8-9 Curiosity kills a cat. It is part recklessness and part restlessness. I decided to visit Iran to unveil the mysticism of this country. A country that openly chants and taunts “death to America,” and stormed the U.S. embassy, has…
9-10 From Tehran, I traveled to Kashan, about 250 kilometers away, arriving at about 3 p.m. It felt like a small town on the Silk Road. After a quick bite, I started asking for directions to two historical buildings: Borujerdi…
10 From Kashan, I rented a taxi heading for Abyaneh. On the way, nothing but desert, the dry, bland desert. Desert was good; I needed a break from the hustle and bustle, the noise and the crowd. And it was…
10-13 From Kashan, I moved on to Isfahan, my fourth stop in Iran. This was the world’s second largest square and Isfahan’s most famous landmark, the Imam Square. Shops selling local handicrafts surround the square. Some design students were setting…
14-16 From Isfahan, I took a seven-hour night bus to Shiraz. The bus fare was less than USD 8, quite economical for a pretty luxurious bus. I was privileged to stay in a boutique hotel renovated from an old house.…
17-19 After seven hours of an overnight bus ride, I arrived at 7 a.m. in the desert town of Yazd and proceeded to the hotel. The hotel manager invited me for a free breakfast, the best so far, even before…
17-19 This was the place, Chak Chak, where the Zoroastrians still come to do their annual pilgrimage. Zoroastrianism is an ancient Persian religion that may have originated as early as 4,000 years ago and was the state religion of three…
21-22 After two days in Yazd, I took a six-hour train back to Tehran. The train and the station were pretty decent, though the train was a bit slower than what I was used to. It was desert all the…
23 I regretted not having stayed longer in Georgia. But I had to keep going. After two days in Georgia, I took a small public bus from Tbilisi. After five hours, I arrived at Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. There…