The second part of Tehran was devoted to collect the passport, visas and apply for another one, while the second visit to Kashan was to meet Ibrahim again and go to the desert with him. In between, a side trip to the holy city of Qom to admire the huge Holy Shrine.
If you have read the previous posts, you probably remember we left our passport at the Chinese embassy in Tehran and we were now travelling around the country with a copy of the passport as well as a copy of the Iranian visa. Well, so now it was time to go back to the capital and try to arrange all the paperwork.
We arrived for the second time in Tehran at 6 in the morning after an 11-hour bus ride from Shiraz. The bus was a VIP one, so quite confortable and easy to sleep in. Actually, Iranian VIP buses are far much better than European ones, although not as good as Asian ones, where you have a bed for yourself.
Anyway, the bus unexpectedly dropped us in the Northern Bus Terminal (we thought it would be the Southern one). For the first time in the trip it felt quite cold, so we went for a cup of warm tea and wait for the Sun to raise and the Chinese embassy to open, as at that time everything was dead in the city.
Anyway, the bus unexpectedly dropped us in the Northern Bus Terminal (we thought it would be the Southern one). For the first time in the trip it felt quite cold, so we went for a cup of warm tea and wait for the Sun to raise and the Chinese embassy to open, as at that time everything was dead in the city.
One of the entrances to the Holy Shrine in Qom
From there we took the metro and went with the backpack straight to the Chinese embassy to pick up the passport. It was really quick and we got the passport with a 3 month Chinese visa in it. Great! First goal accomplished! Now we just had to wait until the following day to go to the Uzbek embassy and get the visa, as that day it was closed. So next thing we did was going to Mashhad hostel again to leave our backpack. The guy there remembered us from the first time and gave us a better room, not as stinky as the previous time.
As we had almost a full free day in Tehran and we didn't want to spend much time in the city, we decided to go to Qom to spend the rest of the day. We jumped in a bus and in 2 hours we were in Qom.
Qom is the second holiest city in Iran after Mashhad and the highlight there is the Holy Shrine Complex where Fatmah, one of Imam Reza's sister, is buried. After Shiraz and Qom, when we get to Mashhad we will have visited almost all the Reza family!
In Qom the bus dropped us, as usual, far away from the center, so we took a taxi straight to the Shrine. Walking through the bazar on the way to the holy place, you feel you are in a really religious place. Besides all the usual stuff, you can find plenty of religious stuff on sale: rosaries, praying stones, praying carpets... even a "perfect muslim kit" including all the basic elements to pray.
As we had almost a full free day in Tehran and we didn't want to spend much time in the city, we decided to go to Qom to spend the rest of the day. We jumped in a bus and in 2 hours we were in Qom.
Qom is the second holiest city in Iran after Mashhad and the highlight there is the Holy Shrine Complex where Fatmah, one of Imam Reza's sister, is buried. After Shiraz and Qom, when we get to Mashhad we will have visited almost all the Reza family!
In Qom the bus dropped us, as usual, far away from the center, so we took a taxi straight to the Shrine. Walking through the bazar on the way to the holy place, you feel you are in a really religious place. Besides all the usual stuff, you can find plenty of religious stuff on sale: rosaries, praying stones, praying carpets... even a "perfect muslim kit" including all the basic elements to pray.
The Holy Shrine Complex in Qom
When we finally got to the shrine we realized this one was a level up from the one in Shiraz. If Shiraz's shrine was big, Qom's was at least 3 times the size! Several entrances, courtyards, squares... and of course, no pictures allowed and we were even told non-muslims were not allowed inside the shrine building.
Like in Shiraz, once inside the complex, a guy from the Foreign Pilgrims Office approached us and started giving explanations about the site, but this time, unlike in Shiraz, the guy just wanted to make sure we didn't enter the shrine. So the thing was thanking him for his services, telling him we are leaving and then we were free to walk around out from his sight.
We entered courtyards, mosques and different buildings inside the complex, until we reached the main building, the Holy Shrine, which we entered to see the biggest tomb ever and full of people surrounding it, crying and throwing money into it. Sorry, guy from the Foreign Pilgrims Office, we made it to the Shrine and we are not Muslims, you failed!
