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Podlasie- the highlights

Back in 2016 we went to Białowieża for the first time. On the bus there we spotted stunning wooden houses, colorful orthodox churches and an almighty forest. Afterall the region is called Podlasie which could be translated to “under, near forest”. Already then, we decided that we would come back someday with a car to be able to explore it properly. That occasion came sooner than expected…

Starting in Białowieża…

Our journey started in Warsaw where we rented the car, that was the most efficient and the cheapest way to approach our road trip. Later on we drove to Białowieża. We wanted to stay at Carska hotel and be as close as possible to the primeval forest. Białowieski National Park is an absolute must see and one of the very few untouched forests in Europe. It’s also a house for lots of wild animals. The most famous one is the bison. But we have already written a post about things you absolutely need to do around Białowieża.

This time I would really like to focus on other highlights Podlasie has to offer.

Tatar settlement

Poland is not a very multi-culti country, there are not many foreigners who live here. The same goes for religion, the crushing majority is Roman Catholic. In recent years that faith has been stronger then ever. Not going into politics… it’s extraordinary to see some variety in Poland, communities with their own faith and customs. Like Tatar settlements live in two tiny, tiny villages Bohoniki and Kruszyniany. We visited the second one and it left us speechless. It’s one of those experiences worth travelling for… even though the path there was quite rough and we thought we left paved roads forever.

Tatar history in that region dates to the XVII century when they were recruited as warriors to fight for our king. Afterwards they gained land and other professions. Nowadays they speak polish, but they keep their religion- Islam. It’s unbelievable that in a small village with just a few houses different faiths can co-exist. They even have their wooden mosque, where they gather few days a year. It’s possible to visit it and hear a story from one of the Tatars about their history, bond with Poland and their customs. It’s interesting and we would highly recommend it. The guide there will tell you passionately even about his marriage with a Polish woman, faith of their kids and local goodies. Talking about food… While there you CAN’T miss the Tatar restaurant on the other side of the road. It looks cheesy to the point that we seriously considered leaving the village and drive somewhere else. But we were so hungry that we decided to give it a chance. Sitting there at one of the plastic tables and observing dishes served on plastic plates we were wondering if we made the right decision. And then my coffee came… it was like if we were back in Oman. The coffee was intense, rich in smell and flavor. I could taste the cardamom straight away. I was intrigued. Then we got their layered savory cake with turkey and their traditional dumplings filled with beef and served in broth. Heaven. We could taste the love, the hours of hard work and the complexity of those dishes. It was better then any restaurant in Białowieża and we went to the best ones (supposedly). It was as if Poland met Iran and made the best menu possible. It gets even better… those goodies cost from 10 – 39 zl (2-9 eur).

The Orthodox Churches

They made us forget that we were still in Poland. They are the most prominent buildings in the whole region. Maybe it’s because we both haven’t seen one before, but they all seemed so different and so fascinating. Some of them were blue, some green, some “just wooden”, we spotted quite many with rich-looking golden ornaments.

Our favorite ones were in Trześcianka (green one), Puchły (blue one) and Narew (another blue one). Unfortunately, only the one in Puchły was open to the public, all the rest that we saw were closed.

It’s worth reading a bit about the differences between Roman and Orthodox churches. Unfortunately, the guy who worked in the only open one was not keen on sharing information. He was much more interested if people were married or not and if they had kids. If someone answered no to these questions he would be very unsatisfied and unpleasant so better to keep your mouth shut.

The Land of Open Shutters

That’s the name of a collective of three small villages (Soce, Trześcianka and Puchły). Their name is a tribute to their exceptionally well-preserved wooden architecture, especially their shutters. It’s also an attempt to maintain them and keep the traditions alive. It’s a very rural area so many farmers opt for a modern, more efficient way of building/restoring the house instead of taking care of the wooden beauties they have. It’s hard to blame them since it’s probably difficult and pricey.

Thankfully those three spots still manage to keep the past alive. They not only have colorful, open shutters in all the shapes and forms but also carved, wooden ornaments on the facade of the house to go with them. Together with flowers, small farms and dirt roads it creates a very cozy, rural feeling.

How to get to those places?

A car is a necessity! The interesting spots are quite far from each other and we haven’t seen any buses connecting those. Bah! To some there isn’t even a paved road. A plus is that you’re most definitely “off the beaten track”. Podlasie isn't a popular destination so you can be almost certain to explore everything without a fear of crowds.

