Tabriz

Things not to miss in Iran

Tehran

… The secret parties taking place in apartments by the city of Tehran, in a country where almost everything that is synonymous of party is prohibited.

Kashan

… The small town of smiling and kind population, which in addition to palaces, gardens and historic houses, offers a bazaar of beautiful architecture.

Esfahan

… The bridges over the River Zayandeh that even without water still provide a magical atmosphere with the approach of the sunset.

Persepolis

… The ruins of an extinct civilization, that despite the many visitors still mirror the greatness of an empire that is the heart of Persia.

Shiraz

… The atmosphere of Masoleum of Hafez (Aramgah-e Hafez) in a mixture of religious devotion, intellectual respect and artistic mystique that is still given to this poet.

Yazd

… By Dakhme hills (Towers of Silence), where the bodies of Zoroastrianism followers, religion originated in Persia, were left to be eaten by vultures so as not to defile the sacred elements such as fire, water, earth and air.

Bazaars

… The best were the Tabriz by the atmosphere and the Kashan by the architecture of the building and the sidewalk terrace.

… And people! The generosity and the kindness.

… For an upcoming trip:

Travel by train to Tehran to Ahvaz crossing the Zharkouh Mountains
Visit the villages in Kaluts region where Balochi keep alive their culture and ethnic identity
Explore the Persian Gulf, especially Qeshm Island
The city of Mashhad
Crossing the Dasht-e Lut (Lut Desert)

Were are the persian cats?!?!

From Persia come not only the carpets… also the cats, famous for their long fur, sweet look and fluffy tail.

But where are they? The famous Persian cats?!?! Due to is high price certainly only at home of wealthy family, away from the city streets, bazaars and markets, where stray cats roam relatively freely.

These stray cats, fed by the inhabitants show a little shy and distrustful, without losing their natural instinctive curiosity common to all cats.

The highest concentration of these urban felines was in the bazaar of Tabriz, where one of the many caravancerais, were many men gathering for talking or just sitting in the shade provided by the trees. The cats wander around with the full confidence of who dominates the place.

Soon you can see the reason for such concentration of cats, with the arrival of a man carrying a bag with leftover meat, which totally destabilize the peaceful courtyard, with cats dispute the food among themselves. Chaos that don’t last for long, with the cats laying down at the sun and the caravancerai returning to previous peaceful atmosphere.

Gatos esperando pela chegada da comida. Tabriz Bazaar — Stay cats waiting for food at caravancerai of Tabriz Bazaar

Tabriz Bazaar, onde restos de carne servem diariamente de alimento a dezenas de gatos de rua que se passeiam pelas redondezas de um dos caravansarais do Bazaar de Tabriz — Meat leftovers given daily to stay cats at Tabriz Bazaar

Between Tabriz and Tehran… on the road again!

“Everything happens for a reason”… and so it happened! After Tabriz the next destination was the village of Masuleh, located in the foothills of Mount Talesh where the humid climate turns dry landscape in a green forest.

For over four hours, they were passing by the bus window desert landscapes almost with out vegetation, where the flat straight road is the only trace of human presence. Untouched plains intercepted by dry river beds, interrupted by small, gentle hills, which when approaching exhibit different textures, soft colors ranging from beige to brown, from gray to reddish shades. Occasionally arises a village of brick built houses whose color is difficult to distinguish from the surrounding landscape, which maintains the same look desert.

But “destiny” would change the turns to plans drawn by “man”, making the driver of the bus between Tabriz and Tehran, forget to leave me in an intermediate stop, Qazvin where it would change bus to reach Masuleh. The mistake was only detected upon arrival to the outskirts of big capital, where there was no way to return to Qazvin.

I found myself unexpectedly in the gigantic bus station in a city with over 15 million inhabitants, a few days ahead of schedule, without preparation, without plans, without a map or even route.

But believing that everything happens for a reason, this was the way to meet with a friend, with later shared with me the trip to Masuleh, making this a special itinerary in the trip by Iran. An inspected situation on the course of the events that reveals to be a balm to the lonely, grey and lonely days spent in Tabriz.

Transport:

The trip Tabriz – Tehran takes about 4 hours but maybe take more time if the arrival in Tehran coincides with the rush-hour, with road congestion.