After the shrine, we just waited to be dark and to admire the whole complex fully lit. Even if this complex is far bigger and far more important than the one in Shiraz, I still prefer the Shirazi, maybe because of its blue-tiled dome, because of the pool or because it was the first big complex we saw, but the experience of seeing people crying as if one of their relatives instead of the Imam's sister was buried there was shocking. Don't you think it would be better if they spent their time doing some more profitable activity?
Like in Shiraz, once inside the complex, a guy from the Foreign Pilgrims Office approached us and started giving explanations about the site, but this time, unlike in Shiraz, the guy just wanted to make sure we didn't enter the shrine. So the thing was thanking him for his services, telling him we are leaving and then we were free to walk around out from his sight.
We entered courtyards, mosques and different buildings inside the complex, until we reached the main building, the Holy Shrine, which we entered to see the biggest tomb ever and full of people surrounding it, crying and throwing money into it. Sorry, guy from the Foreign Pilgrims Office, we made it to the Shrine and we are not Muslims, you failed!
After the shrine, we just waited to be dark and to admire the whole complex fully lit. Even if this complex is far bigger and far more important than the one in Shiraz, I still prefer the Shirazi, maybe because of its blue-tiled dome, because of the pool or because it was the first big complex we saw, but the experience of seeing people crying as if one of their relatives instead of the Imam's sister was buried there was shocking. Don't you think it would be better if they spent their time doing some more profitable activity?
Anyway, after the visit to the shrine we had to go back to Tehran, so taxi to the bus station, finding out it was the wrong one, one more taxi to the right bus station and 2 hours ride back to Tehran. Some food and to Hostel Mashhad to have some rest. By this time, we were totally used to get on taxis never knowing if we were going to the right place, kind of strange feeling.
Next morning we woke up really early to be the first ones at the Uzbekistan embassy, as we knew there is a list and you are entering according to it. We got there one hour before they opened. Nobody was there so we were sure we were the first ones. But surprise: even if the place was empty there were already 11 names on the list! These bastards just write the names the previous day and then they show up when the embassy opens. Of course, after waking up at 6 in the morning and having still to go to the Turkmen embassy, we were not going to play the good soul tourists and let the 11 people go ahead, so when the embassy opened we entered there the first ones. Of course, the guy who was first on the list complained and even tried to push me back. Not giving a shit about him, we were the first ones and in 20 minutes we got a beautiful Uzbek visa on the passport! Second goal accomplished!
Next stage: Going to the Turkmenistan embassy to apply for a transit visa. In 10 minutes we were there, as they are not far from each other. We had all the documents prepared but again, when we got there, surprise: The embassy was closed until the following week due to some holiday and for all visa applications we should go to Mashhad. Whaaaaat?????? How is it possible? Of all the damn embassies we have visited so far, not even a single one was working normally. All the times problems: it was closed, the consul was not there, you don't have the right documents... crazy.
But there's always a bit of luck This time the consul was there, and even if the embassy was closed he accepted to give us the visa application form and this way we didn't have to rush to Mashhad and continue with our travelling plan. We handed him all the documents together with a copy of the Uzbek visa but, of course, he found a problem. This time the copy must be in color. Get a taxi, spend one hour looking for a place with color photocopies, go back to the embassy and finally hand in all the documents and get the consul tell you in one week you'll have your visa in Mashhad. Exhausting, but we made it! Third and last goal accomplished!
Next morning we woke up really early to be the first ones at the Uzbekistan embassy, as we knew there is a list and you are entering according to it. We got there one hour before they opened. Nobody was there so we were sure we were the first ones. But surprise: even if the place was empty there were already 11 names on the list! These bastards just write the names the previous day and then they show up when the embassy opens. Of course, after waking up at 6 in the morning and having still to go to the Turkmen embassy, we were not going to play the good soul tourists and let the 11 people go ahead, so when the embassy opened we entered there the first ones. Of course, the guy who was first on the list complained and even tried to push me back. Not giving a shit about him, we were the first ones and in 20 minutes we got a beautiful Uzbek visa on the passport! Second goal accomplished!
