Category Archives: Iran

3 Farflung Museums of the World

My current home town of NYC has some pretty amazing museums.  The city is fortunate to have the world’s history and art come to them instead of traveling many time zones away to see it. When I’m traveling I’m always up for checking out the ones that get a little less attention and are somewhatContinue reading “3 Farflung Museums of the World”

Transport with a splash of color

Most trips overseas for the intrepid traveler involve overland travel.  There’s sometimes unavoidable on small islands in the Philippines and the desert expanses of the Middle East.  The road offers adventure, perspective to a new place and experiencing the local color. Some of us have quickly found that schedules in most places do not goContinue reading “Transport with a splash of color”

The four Iwans of the Jameh Mosque of Esfahan

At the first encounter, there is a courtyard of the Friday Mosque in Esfahan is composed of four prayer halls or Iwans, the east and west are similar in hight and frame but the west is more colorful. The north and south are much larger and both compete for who is fairest.  Each iwan designContinue reading “The four Iwans of the Jameh Mosque of Esfahan”

Esfahan Market Delight

Esfahan is not only one of the top travel destinations of Iran but also the place to get something to take home.  The US has many restrictions on how much it’s citizens can spend in Iran. This restriction along with the obstacle of having enough cash to float you the whole visit restricts spending andContinue reading “Esfahan Market Delight”

Destination Esfahan

It has been given the historical title of being “half of world”  for a reason.  To see it was to see half the world.  To miss Esfahan would be missing a big part of modern Iran. It was named the capital of Persian twice under two different ruling powers and is a place that hasContinue reading “Destination Esfahan”

A Walk Around the Jameh Mosque of Na’in

A visit to the oldest inhabited city – Yazd, and now we go and visit the to the oldest mosque in Iran – the Jameh (Friday) Mosque of nearby Nain The city is not only famous for its fine silk carpets but for its Jameh Mosque.  The outside is very simple and not as colorfulContinue reading “A Walk Around the Jameh Mosque of Na’in”

A typical day for visitors on a guided tour of Iran

What does a typical day on a guided tour in Iran look like? Curious on what actually goes down when you are an American on a mandatory guided tour in Iran?  It’s not as bad as it sounds and there’s no choice in the matter since we are Americans. My husband and  I, like manyContinue reading “A typical day for visitors on a guided tour of Iran”

Best of Yazd: From getting lost in the quiet alleyways to enjoying the view from the rooftops

Yazd is oldest city in the world and to get to know it a visitor needs to see it from all angles The adobe alleyways in the old city  keep the dwellings protected from the sun, large vehicles out and water fresh and cool below.   My visit started on a thursday after noon andContinue reading “Best of Yazd: From getting lost in the quiet alleyways to enjoying the view from the rooftops”

Yazd – the City of Badgirs

I usually like to find attractions along the way which are overlooked and ultimately not overcrowded. My interests are more than checking off a list which usually means seeing what many don’t stop and see. I found many things in Yazd which may seem to be boring because of their name but ended up beingContinue reading “Yazd – the City of Badgirs”

Yazd: Windcatchers of the Desert Oasis

The top two things that come to mind when I think of my stay in Yazd are Windcatchers and its ancient Qanat water systems. Further confirming that I am a travel geek. Just off of the Ancient Silk Road Highway It survived Mongol invasion and its famous visitors include explorer Marco Polo in the 13thContinue reading “Yazd: Windcatchers of the Desert Oasis”

Kharanaq: Please don’t shake the Minerat

Ancient Kharanaq is like a scene out of an old western with tumbleweed and the only signs of life are  some lonely donkeys and feral kitties.  The townspeople have moved into new housing just meters away. The town itself is filled with winding covered passageways with rooms branching off of them. It’s easy to loseContinue reading “Kharanaq: Please don’t shake the Minerat”