We rented our car via Pepe Car, we literally took the cheapest option which cost us 10 EUR per day plus 4.60 EUR per day for an extra driver.

24 h in Isfahan

Isfahan has some of the most picturesque sights of the country that we just couldn’t skip. On the other hand is one of those cities that you just can’t decide which of the horrible accommodation you should choose so we really didn’t want to stay too long there…

Settling down…

Isfahan still doesn’t really have much to offer when it comes to economic accommodation. Looking around for a place to stay we felt the standard of the places were not changing, just the price was going up. Places we saw were just old and depressive, not maintained and generally not attractive at all. We thought that if we have to sleep in a shithole than at least it should be cheap so we went for Amir Kabir. Thankfully we could choose between a room filled with cigarette smoke and another one just stinking like old socks. We went for the second option. Motivated by the lack of toilet paper, coldness of the weather and the staff we were ready to see the city as fast as possible.

Around Naqsh-e Jahan Square

Nagsh-e Jahan is the heart of the city and the first place to visit. The square itself is a UNESCO heritage and was built in the 16^th-17^th century. That’s where the bazaar is and 3 of the most important sights to see in Isfahan.

Morning birds in the Sheikh Lotf Allah Mosque

It’s a very small mosque without any minarets as it was built to be private for the royal court. That said, in the morning the light is just magical. It’s rather dark in there and then you can see separate rays of light coming through the perforated window. Yellow and purple colors of the dome create a perfect harmony with the blueish walls which made us think of a sunset…

Shah mosque

It was built for the public so it’s big with a massive courtyard, praying hall and extensive ornaments and tile work. Compared to the Sheikh Lotf Allah Mosque it seemed to us like it was a bigger version but somehow lacking the love and finesse of the small one. Still really worth visiting as it’s one of the most impressive ones in Iran.

Ali Qapu Palace

Six floors of bare walls are quiet disappointing. But on the sixth floor there is a Music Hall. It’s a rather small room but the walls and ceilings are covered in niches as ornaments and acoustic tools. Unfortunately there was no one there to explain to us how that would work… Except for the Music Hall, Ali Qapu has a terrace overlooking the whole square. When we were there it was undergoing a renovation so it was rather hard to say if the terrace itself was impressive…

The bridge

Si-o-seh pol bridge is a symbol of Isfahan and definitely a must see. Especially that you never know if the river is actually there or if it’s completely dry… When we were there it was as dry as possible for already some time. People were picnicking in the river bed so they were pretty sure the water wasn’t coming back any soon. Walking under the bridge we actually noticed a long canal of passages underneath it where teenagers chill out. It’s worth coming in the evening, the bridge is really nicely illuminated.

P.S. We got contacted for feedback by people that are building a hostel at the time of writing and it seems it could be a nice turn for Isfahan. Reasonable prices, nice interior and finally toilet paper included 🙂 something worth checking out, it’s called Howzak House.

The colors of Shiraz

Shiraz ended up being our favorite city in Iran and definitely a city we would recommend for anyone. Even if it was the only city to visit in Iran. Shiraz has it all.

Accommodation

Bargaining skills and patience is the limit :). There are many charming, traditional houses around the city center and some of them are open for bargaining. We came to Shiraz in the evening, tired and dirty so our patience was a bit low. We visited 3 places and after in the last the staff asked “if the price was really that important”, we thought that the next place just had to be a score. Thankfully it was. Golshan Traditional hostel was all we were looking for. Beautiful courtyard, neat room, friendly staff and an owner who knows how to bargain. From there our journey in and out of Shiraz started.

The Pink Mosque

It’s the mosque we saw in every guide book, on every web page and every list. We knew skipping it would be not seeing the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The color patterns created on the floor by rays of sun creeping through stained glass windows made it the number one attraction in Iran.

Before our staff even woke up, before most tourist would even think to wake up, we were already there. To our surprise we were not the only ones and the hall was actually much smaller than we thought. I guess wide angle lenses did a good job on all these pictures we have seen. For Iran it was really rather crowded in there. All the people were posing to replicate all the shots they have already seen so many times. Selfie sticks were flying everywhere and tripods were just on every corner. Disappointed we went outside and discovered that the courtyard was actually way nicer. Empty, underappreciated, it was all for us. In the pond the reflection of the whole facade was just stunning, not to mention the play of colors. Pink, purple and a bit of blue, the colors we have seen so much all over the place. But only inside… The country of boring outsides and mosaic, playful insides.

