Good news: oil prices are falling and airline tickets in tandem. Bad news: security and passport control lines have an inverse correlation to these events. As part of the Customs and Border Protection Trusted Traveler Program, the Global Online Enrollment System (GOES) provides qualified travelers with a way to mostly avoid long waits when clearing security (it interfaces with the TSA pre-check program) and also set … Continue reading Got GOES?
Choosing photos for any of the posts about Iran has been difficult. Selecting a relative few from the hundreds I took in Isfahan has been almost impossible.
This post focuses on just one aspect of this city’s beauty: her magnificent ceilings. The next post will explore Isfahan in depth but these photos speak for themselves! [NB: with the exception of the Jāmeh Mosque below, these buildings are all from the Safavid era – 17th century CE.] Continue reading “Isfahan’s Incredible Awe-Inspiring Ceilings”
Excellent advice for traveling or life in general: it is best not to judge a book by its cover, or a building by its entrance.The famous Pink Mosque or Masjed e Nasir ol Molk in Shiraz is a case in point. The approach via an undistinguished street gives only a hint of the beauty that lies within. Continue reading “Pretty in Pink | Shiraz, Iran”
Back in the day, a friend’s passport was stolen while we were on our semester abroad. It was no easy task to replace it 5000 miles from home in those pre-internet (!) times. Just a few years ago, my husband almost missed our flight from Cairo to Amman because he did not have a copy of his itinerary, something he hadn’t realized he would need … Continue reading Be Prepared
I had no idea that saffron would be one of the takeaways (literally and figuratively) from my trip to Iran. According to Iranian legend, overconsumption can lead to death from laughter. There is no danger of that here in the States, where saffron is so expensive, many stores keep it under lock and key, if they carry it at all. Continue reading “FoodieFriday | Saffron-tastic!”
Miles from nowhere, the 6th century BCE complex of Pasargadae was built by Cyrus the Great who was the first ruler of the Achaemenid Empire. Renowned for its centralized administration, respect for its diverse population and human rights, at its peak, the empire extended from the Eastern Mediterranean and Egypt to the present day Pakistani-Indian border. Pasargadae is one of 19 UNESCO World Heritage sites in Iran. The 160 hectare (400 acre) … Continue reading Cyrus the Great Slept Here (Pasargadae, Iran)
The medieval village of Taft is only a short drive from the center of Yazd and is home to a significant Zoroastrian community. Wandering the narrow streets is a pleasant way to spend a morning. Ripe pomegranates emanate from the walled gardens of traditional homes. Open doorways provide a peek into the still largely agrarian society. The local women’s bright head scarves were a marked contrast … Continue reading Stepping Back in Time – the Medieval Village of Taft, Iran
Anyone with the good fortune to visit Iran must include Yazd on the itinerary. Located in southeast Iran between the Kavir and Lut deserts, the city was a major stop on the caravan routes (Marco Polo called it “a good and noble city”). Yazd’s location and aridity spared it from the Mongol invasion preserved its traditional architecture. This photo gives a little perspective of the enormity of … Continue reading Yay for Yazd | Iran
What’s not to like about a place that offers paletas (see above) right off the bat? That sweet offering was only the first of many gustatory and visual treats savored during a wonderful weekend in Puerto Rico.
Ancient sea creatures remains made for elegant pathways around the hotel. I found the patterns mesmerizing (or maybe it was the heat?).
Some of the manmade patterns were lovely to behold, as well. I wish I had a drop-tilt lens but had to make do with this angle.
The streets of Old San Juan are full of beautiful homes, many in need of some TLC. In fact, this part of the city is undergoing a renaissance, as many are choosing to move in and renovate the colonial buildings.
We were guests in one of these fabulous homes. Not a few of us were ready to take up residence as well! Continue reading “Puerto Rico Me Encanta”
Iran is full of “must see” places: in almost two weeks, I averaged three sites a day and only scratched the surface. At the top of my list for southeastern Iran: the shrine to a 15th century mystic and poet who lived for 101 years.
Shah Nematollah Vali was a Sufi Master and poet born in 1330 in Aleppo. He traced his own descent from the seventh Imam and is considered the founder of the Sufi order Nimatullahi. Continue reading “Three Must Sees in Great(er) Kerman, Iran”
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