Will Be Right Back

 As mentioned in my previous post, I came to Shiraz together with Reza, and together we were going to explore the city along with the most important historical sites around. And there are quite a few historical sites to explore around Shiraz. Starting in Shiraz we'll go through places like Persepolis and Pasardage to end in Yazd on the edge of the desert. Afterward, I'll go north alone, at least for a short time. Trip map courtesy of Wanderlog , a road trip planner on iOS and Android In the heart of ancient Persia Together with my professor/guide, we're starting with a visit to the most important parts of Shiraz.  Qajar dynasty palace is full of gold, mirrors, and stained glass. Kebap with yogurt, as traditional as it is, for my stomach was a challenge.  Just in case it wasn't enough, a quick visit to a traditional bakery.  Shiraz is also a city of gardens. Their splendor justifies adding them to the UNESCO World Heritage list. Time to go to Persepolis. It exceed...

As I was planning the trip everyone was trying to convince me it was not a good idea. For most people, Iran is not an obvious destination. Most would think it's dangerous, difficult to travel in, not worth the effort. Getting there wasn't the easiest of the tasks, but it was worth all the long days it took me to get the visa. Two visits to the consulate, fingerprinting, moments of despair when I was ready to drop the whole idea and go somewhere else, and in the end a gamble to try to get in with a visa on arrival. Worked! Trip map courtesy of Wanderlog , a road trip planner on iOS and Android Tehran As a result of the gamble on the visa on arrival (which according to some government sites existed, according to other sites didn't exist, and on some sites was described as limited to only three weeks) I'm waiting in a line since 11:30 PM till 4:30 AM. Can only get better now. Before going to the hotel I needed a little bit of money. Turns out I'm a millionaire. Fi...