From Tabriz Bus Terminal (the only one in town for long distance buses) buses depart roughly every hour, with several companies doing this connection. The first buses leave by 6 am and last for 24 hours.

Bus ticket costs 155,000 rials.

VIP Bus Tabriz - Tehran — VIP Bus Tabriz – Tehran

Normal Bus Esfahan - Shiraz — Normal Bus Esfahan – Shiraz

VIP bus Yazd - Kerman — VIP bus Yazd – Kerman

Normal Bus Maku - Tabriz — Normal Bus Maku – Tabriz

Buses in Iran are a great choice for long-distance travel, and there are regular services, with good frequency between major cities: Tabriz, Tehran, Esfahan, Shiraz, Yazd, Mashad, Kerman, Bandar Abbas… as we move away from this itinerary, the offer is less in terms of schedules and sometimes the quality of buses decrease.

The main roads are good, flat and with few curves, often with two lanes, making a comfortable ride; however existing speed brakes can often be quite disturbing during sleep. In mountainous areas, such as Kurdistan, or near the Caspian Sea roads become more sinuous, but usually with good pavement.

The prices are very attractive, with travel between major cities to costing between 100,000 and 200,000 rials (approximately 3:05 €; Out.2015 values).

The price varies depending on the kilometers and the type of service: normal or VIP and did not differ significantly depending on the transport company.

In the VIP service is provided a small snack (biscuits, cake, chocolate and packaged juice); in normal service sometimes tea and water.

When the trip coincides with mealtime and frequent stop for meals.

VIP buses have only 3 passengers per row, with wide and comfortable sets that look more like sofas, with armrest, reclining chairs and some with support that allows elevate your feet. Recommended for overnight trips because the price is not significantly higher.

Normal buses have 4 passengers per row, usually without armrest between seats.

In either option the space between seats is generous, allowing stretch your legs without problems, even for taller people.

All have air-conditioner, which not being too strong can offer enough comfort.

If we are to make a night of long-distance travel (5 or more hours in length) is recommended to confirm the departure time of the last bus, and if possible buy the ticket in advance, at least one day.

Festive seasons such as Nowruz – New Year’s Eve according to the Persian calendar – which coincides with the beginning of spring, are times when the bus, train and plane tickers and difficult to get, so traveling in Iran during is time implies careful planning.

When the number of passengers is not enough to fill a bus, is often different companies join efforts and move all the passengers a single bus, which may delay somewhat the departure and consequently the arrival, although the delay are not usually more than half hour.

Stops right outside the cities to collect passengers (and occasionally goods) are also common in day trips, but virtually nonexistent in night trips.

Tabriz: the carpets and the bazaar

Tabriz was the first stop on a month trip in Iran, and had the heavy responsibility to create a first impression of a vast and diverse country, stretching from the Caspian Sea to the Persian Gulf, from Turkey to Afghanistan, from Iraq to Pakistan, also bordering Turkmenistan, Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The city of Tabriz, that was capital of Iran, but because of its geographical position that formed very vulnerable to the attack of the Ottoman Empire, is now the capital of Azerbaijan province, where a significant part of the population is Azevi, constituting the largest ethnic group of Iran.

Tabriz an obligatory stopping point on the Silk Road, is today one of the oldest bazaars in the Middle East and the largest covered bazaar in the world, continuing to play a key role in commercial activity in the country, especially the trade of carpets … the legendary Persian carpets!!

The bazaar is clearly dominated by carpet business, which can be found in wool or silk, with geometric or floral motifs, with portraits or with religious inscriptions… business whereby Tabriz has worldwide fame. In parallel to the carpet business exist a great variety of stores that are associated with its production, selling raw materials, both the cotton yarns serving as weft as wool that are woven most carpets.

Dispite much of the area is dedicated to carpets, the Bazaar of Tabriz has much more to offer: areas dedicated to the sale of fabrics and clothing, specially the scarves to cover the head, who are here in an endless number of variations. Sometimes we are attracted by the smell of spices, the shinny honey pots, the brightness of dates, raisins, prunes and other dried fruits, the piles of walnuts, almonds and pistachios… a generous and endless variety.

