Post cards…Iran (8) central, Meibod, Naien and Chak-Chak
Yazd, 2nd time: tlc for TLC
This time, Yazd came to our rescue as the engine cooling radiator pipes had given up. While on the road in the direction of Yazd, we noticed that the temperature gauge had gone up. As we had just come down a mountain and the weather was hot, we thought we give the car a little rest and it should be fine. After half an hour, we went on the road again, but almost immediately the gauge went up again. Checking the water, there was water in the overflow reservoir. So Saeed said: “I am going to do something dangerous”, and opened the actual radiator (not to be done when the engine is hot!) which turned out to be empty! As we had done a stop and go two times, we had been noticed and police stopped kindly to help. They offered us their bottles of water to fill up the radiator (“Don’t use your mineral water for that”, not knowing that we had filled our mineral water bottles with tap water;)), and suggested we stop at the mosque 5km further down the road to get more water and buy coolant.
We stopped at the mosque, where we bought coolant and added it together with more water to the radiator. Lots of trucks around filling their ‘ice’ reservoirs, of which I took many photos. I have become very fond of trucks and discovered so many different types!
We continued to Yazd, but were being held at a police check point for unnecessary curiousness and nosiness. What we noticed however, Continue reading Yazd, 2nd time: tlc for TLC
More post cards…(7), central east, the Kaluts
Criss crossing Iran, delightful encounters
“So, how did you travel through Iran?” Our itinerary may not have been the most logic to follow, but we had our reasons!
Due to our previous good experience with extending my visa in Shiraz, we wanted to be there again to do the same and that meant taking some routes that we might have done differently if a visa extension would not have been necessary and time wasn’t running out. This allowed us however, to pass twice through Shiraz and Yazd, two cities we both love.
After our first Yazd visit, we continued on to Shiraz with only focus to obtain a visa extension, which we received for three weeks. Once received, we could relax and start preparing the next travels through Iran. This took us east to Kerman via Meymand, trodlodyte city where people still live in caves. Upon entering the village, Continue reading Criss crossing Iran, delightful encounters
Post cards… (6) central to south east, Meymand, Kerman, Mahan
Post cards Iran (5), south, Shiraz
Yazd
Our arrival in Yazd after a whole day of nothingness through the desert was very welcome, although it was from one extreme, quietness on the road, not much going on, to another of city busyness, lots of cars and noise.
First stop: the Zoroastrian fire temple (ateshkadeh) where the fire has been burning for many long centuries. The sign of Zoroaster, the Farvahar, embellishes the building. We were just in time before closure and so enjoyed the sunset at this delightful place.
Then on our way to the park-e mosafer or traveller’s park to park for the night. We were directed to Haft-e tir park at a very busy road. After having driven the whole day though, we were happy to just stop and have a simple dinner on a bench in the park. A stroll into Yazd had us pass and enter an ice cream shop and notice was taken of an Italian (!) coffee shop, which was closed but to be kept in mind. Upon our return to the car, the parking attendant Continue reading Yazd
We continue…Iran (4), Central
More post cards from Iran (3), the North
… and herewith the actual tower!
The cemetery: a celebration of life with tombstones of phalluses for men and butterflies/angels for women.
4 hours return journey from Gonbad Kavus, a 4×4 drive well-worth it!
(Khaled Nabi was a Nestorian-Christian, see tiny white church with green roof above the spectacular sea of steppe hills).
Travelling through Iran, from Tehran north, east to central
We have had the amazing luxury of travelling for seven (!) weeks through this amazing country with its incredible historical sights.
When in Tehran, we had to make the hard decision to deviate from our initial dream to visit the Stans. We put two and two together and realised it would be a very challenging situation due to weather conditions changing rapidly into winter, therefore road availability questionable, time and monies needed to obtain all required visas and (responsibility and loyalty kicking in) being on time in Abu Dhabi for Abu Dhabi Art beginning of November. Five weeks would not be enough to see all the five Stans, not even to see four, three, not even two (only Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan), as upon our return we would have to cross Iran from north to south to take the ferry to the United Arab Emirates from Bandar Abbas and that would take at least three days flat out ONLY driving. We decided to spend far more time than initially planned, in Iran.
From Tehran we went into the mountains of Kelardascht, off-roading with 4x4Iran.com, a wonderful bunch. For the first time Continue reading Travelling through Iran, from Tehran north, east to central