Becki Enright is a British blogger who roams the world without a map, writing about misunderstood destinations and untangling cultural misconceptions. Having visited countless destinations since 2007, she fosters, through her blog Borders of Adventure, a different way of travel which she calls “conscious travel”. She is currently on a trip across Iran, where she reports on the hidden beauty of this mesmerizing country.
“The Masjed-e Jameh (Friday Mosque) in Esfahan is the largest in Iran. It has been adapted and expanded for over 800 years, starting life as a Zoroastrian religious site”.
“The Bazaar of Kerman, which also contains the hidden gems of a lively tea house and an old bath house (now museum). In these bazaars all around the country you will meet the friendliest of people, greet and be greeted constantly with ‘Salam’ and be asked the same question over and over: ‘Where are you from?’ You are never short of friends in Iran.
“Checking out the carvings at Persepolis – ‘The City of the Persians’ and the capital of the Achaemenid Empire. This Persian empire is considered the largest and greatest of all time. These carvings depict the visitors from various countries who came to visit the King, bearing gifts. Ancient Iran is incredible!”
“A spot for reflection. The ‘Karim Khani Nook’ (tomb) at Tehran’s Golestan Palace – one of the city’s oldest historical buildings (the former complex of the Qajar Royals) and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.”
“Tehran street scene. A city where it’s not uncommon for motorbikes to whizz past you on the pavement without any warning! The capital city of Iran certainly has a frenetic buzz…”
“Wandering the red brick, winding streets of the village of Abyaneh in the central Iran desert. Nestled at the foot of Mt. Karkas, this 1500 year old village was our resting place for one night as we left Esfahan and made our way towards Kashan. In Abyaneh, residents speak Middle Persian (an older form of Farsi), and wear distinct traditional clothing (men in baggy black trousers and women in colourful, floral headscarves). However, it is on the tipping point of becoming a tourist ‘zoo’, with both domestic and foreign tourists treating it as such”.
For more information: Follow Becki’s Borders of Adventure on her Facebook page, her Instagram @bordersofadventure, and on twitter @BordersofAdv.
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