U.S. politicians are having a field day as the war of words resumes we have seen since the 70’s resumes.

Make sure and check out the travel warnings listed by the U.S. and even Great Britain but remember to also balance these warnings with some current information from those who have traveled to such areas.   Blogs and travel information boards found on the Lonely Planet and Trip Advisor sites are a great source for new and experienced travelers.   They are full of current information,  allow travelers to hopefully get answers to specific questions  and it’s a great place to contribute and help others in need of information.  Remember,  information is your friend.

Inspiration to travel to new regions, like Iran, sometimes comes from unexpected places like travel shows by Rick Steves and posts made by like-minded strangers on travel boards and blogs.    Do yourself a favor and diversify the information sources as much as possible before taking off.  You may even discover some “back doors” Rick is always going on about or make time to go off the beaten path and view the lesser known sites others usually miss.

The Skinny on the Iranian Travel Visa for U.S. Citizens

The process sort of reminds me of what it takes to get a Russian Travel Visa.  It involves some cash up front, a form of letter of invite, a detailed itinerary, and patience.  The Russian one seemed more to do with cash since it took a just few minutes to fill out the application, a few hours for a credit card transaction confirmation and later you have a letter of invite.    Iranian visas involve almost as much cash but require a little more patience.  In the end, a visa holder will be free to travel to a country full of hospitable people,  beautiful sights and see for themselves what goes on in a country who doesn’t get too much love from the mainstream media.

Here’s a breakdown of the Visa process:

Have plenty of patience because it can take some time to get your visa

Find a tour company that suits you and your budget.   Pars Tour Agency is our choice since they are based in Shiraz and came recommended..  Pars begins by providing the letter of invite aka Authorization Code for a small fee of 30 Euro.  It’s a requirement for U.S. citizens and the fees are different depending on who you use.

Wait for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tehran to fax the authorization code to the Consulate of your choice.

If not approved, the agency can resubmit the application again and hopefully it will go through this time.  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will then fax the approval document on to your chosen consulate office.

If approved, send or bring the following within 3 business days to the chosen Iranian Consulate Office:

  1.  Application form (my case #101)
  2.  Money order of $112/ applicant and $20 return postage fee made out to the Interests Section of the Islamic Republic of Iran

  3. Single Passport picture (ladies this means one with hajib and remember…no smiling) and your passports (see below)

It’s longer to get the authorization code  from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tehran then it is to get the visa from the consulate.  Visas get issued by the consulate with a week of sending your passport, appropriate photo (women need to obey Islamic code which means donning a Hajib and remember…no smiling)

Ultimately, everything works out and the scramble to get everything done and the real fun begins.

Short list of WHO WHAT WHERE and HOW for Iran Travel

Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque
Here’s my list of online sites which inspired and kept the dream alive while waiting to see if Iran wanted me to come or not.  I hope they are useful to others looking to go:

US Travel Warnings

British Foreign Office Travel Advisory

WHAT

Destination Iran Tour Site

Traveler Nico from Scotland’s Flickr Stream

Soorm’s Flickr Photos of Iran

WHERE/WEAR

Rick Steves Journal – Iran

WikiTravel – Iran

Wikipedia – Iran

Journeywomen’s Blog

WHY

Uncornered Market Trip to Iran Nov 2011

Why we travel by Paul Theroux

AND HOW?

Iran Railway Infomation

Pars Tour Agency

Magic Carpet Tourist Information

Americans in Iran 2011: Planning, applying and waiting…

It’s May 2011 and our next trip will be to Iran. Ignoring the propaganda and the fact that it could take months to get a visa we begin the visa application process and the trip research. It was now or never and we’re going for it. The trip will be at least 14 days which isn’t a whole lot but enough to get a feel for the country.  The itinerary will need shortening and compose a realistic travel budget and itinerary.   Some amazing things will unfortunately be put back on the wish list. This fairly quick trip will be more a best of Iran opposed to a full tour with no limits and a loose vicarious plan which is usually how we roll.  The classic central Iran itinerary that takes us from Shiraz to Tehran is perfect for 14 days by land.

Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque
Morning in the center of Esfahan

Traveling with a U.S. passport to Iran requires a guided tour.  Americans have a history in the area so it’s understandable that the government wants to keep tabs on us and we have to do it.  Finding a knowledgable local guide who will not make us feel as if we were on a short leash and hopefully compatible in personality is first on the to do list.   Reading other travelers blog posts, checking out Thorntree posts and Google searches lead me to finding Pars Tourist Agency which is a small but well-known tour agency based in Shiraz.  Zehra is very organized, patient and good at getting back to me despite the time change and how the weekends start on Thursday and end on Saturday.   They ended up putting together a customized tour which included all the attractions we wanted to see and within our budget.

The Somewhat Short List of why we decided to go to Iran:

1. UNESCO sites Iran full of them and we’ll be able to see a good chunk of them in two weeks – plus the flight isn’t that long – just 13 hours.