Next stage: Going to the Turkmenistan embassy to apply for a transit visa. In 10 minutes we were there, as they are not far from each other. We had all the documents prepared but again, when we got there, surprise: The embassy was closed until the following week due to some holiday and for all visa applications we should go to Mashhad. Whaaaaat?????? How is it possible? Of all the damn embassies we have visited so far, not even a single one was working normally. All the times problems: it was closed, the consul was not there, you don't have the right documents... crazy.
But there's always a bit of luck This time the consul was there, and even if the embassy was closed he accepted to give us the visa application form and this way we didn't have to rush to Mashhad and continue with our travelling plan. We handed him all the documents together with a copy of the Uzbek visa but, of course, he found a problem. This time the copy must be in color. Get a taxi, spend one hour looking for a place with color photocopies, go back to the embassy and finally hand in all the documents and get the consul tell you in one week you'll have your visa in Mashhad. Exhausting, but we made it! Third and last goal accomplished!
Kashan Holy Shrine
Tired as we were, we just went back to the hostel to spend the rest of the day there and the following day we could continue with the plan, which was going back to Kashan and join Ibrahim in a tour to the desert, as if you remember, we promised him that if we hadn't been to the desert yet, we would come back and go with him.
So the next morning we jumped on a bus to Kashan for the second time, but really happy not having to come back again to Tehran, and this time with our passport back and a couple of visas stamped on it.
We got to Kashan, called Ibrahim and head straight to the desert together with a friend of his. The tour started with a visit to Kashan's Holy Shrine, quite nice but nothing special. Afterwards we took an unpaved road leading to the desert. Basically dust and stones and from time to time some nice sights of camels wandering around. The Iranian desert is actually nothing special if you have been to other bigger deserts, but still we stopped by a couple of sand dunes, by a salt lake and then to a caravanserai to stay overnight. Not bad, especially considering we only payed 30€ for the whole tour.
So the next morning we jumped on a bus to Kashan for the second time, but really happy not having to come back again to Tehran, and this time with our passport back and a couple of visas stamped on it.
We got to Kashan, called Ibrahim and head straight to the desert together with a friend of his. The tour started with a visit to Kashan's Holy Shrine, quite nice but nothing special. Afterwards we took an unpaved road leading to the desert. Basically dust and stones and from time to time some nice sights of camels wandering around. The Iranian desert is actually nothing special if you have been to other bigger deserts, but still we stopped by a couple of sand dunes, by a salt lake and then to a caravanserai to stay overnight. Not bad, especially considering we only payed 30€ for the whole tour.
The sand desert
Most of the time in the caravanserai was spent chatting with Ibrahim and his friend, but not doing anything special. When the tour ended the following day we had the feeling we could easily have skipped it, but at least we helped Ibrahim to be closer to his dream of making some money and leaving Iran to look for better opportunities outside the country. And as he was a really nice guy, nothing to complain about. Anyway, Ibrahim, try to improve a bit your tours, please, even if you have to charge tourists a bit more!
Back in Kashan this time we had to wait to take an overnight train (yes, train, the first one we were going to take in the entire trip) to Kerman, where the goal was to visit the mudbrick town of Bam, badly destroyed by an earthquake 11 years ago. We just went to book our train ticket and then to Eshan House (where we had stayed the forst time in Kashan), had some tea and cookies and went to the train station. Note that the girl at Eshan House didn't accept any payment for the tea and cookies! Again, we love Iranian people!
As a summary, these days spent in Tehran, Qom and Kashan were quite profitable. We got our passport with all the visas in it, we applied for the Turkmen one, we went to the desert and we even had time to pay a visit to Qom. Great!
Back in Kashan this time we had to wait to take an overnight train (yes, train, the first one we were going to take in the entire trip) to Kerman, where the goal was to visit the mudbrick town of Bam, badly destroyed by an earthquake 11 years ago. We just went to book our train ticket and then to Eshan House (where we had stayed the forst time in Kashan), had some tea and cookies and went to the train station. Note that the girl at Eshan House didn't accept any payment for the tea and cookies! Again, we love Iranian people!
As a summary, these days spent in Tehran, Qom and Kashan were quite profitable. We got our passport with all the visas in it, we applied for the Turkmen one, we went to the desert and we even had time to pay a visit to Qom. Great!
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