|
|
You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
............ 
Oct 26, 2006 02:00 PM Yerevan, Yerevan...
Minibus from Goris to Yerevan cost just 1500 drams... On the way there are beautiful mountain panoramas, but when we reached the wide valley of Arax Mt Ararat was in clouds...
In the capital of Armenia I found a nice family mini-hostel located in the centre of the city - close to the opera house: Anahit Stepanyan Homestay - mentioned in Lonely Planet guide book. The lady host and her son speak fluent English. It is clean and quite place... The night in little dorm costs me 10 USD. Highly recommended! In the same house you will fing Gayane homestay - it is run-down and more expensive - I do not recommend this place...
Yerevan has many parks and a lot of cafes, bars fancy shops and charming girls walking the streets. The central Republic Square has fountains and in the evenings is beautifully illuminated. It is safest than many western European capitals. Take a walk and enjoy the atmosphere...
Here is plenty internet cafes, they charge 350-400 drams per hour of quite fast connection.
|
Oct 25, 2006 02:00 PM Crossing the border to Armenia
I am lucky... Going north from Tabriz it is best to hitch at the airport gate on the outskirts of the town. First car took me as far as Jolfa. Then I took a junk share taxi to the border check point in Nordooz. Beautiful mountain scenery of the Araks river valley around... On the Iranian side formalities took me 10 minutes, then I crossed the border bridge walking with my backpack in the light rain (first rain since few weeks of my voyage...) On the Armenian side it is possible to get 21-days tourist visa on a spot, but you must wait about half an hour while they will check via the net if you are not on the black list... Then you pay for the visa 30 USD official price and 5 USD officially requested bribe... Welcome to Armenia! Speak your Russian again! Agarak - little village with basic acommodations (2000 dram in a dorm) is just 800 m away.
Then I took a share taxi to Goris - it was 4 hours of breathtaking drive through the mountains - 2500 drams (they pay only 376 drams for 1 USD). From Goris it is worth to visit beautifully located on the cliff Tatev Monastery - I was the only tourist there!
|
Oct 24, 2006 02:00 PM Tabriz - last day in Iran?
I found nice and centrally located accommodation in Tabriz - Mahmoodi Hotel - just near the city hall and the fountain on Immam Khomeini street. They charge 50000 per single room. The hotel is very quite and the friendly staff speaks some English. In the morning I was wondering through the interesting bazaar - they say it has 25 kms of lanes and corridors! People are nice - they invited me for the tea and non (bread) without any obligations. I saw also the Blue Mosque with its giant dome and the hidden over the walls remains of the Ark citadell. Here is nothing else to see - in the afternoon I'll try to find transport to the border crossing with Armenia. They say I must hitch to Jolfa first and the to Nordooz. I'll try to cross the border in the late afternoon - hoping that the border will be open regardless the holiday. Just keep your fingers crossed please!
|
Oct 23, 2006 02:00 PM Hallelujah! The Ramadan is over!
Can you imagine? In Arab countries the end of Ramadan (Ramazan if you prefere) was over already yesterday, but in Iran... The holy Ajatollahs decided that they know better and the nation will fast one day more! But yesterday in the late evening they announced on TV that it is over. In the morning crowds of the people are going to the mosques to pray (it is obligatory to pray before 11.59 am!
I had real problem to get to the bus station and then to go by bus out of Teheran... I spent 10 hours on the comfortable bus going to Tabriz. The cost of the ticket is reasonable - 50000 rials and they serve some refreshment on board - everybody can eat - the Ramadan is over!. The weather is changing - thanks God it is cooler now... But Tabriz taxi drivers try to charge from the foreigner twice more then from the locals... Just let you know - it is 5000 rials from the bus terminal to the centre of the town...
|
Oct 22, 2006 02:00 PM The jewels of the shahs - Teheran
Teheran can compete with Mexico City regarding pollution and crazy street traffic... Drivers do not care about you at all. If you want to cross the street yau must desperately jump into the stream of the cars add crawl between them hoping they will see you... Teheran is more expensive than the rest of Iran.
Dear Lonely Planet - the prices in your guide book increased by 150%! I found the cheapest room in Hotel Markazi - they charge 90000 rials.