2. Politics aside The middle east has always a political hotbed so stayed informed, avoid any political discussion and enjoy the scenery

3. Low hustler level It’s not like Egypt, Turkey or Morocco where many rely on baksheesh to supplement their low wages (which is actually a Persian word) .

4. The US Dollar Woes For Americans, the dollar is still going down and the required tour and it’s prices just always go up and never down

5. Angry Israel It has been pretty trigger-happy recently and who knows when they will put their threats to action and each day there is something new like today (Nov 2) on Al-Jazeera

Travelling to Iran was always in our thoughts especially when we went to other areas of Asia and the Middle East.  Ancient history, architecture and modern culture is usually the draw to the places my husband and I visit.  The most influential were visits to the Persian designed Taj Mahal, Xian, Jordan and Syria. They are all connected to the former Silk Road and Iran has links to them all. We wanted to see and experience a different side of the region and dig deeper into how the traders along the Silk Road influenced and  shaped the lands they once journeyed through. I wanted to see where were the great battles were fought, learn more about the area’s history and see in person what in terms of physical structures (caravanserai, forts, and ancient cities to name a few) and various forms of art still remain today.   Additionally, I like to find answers to questions like did the travelers and warriors of those periods still have a place in present Iranian society?  How did the past influence today’s society?

If Rick Steves did it then why can’t we? He said himself that he regretted not travelling to neighboring Iraq when he had the chance. I personally want to see what goes on  in Iran – politics aside? How do people live and how will the receive me even after they find out where I’m from.   There are many questions that I hope to find answers to and some will have to remain unanswered until I return in the future.

May pictures of the World Trade Center from up above

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WTC in lower Manhattan 30 stories above last night.  It’s looking pretty good.  It seems like they are in high gear as the 10 year anniversary is fast approaching.   The big corporations are signing up for a piece of space in the towers. The financial giants now headquartered in Times Square and Jersey could be planning a mass exodus from Times Square towers are open for tenants.  Conde Nast publications has officially announced that they will be the anchor of One World Trade Center and will be moving 5000 workers to their shiny million square foot space as soon as the beginning of 2013.

It’s nice to see that the trees are blooming and the site is coming back to life after all of these years.

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Echo rules Madison Square Park NYC this summer

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What is that glowing white figure in the middle of Madison Square Park?  It’s Echo by artist Jaume Plensa.  This large 44′ tall sculpture is made up of 15 blocks of plaster which have been individually joint together by lead sheets.   The 3-D sculpture is the face of a 9-year-old girl who lives in his neighborhood and name “Echo” comes from a Greek Myth nymph character named Echo.  She looks as though she is listening to the conversations of visitors resting in the soft sun of late spring in the green oasis known as Madison Square Park next to the Flatiron Building.  The photos make it look like I was messing around with a photo editing tool and the sculpture appears unreal in its surroundings.  This is why I encourage people to visit and see for yourself how amazing it is to see in person.

Echo is the first sculpture Spanish artist Jaume Plensa has ever assembled in New York City.  It is also the largest and most expensive piece that the park has ever commissioned.  The artist has always wanted to display his work in this area of the city and found that this creation with its message to the common man was perfect for this bustling venue.

This beautiful span of green is usually filled with sunbathers, office workers on lunch and others enjoying the green.  It is also home to many bold and well fed squirrels.  Today, the towering face is moonlighting as a scarecrow for the green picnic area.  It’s funny to see that most of the park’s puffy tailed residents are keeping a safe distance from the area surrounding the 44′ tall block of marble.

The Catalan artist, Jaume Plensa, has bought a very touching and beautiful piece to Madison Square Park.  This awesome vision named Echo will be peacefully resting in Madison Square park from now until August 14th.

Escape from Manhattan

IMG_3503Biking along the west side of Manhattan is one of the best ways to a break away from city and immerse yourself in the beauty of the green pathway that snakes its way around this big island.  The ride from Midtown to Riverside Park (99th Street) takes anywhere from 15-30 minutes.  Anyone thinking about taking a ride might think that going all the way up to 100th Street seems out of the question, but there is a reward for those who take on the challenge.  They will be both rewarded and possibly surprised when they find the uptown section of the bike path is less crowded and more tranquil then the tarmacs below 40th Street.  Riders here are able to focus more on the beauty of the surroundings and less on the obstacles which may block their path or come out of the blind spots without warning. (strollers, dogs, joggers with headphones, rouge bikers or the occasional rat making run for it)

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Uptown can get really crowded during the warm weekends of summer.   Large groups and families are in full force and stake claim on a pieces of the large open lawns early in the morning and make a day of it. The parks are places where families can picnic, grill and play.  They even take their pets out for the day and these pets aren’t just the usual dog or parrot but of more the exotic type like their friendly pet boa or domesticated rat.

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If you don’t have a bike  then there’s plenty of places to rent.  Bike and Roll most convenient and probably most expensive bike rental company with a couple of locations on the bike path.   Here’s a list of others near by which give more reasonable rates.    The best times to bike during the warm months are obviously during the week and from early morning until mid afternoon.  The weekends aren’t too bad but it’s always good to get an early start.