The Vakil Mosque

The most “different” of them all, Vakil mosque except for the traditional courtyard and facades has a massive hall with 48 pillars. Although build in 18^th century, it was given the finesse of floral tiles by Qajar dynasty in the 19^th century. Actually the most spectacular sites we saw were either built or given this extra touch in the same period.

The Persian Empire

Iranians don’t speak Arabic and they definitely don’t identify themselves as Arabs. If mistaken they are probably as offended as a Dutch taken for a German. To see the magnitude and the power of the Empire we went to Persepolis and Necropolis. It was probably the only sight that we knew about when we previously thought about Iran and we were rather surprised that it didn’t attract the crowds that much. We could wonder around for hours to discover every corner of what once used to be a ceremonial capital without big groups unloaded from buses.

Even today the preservation of columns, stone work and massive tombs is just breathtaking. No wonder Iranians are very proud of that period. They had the power, they actually proudly paid to all of their workers and they included all of the conquered nations in sculptures and in the Gate of All Nations. Very smart idea to keep all the people happy and in peace.

The best about this trip was that we met the coolest people that started as our guides and ended up as friends. Ramin and Sadegh were just the friendliest people we met in the whole country and we were actually disappointed and skeptical about Iranians when we met them… Which I didn’t really hold back from them when they asked how we liked their country. We had so much fun that it wasn’t the only time we saw them…

The pink … Maharloo Lake

When I saw that lake during my research about Iran I immediately knew we would have to see it. It was deeply pink because of algae so it was supposed to be seasonal. Ramin and Sadegh didn’t think it was anything spectacular but they were open to do something and I can be very persistent. And so on the next day we planned a picnic. Ramin took the whole house with him… literally, plates, gas pit, a saucepan, bread, eggs. Like if we were going camping for multiple days. We arrived at the lake… and wait, there was no lake. Drought took all the water away and it turned into a salt flat. “Look here it’s pinkish, the lake would have been pink, if there was water…” explained Ramin. Walking further we discovered that there was a thin layer of water creating unbelievable reflections. Just like we saw on pictures of the salt flats in Bolivia, during rainy season. We missed it there and got it by a surprise here. It was our best day in Iran. The posing, the playing with the reflection, the colors of the sun going down. And Ramin trying to always stand a bit different than JD and Sadegh.

In the evening the place turned into a bit of a party spot, where all the locals came from Shiraz to play music, smoke shisha and do all the things they couldn’t do back in the city. Where there is no police, a new side of the country shows up. And boy it’s loud 🙂

Mosaic tombs of the poets…

When Ramin and Sadegh took us to see our first tomb (Saddi’s tomb) we were just too polite to convince them that it just can’t be special. It would only be a grave …right? Well not here. I don’t know any country where poetry would be as alive as here. There were people reading poems out loud, singing (possibly poems:D) and the atmosphere and crowds were unbelievable. The grave itself reminded me more of Napoleon’s tomb in Paris then just a grave of someone famous at the cemetery. It was a whole complex of rooms surrounded by gardens and fountains. And so was Hafez’s tomb as well. Who would have thought that a place of resting for someone can be a place of joy for someone else?

And the food…

We ate so well in Shiraz that I actually get hungry even thinking about it. Quite far from our hostel we discovered a very chic neighborhood packed with good restaurants and hip cafes. Our top choice was Qavam Café and restaurant that served delicious traditional food. Especially their dizi has stolen our hearts and stomachs. Dizi is a stew that after a long period of cooking in the oven gets separated creating a tomato soup and solids that are later smashed to create kind of a dip. The whole process was a pleasure to watch and eating it was just a whole lot better. To think that we only ended up eating there after we got denied a table at another restaurant that was only accepting locals…

You would think that because of the “café” part Qavam would be good in desserts but that’s not the case. They have a very, very sweet date option but we just didn’t want any more dates at some point. Walking around, craving for something different we came across Café Ferdowsi where we went back to Europe for a bit. The design itself with a bohemian, recycled theme was one thing but the selection of cakes and coffee was just to die for. Literally since getting a portion of caffeine that tastes good is an achievement on its own in the country of absolute tea.

The adobe beauty of Kashan

Kashan is a place where most spend just a few hours, it’s an adobe beauty. Well at least the center because honestly getting to any other part of the city is as much of a chaotic nightmare as in any other city in Iran. But once in the center everything changes, the cars have to slow down in the narrow adobe streets and the shadow of the long walls brings relief from the heat of the burning sun.

