First Impression of Iran

 

Before I go any further, my first impression of Iran is beyond my expectation. Iran is a mysterious and misunderstood country. You might get bored hearing travel bloggers who write about Iran for the first time, and receive similar reactions; friends, family, and colleagues ask them; why the hell do you go to Iran?

Some might think Iran is Iraq, but they can’t differentiate between Iran and Iraq. Iran is one of the new places I visited and felt so much safe, people are super friendly. They will smile at you and greet you with this simple sentence: Welcome to Iran, Welcome to Isfahan. Welcome to Shiraz!! And when you get lost, they will escort you to find the way to your destination.

Iran is the country I want to visit again but maybe when the weather is not cold or hot. I want to know more about Iran. So far, Iranians I met on the road were very open-minded, knowledgeable, and curious about the world.

1. Stunning Architecture

All is about geometry and symmetry. Iran is for Architecture Photography hunters, – from Golestan Palace, Arg of Karim Khan to modern Azadi Tower. They are all very fascinating.

Golestan Palace is one of the most beautiful architecture in Iran and is registered as a UNESCO world heritage site. This 19th-century palace is massive with its green garden and the integration of earlier Persian crafts and architecture with Western influences.

You need at least 2.5 hours to explore this palace. So, take your time, enjoy, and relax.

Azadi Tower is the landmark of Tehran city, it was built to commemorate the 2500^th anniversary of the Persia Empire during Reza Shah Pehlevi, the public can reach the top and see Tehran from the top view. There’s no entrance fee to visit this place.

The best time to visit Azadi Tower is before the sunset. You’d get a great sunset through this giant curve when your back faces Mount Damavand that always covered with snow.

 

Arg of Karim Khan is a citadel located in downtown Shiraz, Iran. It used to be the main residential palace of Karim Khan-e-Zand and his dynasty in Shiraz.

It is not hard to find this fortress, it is just a walking distance of Vakil Bazaar, Vakil Mosque, and the famous Nasir-Ol Molk Mosque in the city center.

2. Stunning Mosques

Nasir al-Mulk Mosque aka Pink Mosque in Shiraz is the most unique and important one. Located in Shiraz, it is a colorful mosque built during the Qajar dynasty, at the end of the 19^th century.

To witness the breathtaking colorful light from the mosaic panels and make for stunning photos, I highly suggest coming before 9 am. The morning sun rays create vivid colors spread over the ground.

 

Anyway, even random small mosques in Iran are spectacular with their detail and complex geometric pattern. The photo below is of a mosque I found near the hostel I stayed in Tehran.

3. Spices

When I wandered around in the bazaars in Iran, I always saw Spice, Spice, Spice, and Spices. Persian Spices. One of them is Saffron, an essential Persian cuisine for cooking rice, stew, dessert, tea, and even ice cream.

4. Delicious Food

Overall, the food in Iran from Tehran to Shiraz tasted great. I like everything I ate, the minus thing is, it’s just not spicy or less chili for my (Southeast Asian) standard.

But one thing I noticed in Iranian food; thyme spice is common in their cuisine.

The food in Iran is hygienic or that is what I’ve seen, I didn’t experience diarrhea when the first time I had my meal here, and the people are very clean though. I didn’t hear spitting or clearing the throat sound in Iran. Maybe they do it in the toilet, which I found that be great. I’m quite sensitive to that sound.

 

How to eat this?? Squeeze the lemon onto the chicken, yummy. At first, I thought the lemon was for dessert, then I observed how the local next to me eating the same menu as mine, oh, I see, squeezing the juice of lemon, it is for the additional taste to the chicken.

In Esfahan, the Biryani is made with stewed mutton or lamb meat.

Typical Iranian Breakfast in the hostel; Cream Cheese, Bread, and Fresh Tomato. Also hot tea

 

In Iran, we eat like this. No need table

Before I left Shiraz, I bought a book by a famous Iranian poet – Hafiz. And I showed it to my hostel owner, he then started talking in Farsi which I assumed he adored this poet, Hafiz. before he returned the book to me, he kissed this book. Then, he asked me to join the lunch.

In Iran, there are two famous books they keep in the house, the Hafiz poem book and Quran which the joke said; they read the poem more than Quran, they also named their street names after their poets. And reading poetry in Iran started at 6 years old.

A local I met in Esfahan told me, that we, Iranian, drink tea five times a day, the cute thing is, that they drink tea with Saffron Sugar.

Doogh, it’s the Iranian national drink. Kind of Yoghurt seems like they drink this with a meal.

One thing I craved when I was in Iran: Seafood. I think due to the geographic location, it’s not easy to find fish, prawns, or squid on the menu.

5. Sculptures

Look at the dandelion sculpture. What a great idea for a sculpture

6. Traditional Houses

What I noticed, a little garden and a blue pond always exist in Iranian traditional houses. Or these blue ponds are just common inside the hostel, hotel, or bazaar.

It’s interesting to know probably they have the meaning of these symbols in the Persian Garden.

7. Murals

I have no words for the murals I captured in Iran. It is just interesting, very interesting.

8. Saffrons

Saffron Ice Cream!! I tried this ice cream when the weather was around 7’C, I was just curious how it tastes. & How does it taste?? Ha-ha, I can’t describe it, but I like it.

9. Super Friendly People

A local guy who shows me the sculpture.

In Iran, locals want to take a photo with you and just want to talk with you, he’s the first local I had a small talk to in the park not far from my hostel in Tehran, it was a cold afternoon. He showed me the sculptures in the park where I met him and I asked him whether I can take his photo, he replied, sure.

 

I had a small talk with this friendly old guy who sits in the mosque when I was busy taking photos, and he helped me take a photo with this background, then I took him too. He’s fine with it.

Cafe owner and Iranian boy

Little Iranian Boy

It was super cold outside the pink mosque in Shiraz, the owner of the cafe invited me to get inside, and this little boy switched on the heater for me, I then had a small chit chat with the guy whose the café, and we talked many things, and I asked the cafe owner who served me coffee & bread; “Can I take his photo? I like his traditional attire” this little boy just smiled at us, that cafe owner replied calmly; “Please do, he’s famous on Instagram anyway.”

Random taxi drivers on the road

People here are very positive. Iranian Taxi drivers in Shiraz, I was just walking, and they smiled at me, asking where I come from, then I took their photos, and they started to pose like this. Smile, smile… smile, I felt so much safe in Iran.

10. Motorcycle

We can hire this driver.

11. Great Road Infrastructure

Economic sanctions don’t make Iran left behind. I can’t say Iran is poor, in terms of currency perhaps yes, the sanction affects the currency. However, Iran has a great road infrastructure and metro in every big city, well-educated people, and good and comfortable trains, and buses, – except for the aircraft spare parts they find are not easy to upgrade, again, because of the economic sanction for the past 40 years.

12. Train in Iran

13. Eco-Friendly Park

14. 2500 Years of Civilization

Iran is recognized by UNESCO as being one of the cradles of civilization. Yes, Persepolis, the Ancient necropolis Nash’s-e, and Pasargadae are witnesses to how old the Persian civilization is.