Not sure about my CAR trip... that one may end up just being an airport stop (TAAG flies Brazzaville - Bangui - Douala and v.v.)

Fantastic TR! Very interesting. Great pictures! Thanks for sharing ;)

Great trip report and beautiful pictures. Thanks for sharing.

Great report. SFO777 might have a field day there. My recollection of Irani (Persian) women from college was that they were gorgeous. Don't think he'll be taking that trip with MrsSFO777 however.

The rabbi from one of our local yeshivas helped approximately 60,000 Jews leave Iran. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herman_N._Neuberger

I guess entering a warzone means it will be quick stop:). My Libyan visa got denied last week, apparently they have suspended visa's for tourists for the moment. At least until elections apparently. My Algeria visa came through though thankfully:).

Thanks, thefilipinotraveler:). Definitely one of my most enjoyable trips.

Thank you, rob_flies_ua:).

Cheers, JCary:).

Thanks, farbster:). Yes, hard not to stare at some of the Persian ladies:).

Must have been a difficult time after the revolution. I sincerely hope that the remaining Jews do not have to immigrate though. Iran has by far the largest amount of Jewish people in the Middle East outside of Israel, and would be sad to see a complete exodus after thousands of years of Judaism in Persia, despite frequent persecution.

What an awesome trip report!

I have to repeat it...

Fantastic TR with very beautiful pictures, very impressive! Thank you!

Amazing photos, far more than my husband took! I kept looking to see if I were in any of your pictures as we were in Iran about the same time you were. That would have been a flyertalk first, I imagine. I certainly recommend the trip. We stayed at the Abbasi Hotel. What a gorgeous garden. No photo could do justice to it.

One young Iranian woman came over to speak to me when I was sitting alone. Asked first if I were American (I think it was emblazoned on my forehead), then told me how much she HATED the scarf. She wanted to know if I had to wear one in the US. No. She replied "Then, I LOVE America!"

Do you remember which Pars trip you took to Iran?
We're you on a private tour or with a small group?
Thanks!

Thanks, Air Rarotonga, yes definitely will remember this trip for a while:).

Cheers, AAExPlat:).

Thanks, Karen2, yes, the Abbasi Hotel was quite a special place, so much histroy and very beautifu too.

Hi MileageGeek, I think it was just a 'tailor-made' trip. Just a private tour (i.e. just me and the guide/driver).

Awesome report Daniel... only when you travel into Iran you realize the level of the media propaganda.

I've been travelling to Iran for quite a few years now and hospitality is the middle name of all Iranians.

I recently traveled with my North American origin boss and he was pleasantly surprise with Tehran. It was way beyond his expectation.

I wish I could take pictures like you. Hope to take my family some day and travel to Iran for a short holiday.

First of all, there were tons of tourists in Iran this spring, mostly from Italy. Hotels were bulging at the seams. Iranians could not have been happier, inc Rouhani. In our two weeks there, we only ran into two American tourists who were on a private tour. Americans have to have a guide and, while our guide was very lackadaisical, he should not have been. He allowed one of our men to dance in public, which is strictly forbidden.

About food: It was plentiful but one of the men in our group got food poisoning in the first days of the trip so we treated food like it was in Mexico. Same rules. Did not get sick. Did not drink tap water. If you want delicious safe food, go to Turkey. Beats Iran, hands down, from quality to variety.

We have now changed our attitude about going to Iran. Two things have happened.

1. Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian and his wife were detained by the government several months ago and are being interrogated. The photographers who were brought in at the same time have been released. The Rezaians have not. Jason is an American born US citizen whose father was Iranian so the government considers him an Iranian and has no interest in any objections by American officials. His American mother is frantic. His wife is an Iranian reporter. We met him in Tehran and spoke with him for a couple of hours at our hotel. He never once said anything negative about Iran. He and his mother are personal friends of our friends. We followed his columns in the Post and never saw one which should have upset the government.

2. The six young Iranians in Tehran that participated in a "Happy" song video (Pharrell Williams) were arrested for dancing in public within 6 hours of the video's going on u-tube and their sentences were handed down last week: suspended prison sentence of 3 yrs AND 91 LASHES each. Their attorney is appealing the verdict. Rouhani himself said that something that makes people happy should not be viewed so harshly. However, the conservatives are not happy with him either and could care less what he has to say.

Verdict: Iranian people could not be more friendly and we went away with very warm fuzzy feelings about them. Their government does not deserve our dollars in their coffers.

We are now sorry that we went and, should we have an opportunity to do it again, would not return until moderate people are running the country. We cavalierly thought ourselves safe there but do not carry that fantasy anymore.

A Trip To Iran
 

Great TR (as usual) and I've enjoyed the comments. I've traveled to places where I'm not crazy about the government and I've shopped at places where I don't return. I try not to regret these things because usually situations change, but they are all beyond my control (and knowledge) at the time I'm there. I read a TR in Iran a few years ago by a french ft member, and was thrilled to see this one.
Daniel, please continue to post your great TR and may you always stay safe where you go! I am not currently able to travel as you are, and I appreciate these TR a bunch.

Many thanks, gaobest:). A few of these photo's will be featured in next month's December edition of 'Inside Flyer' magazine:).

I love reading your TRs and seeing the pictures. The places you go are fascinating and show a very different perspective then we get in the (US) mass media. Thank you for taking the time to post them all!