But first like in every place in Iran we had to find a place to stay. We started walking door to door to every hotel and guesthouse that we have written down. To make it more difficult many of them didn’t even put a sign on the door so each time we felt we were knocking on a private door. The beginnings were difficult but that’s how it goes with bargaining I guess. In one place we heard 60 dollars for a room in an empty hotel. It wasn’t really a negotiable price. They probably figured it’s better to have those very few naïve tourists that are willing to overpay than many that would be tempted by a better price. Finally we heard about Noghli which was our last chance really. Just like all the others it was a charming, adobe house with a big courtyard and a labyrinth of rooms. There the staff was more interested in having clients. With 1 000 000 rials (around 25 euro) we happily checked into our room. Now that I think about it, it was actually the best room we got during the whole stay in Iran. Bright, big, colorful and with a little bathroom. It was all we needed.

The beauty within

Kashan is somehow like a secret garden where you can’t even suspect what’s behind and below the massive, adobe walls. There are no windows to the road and the merchants mansions grow downwards rather than up. Every house is really private and every single one is a big surprise. Most of them are built by very wealthy merchants around the 18 and 19^th century. Some unfortunately were left to fade away but some turned into museums or hotels to shine bright and astonish the visitors.

While most of the people only decide to see one or two houses over a few hours stop we decided to take our time. Rolling down a tunnel to get to Abbasiyan house we didn’t even imagine how big of a house can emerge from the adobe walls. Not only did they have a stunning, huge restaurant but also a museum. And they were both really well maintained, renovated and full of finesse patterns on the walls and ceilings. Imagine 6 courtyards, countless rooms and even a ceiling made of tiny mirror pieces that was supposed to imitate stars at night with a little help of candles. Not to mention that the restaurant was our addiction with its traditional Iranian “couches” and delicious food at very affordable prices.

And from there it was just a short way to explore the most spectacular of the houses the Tabatabaei house. We loved it because of the spectacular play of light through the colorful glass of the windows and the perfect reflection in the house’s main courtyard.

But it definitely run short when it comes to complexity of its ceilings. For that we absolutely loved nearby Borujerdi house which had a few of the most spectacular ceilings of Iran. Not only were they colorful but also very geometric and symmetrical. And that created in adobe.

Those three houses were our absolutely favorites that left others very far behind the podium. Some were not as well managed and some were turned into hotels which I’m sure makes it pretty spectacular for the guests (for sure it made it unforgettable for us at Noghli) but for a tourist it limits the exploring to a sneak peak at the main courtyard. For most that’s where Kashan ends really but…

There is more than the houses…

With a bit more time to explore we ended up going to Sultan Amir Ahmad bathhouse in peace and calm astonishment. This 16^th century old bath house made us imagine how it must have been to sit here in steam surrounded by rainbow-like tilework to later on cool down in a chilly pool. Except for a labyrinth of passages there is also an impressive roof to see. We definitely enjoyed seeing the city from above, seeing all the wind catchers and having a bit of a sneak peek into some parts of other houses. Not to mention that the roof as such was also quite a sight with all the domes raising from it.

No visit is complete without visiting the Bazaar…

Which in Kashan turned out to be extra special. Surprisingly it was quite calm especially compared to the chaotic, crowded and noisy one in Tehran. Although really quiet it didn’t really miss any of the vibe and certainly didn’t miss any of the architecture. It actually had one of the most beautiful halls we have ever seen surrounded by little, charming shops and cafes, with a little fountain in the middle and of course a stunning ceiling it became our number 1 sight in Kashan. Going back now we wished we could just sit in there with a cup of black tea and stare at the carpets. But well we can’t 🙂

Or the Mosque…

Our hotel was actually very close to Aqa-Bozorg mosque which we visited many times and we really felt that it was one of the most spectacular mosques of Iran by night. When the evening comes and the lights are switched on it’s like a rainbow of colors. And then running kids playing football, old grandpa’s chatting on the stairs make it such a peaceful place to end a day of sightseeing. And it’s for free which makes it even better:)

14 of our favorite ceilings in Iran

Architecture in Iran is truly something special. The history, the colors, the geometry, everything is thought out to perfection. But what impressed us the most were the ceilings. Every single one of them was a unique masterpiece. And every single one has its stories. We heard that mirrored ceilings, that are a huge part of the art in Iran, were invented by the Persians when mirrors were brought from Europe and they were broken in transportation. Iranians still decided to use the pieces for the ceilings which created a one of a kind effect. Especially with a bit of light.
But we'll let the art speak for itself. Here are our favorite ceilings 🙂