There is something no to be missed if you are in Teheran; the collection of the shah's crown jewels. There are very few places in the world where you can see sut amount of precious stones, crowns, swords etc. And it is easy available: the entry costs like 3 USD, just let you know it is open in the afternoons - weekdays only. I was there for the second time - still exciting!
|
Oct 21, 2006 02:00 PM The holy city of Qom
Minibus (4800 rials - like 0,50 USD) took me from Kashan to the second-holiest city in Iran. It is one of the most conservative places in Iran - the place wrere the islamic revolution of 1979 was born. On the streets you will see more priests then in the other places. You must be discret amd careful with pictures. The highlight of Qom is the Hazrat e Masumeh - a shrine where sister of Imam Reza was buried. The only lady-saint in islam... A lot of pilgrims are vistiting this huge, gold-domed complex. Sorry - foreigners ale not allowed to go into the courtyard. I tried to take some photos from the gate...
There is no reason to stay here longer - I plan to go to Teheran in the evening.
|
Oct 20, 2006 02:00 PM Iran-Kashan: Tea in the bath...
When I arrived to Kashan a guy in "Golestan Hotel" asked me to pay hefty 120000 rials for the hard bed! Not recommended! Just round the corner you will find "Gocharian" place where beds are also hard but they charge only 45000 for single room.
I like Kashan except nasty school kids. It is home to the best traditional mansions in Iran decorated with incredible stucco panels, mirrors, coloured glass. each mansion has a series of interlinked courtyards with fountains and flowers.
Kashan has only one internet cafe. They charge 5000 rials per hour. But, sorry - all 5 compurets were occupied when I arrived and they are closing at 6 pm because of Ramazan!
I visited long bazaar with jewellery, carpets, household items, sweetts and dried fruits on sale... In the middle of the bazar there is former hammam (traditional bath) converted now into chaikhana. It is little run-down but still nice enough to spend here an hour after busy and hot day. A water pipe cost 10000 rials per load and the pot of tea is only 3000!
|
Oct 19, 2006 02:00 PM A thousand and one evening...
Esfahan - Iran. I still remember yesterday's evening in the park on the Zayandeh river. The men bubling their water pipes. Gas flames around. And two pretty Iranian sisters sitting in front of me. Serving strong tea... Stars in the sky. Stars-like eyes looking at me... They still wear the scarves. but they are multi-color (women should not tempt the men showing their hairs). Thay said they wear black scarves only going to the university.
I was listening to the Persian music and to the stories like from the thousand and one night... Unforgettable... Thank you Leilli for meeting me and for that enchanted evening...
Now it is time to teke the bus to Kashan - it is only 10000 rials and 3 hours drive.
|
Oct 18, 2006 02:00 PM To the bath? Put your trousers on!
Esfahan - Iran. Heavy traffic on the streets. Noise, too much pollution - I have problem with my throat... I stay in the centrally located Shad Hostel - Abbasi Street - just in front of the tourist police kiosk. Yes, they now have special police to protect and help the tourist (there were countless scams involving bogus police in the past). I feel safe...
In Shad Hotel (bring your earplugs - it is very noisy!) they charge 90 000 rials per little room with comunal shower. You can use the kitchen and there is even hot water all the day! I was going very happy to the bath in my shorts when the staff asked me to put my trousers on... Wow!
It is only 8 m from my room to the bath... My shorts are clean... My legs, hmmm... there is still some lovely sunburn on them... But put the trousers on and respect the local rules!
Regarding monuments Esfahan is the most important town in Iran - not to be missed. I was walking with my smart, voluntary guide (thanks a lot Amir!) to the huge mosques and lovely palaces... I was impessed again by the ornate decorations ob the buildings. Sorry - some of them are under restoration so the pictures are so-so... Just a bad luck! The entry fee (5000 rials) is not as high as before but there are many places to visit so plan your budget carefully...
|
Oct 17, 2006 02:00 PM Iran - segregation in the buses...
Transport is dirty cheap in Iran. City bus will cost you 300 rials - just few cents. But remember that the men can enter only via the front door - the back door is for ladies only... Do not try to take the seat in the back of the bus - those places are for the ladies in black...
Intercity a/c bus from Yazd to Isfahan cost 24000 rials - like 2,50 USD. Be prepared for erratic timetable. They have computerized ticket reservation but on your ticket you will have everything printed in Farsi (the worms - I say) - including your name - it is nice souvenir. Somebody friendly will read for you departure time: 11.30. But if the bus will depart at 11.50 you should be happy. The drive is your master: he decides where and how long to stop. He will pick up the people without tickets on the way (to repair his budget...) he will take the bike of his friend (it is good to have friends). Then there is bagage attendent: little rude young man dealing with passengers. He think passengers are for him (he is not to serve passengers). Well maybe it depends also on bus company.
I reached Esfahan in the evening. Taxi drivers asked 20000 rials from the terminal to the town. But there are also share taxi (blue and white) for 2000 rials. Good luck Mr Wojtek!
|
Page:
272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282
|
|
|
