A trip to famous UNESCO sites

today we got up at 6 AM, taking breakfast
and got out at 7 AM to pick up the others
from their hotel, after via autobahn up to
marand, 7o km far from tabriz, to pick up
my old german friend monika! as usual she
was ready and we went ahead to one of the
famous unesco-site *armenian monastic ensemble
in iran* near jolfa, st. stephanos monastery!!

on this pic on the road beside the river ARAS
at left side you may see IR and on the right
side of it is rep. AZ situated!
here you can see finally the one part of the
*armenian monastic ensemble in iran*, registered
in 2oo8 as a world cultural heritage site -
st stephanos monastery!!! it's so beautiful
situated deep in the mountains!
ppl are going fishing from the river ARAS,
and the fishing from the aras dam belongs to
the national fishing company!
we passed some fishshops - woooow, I had never
seen such a fish.... CATWELS!!!!! about 5o kg!!!!
and to make ppl curious to buy some fish,
after getting the *fishmeat* out from his place
under the skin, they met the head and skin hanging
beside the road, so ppl could notice they are
selling fishes !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?!?
and this looks like really a kind of art!
leaving province EAST-azerbaijan and entering province
WEST-azerbaijan, next we reached another part of the
a.m. UNESCO-site: qara kelissa or the so called black
church, st. thaddaeus monastery, which is the oldest
place of christian religion!!

A sightseeing trip in Tabriz

first let me tell you smth about tabriz!!
it's an industrial city with about 2 mill. inhabitants!
the first settlements had been found from 3.6oo years ago!
the city is situated in NW of IR on the way to the turkish border!
it's the capital of province east-azerbaijan,
situated on an altitude of about 1.5oo m.
it has hot and dry summers and strong winters with a lot
of snow! (except this winter now.. when the whole snow
was falling only in europe - it seems......)

today we started our sightseeing tour in tabriz in the
azerbaijan museum!
the bazar of tabriz is the by far largest roofed bazar
in the world, and ppl here are very happy, as it's announced
to the tentative list of UNESCO and you can keep crossed
your fingers hopefully it will be registered as a world
heritage site asap!!!!
my host told me, that ppl are busy to prepare their new year!
and one of the items, nessesary for the celebrations is the
special mix of nuts for *tshaharshanbeh suri*! (you will hear
about later!!) yummieeeeeeeeee!!!!
wow - what they are selling in bazar side by side????!?!?!?
here you can see a special hand made soap, using for everything
- for hair as well as for clothes!!!!!
yummieeeeeeeeeeee again!! I found myself in the middle of
delicious dates!! the BAM dates are the most famous ones!!
another sign of new year is, when they start to sell the goldfishes!
ipuenktchen brought us to constitution house in tabriz.
there are some famous brothers from the olden times:
SATTARKHAN and BAGHERKHAN, who were the leaders of some
military guys who were busy to bring the rules to the ppl!
they had their meetups in the later called constitution
house, it's owner was mr. kouzekonon, who allowed the guys
to meet in his house!
puuuuh - how dangerous my place!!!!!!?!??!
after we got tired and went to relax to a nice
traditional restaurant which was a former HAMMAM!
(public bath)
hehe... how great and delicious - beside their meal
they had a large plate of fresh herbs!! yummie again!!

Travel arrangements

Jippieeeh - my host told me to go to bed
very early, because we have to get up tomorrow
morning in time! There will be some guests from
Tehran, visiting *our* province here...

ipuenktchen is living in the province East-Azerbaijan, and
there is also West-Azerbaijan and on the other
side of the border the Republic Azerbaijan is situated,
which belonged in the golden times, about 25o years ago,
also to Persia. One of the ancient shahs lost it...

They all have the same culture, language *azeri* and traditional
music! People here are very proud of it, and for instance
they insist to speak their own language instead of *farsi*,
the official language allover Iran, although the kids up
from elementary school had to learn only farsi!!!

ipuenktchen told me so interesting names and showed me some postcards
of the sites we will go to explore, that I'm really thrilled
and can not wait anymore........ it's better to go to sleep -
KEEP IN TOUCH!!!

A wedding in Iran

My host today was invited for a wedding party! I was so excited, she took me with her, but she told me up from the beginning to stay in her bag and only have a look from time to time, because men aren't allowed there! I accepted... :-(

Can you believe it, there is no difference if a daughter of a groceries shop get married or the
daughter of a factory owner for instance. Poor parents, poor husbands... They are spending
millions and millions.

This wedding party was for a daughter of one of the former collegues of my host, and not a very very large one. I think, there had been about 2oo women. Very often this is twice! 3oo, 4oo... And imagine: in a 5-star-hotel!

A party up from 4 PM until 7 PM. ONLY WOMEN! We arrivd a bit late, together with the wedding couple, so ipuenktchen was able to take a pic of me and the wedding car! And when we came in, many of the women had met her scarf, because there was a man: the groom! The wedding couple made a tour to welcome their guests, 2 or 3 times dancing together and he had
to leave again to let all the ladies comfortable, and so they met their scarf again in their bags.

They were eating tons of cakes and fruits and nuts. Dancing really a lot as well as chatting together! At the end of the party the groom appeared again and it was the opportunity for people to congratulate them before leaving.

After leaving there the closer guests, near relatives, normally have diner in any restaurant, and after will have a private mixed wedding party at the home of the bride.

First day in Iran

Today when the sun was shining my host brought me out in the yard to see the rest of their snow. I couldn't believe it... Snow in Iran?!? But she told me, they are living here in northwest of the country on an altitude of about 1.5oo - 2.ooo m and normally they have strong winters with a lot of snow - but only this year it wasn't that much - it seems all the snow from here was falling in europe! And so since one month ago the first spring flowers were to find in the yard.

In the early eve my host was back home and made me very happy as she brought so great things for me... too much for my small stomach! What kind of ceremony had she been to?! I asked her and she told me, people are celebrating as a vow for their died beloved ones ceremonies like this, as there will be read a matching part of the holy qor'an for the died people. And as it is a vow everything that's served there you have to eat or to take with you!!! They even distribute tote bags!!! And when you say good-bye to the host, you have to say *ghabul boshe*, that means, hopefully god will accept this vow! By the way, there were invited *only* 5o persons... Very often there are much more than this! And by the way, the coca cola is very beloved here, and they call it *coca*!

Arrived in Tabriz, Iran, in Ipuenktchen's home!

*Uaaahhh* - how long did I sleep? The postman - believe it! - came by a motorbike! Because my new host is living outside of the city center! And where am I? Ohhhhh - they are still speaking my mother tongue!? But something has changed...?! Because I heard different languages on my way to the next host!

I'm clever and looking at the addy of my *sleeping-box* :-0 I'm in IRAN!!! Unbelievable! How Hans would be so jealous, if he knew about?!

My host welcomed me very warm; she was waiting such a long time, as she told me... since june 2oo9 or something like that, when it happened that Hans disappeared... and she was very happy about my souvenirs I brought for her from the places I had been to before!

But... I'm a bit sad, and a very small tear comes in my eyes... because my host told me she had to go out, to a kind of mourning ceremony and there are only women allowed... hmmm... I noticed here is something different!

OK - I'm cool - decided to be relaxed! :-)

A journey into the unknown! Iran, I am coming

That's me!
That is my new travelingbox... I've got it in Krems.
Here is a lot of space inside for a playmoguy like me.
I have a small house made of a postcard here inside.
That is my closed travelingbox
And now off I go!