Blog 16 – Backpackers in Persia

If you were thinking about the destination for your car-holiday and somebody told you that Carnet de passage (a special document for the car) is not necessary anymore, don’t trust him. I mean if you don’t intend to spend several pleasant days at the borders, have to pay loads of money and had to hire a semi-official in the end to accompany you to the other side of the country. After a few days (first negotiating at the border and than driving) we arrived to the Turkemen border, left our car there and with our big bags aimed to Teheran. The weather forecast for the mountains was less then promising so we left the big bags in Teheran and took just a few things (such as our smart Lumias, flippers and camera) for a several days´ trip.

In morning, hunched up at the bus-seat of a nightliner to the south we stared at the desert lit by the morning sun. “How, far is Esfahan, please?” “Oh, 1,5 hours back, mister”… it made no sense to go back so we continued to Shiraz, the Iranian capital of poetry. At least we could visit Persepolis – the most preserved old-Persian sight which is located near Shiraz.

The construction works on Persepolis were started in the six century BC. Persian kings wanted to impress visitors by the power and wealth of the Persian Empire. Impression works even today, although only a small part of the city remains. Interestingly, this spectacular city remained hidden under loads of dust and sand after its downfall until the 30s of 20th century. We were also “impressed” by the heat and the amount of tourists. Hidden in shade in a wood close to the site we were looking at the map and re-thinking our next touristic plans.

Shiraz is a great place for hanging out. In the gardens around the tombs of poets Hafez and Sa’di the time passes somehow differently. Although both of them lived more than six hundred years ago they remain very popular and their poems have still much to say. In every home in Iran you should find at least two books – one Koran and a book by Hafez. In the shade of blossomed rhododendrons you can observe people touching the Hafez´s tomb and citing his poems. If you are lucky, you will see “Fall” – a ritual during which one´s future is told from a randomly selected Hafez poem.

In contrast to Hafez who spent his whole life in Shiraz Saadi spent a big part of his life travelling. Like Saadi, driven to explore the unknown, we feel like hitting the road again. “What about checking this Persian Gulf since we are so close, man?” (i.e. 10 hours bus ride). Even without the ritual we could not resist and decide to prolong our sleeping bus series for the third night. Let´s go to the beach!

 

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Full tank for 13 USD. That’s a pity that we cannot enjoy this diesel paradise for longer

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Direction Turkemenistan

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Arriving to the Turkmen border fresh and fit after a two day highway marathon

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Sophistication

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Lovely morning at the bus station

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Afternoon games in a park

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Shopping in Teheran. “Poems from the Persian” becomes our important guide through this inspiring country

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Direction south!

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Persepolis

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Persepolis

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“Look at all the tourists..” “I am afraid we are a bit spoilt from Kurdistan” “What about going somewhere where almost nobody goes?”

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Shiraz, tomb of Sa´di – a great Persian poet

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Shiraz, hrobka básníka Sa´diho

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An evening poetry session at the tomb of Hafez – a great Persian poet