The visit to Kabud Mosque, called the Blue Mosque (100,000 rials), despite the weight of seniority involving the building built in 1465, proved to be uninteresting. Ark-e Alishah, a huge and massive arch that is imposed in the city center has also little to offer. Lost in the intricate maze of streets that make up the bazaar is the Jameh Mosque, whose interior offers silence and comfort, in opposition to the feverish agitation made by porters, pushing cars by hand, bringing and taking good, in a movement that only slows at lunch time.

A city with a long history, where the bazaar was the center off all attentions, deserving more than a view, in different times of day, showing different light, different rhythms, different pulsars as the bazaar were a living organism.

Leaving the city center, a visit to the surrounding area of Valiasr Square, revealed another facet of Tabriz, more modern and cosmopolitan, with sophisticated shops, cafes, restaurants and bakeries. A wealthier Tabriz where the way of dressing, more relaxed and colourful, reveals a less conservative and traditional mindset.

Zona junto à Valiasr Square — Near Valiasr Square

The four days spent in Tabriz served as adapting to a different culture, to understand the rules of social behaviour, where segregation between sexes in buses and other public places is strictly respected, where the scarf used to cover the head, is not only required at streets, but as well inside the guest houses. The dress code also requires some attention, especially for women and is not limited to the head scarf, including long sleeves, loose clothing and covered legs… yet the rules are always more flexible for foreigners. Also time for the necessary adaptation to food, where meat dominates most of the meals served in restaurants. It was also time to adapt to the money, where the “zeros” dominate the value of banknotes, where almost nothing is bought with less than 1000 rials and where to return for a 50€ bill makes us holding more than a million rials… basically millionaires.

Tourism Office:

The Tabriz touristm office, located on the first floor of one of the buildings in the pedestrian zone that serves as the main entrance to the bazaar, is a required stop for those visiting the city, where the friendly and helpful staff provide all kinds information, whether from excursions (organized by the tourist office), the local money exchange, public buses to different places to visit (including for the Bus Terminal Tabriz), restaurants, etc …

Tabriz may be the base for day visits to neighboring regions, with Kodovan, a town whose houses are built on the rock, one of the most popular; given the similarity with the recently visited Cappadocia was not selected in this itinerary.

Posto de Turismo de Tabriz — Tabriz Tourism Office

Posto de Turismo de Tabriz. Horário — Tabriz Tourism Office. Schedule

Accommodation:

The center of Tabriz, between the main entrance of the bazaar and the Imam Khomeini Street is located the Ferdowsi Street, which concentrates a large number of guesthouses, with cheaper prices. There are single, double or shared room, usually with shared toilets. Prices vary widely, depending on the conditions offered in terms of ventilation (with rooms without windows) and cleaning, so it is worth seeing a few rooms and check prices before making a decision.

The choice went to the Mashhad Guest House that wasn’t the best price but show up clean and fresh, despite the minimum dimensions of the room.

Mashhad Guest House

Ferdowsi Street

Single room: 250,000 Rials + 60,000 rials shower

Free wi-fi… slow, very slow… and just at the reception room

Almost no English is spoken by receptionist and staff

Where to eat:

One of the very popular choices in terms of street food found in Tabriz was made with baked potatoes, crumbled on a piece of bread, adding boiled egg, tomato and some fresh herbs, form a roll… that fills you up as a proper meal.

Along the streets of the bazaar, some sellers of sweet potatoes and other roots cooked in sugar syrup, spread the sweet aroma wrapped in a steam cloud.

Inside the bazaar there are also a few restaurants, but given the labyrinthine nature of the space where the guidance is not easy, find these sites is a little to chance or delivered to the olfactory sensitivity.

Snack de rua em frente à entrada principal do bazaar — Street food at the entrance of Tabriz Bazaar

Transport:

Bus to Valiasr Square: number 159; the stop is street outside the bazaar Jomhuriye Eslami Street.

Bus to Tabriz Bus Terminal (long distance buses): number 104; the stop is on Amir St., a street perpendicular to Ferdowsi St.

Apparently you need a card for travel on city buses, which is validated electronically on every trip to the entrance of the bus. But you can pay directly to the driver, between 500-1000 rials; in the case of women the situation is more complicated because after entering through the front door and pay the tickets, you must exit and re-enter through the back door to the area reserved for women. Often the driver did not charge ticket … maybe to make things easier, perhaps because I’m a foreigner …?!?!?