The typical reaction when friends would learn that we were planning a trip to Iran was an emphatic “why?”.  Like many Americans, we knew little about the country before this trip, but our research soon convinced us that the apt response was, “Why Not?”.  We were not disappointed. 

We spent 23 days, visited most of the major cities, drove some 3,000 miles, and flew another 1,000.  We saw amazing sights, met very friendly welcoming people, loved the food, learned a lot, and had a wonderful travel experience.  As one of the oldest continuing civilizations on earth, dating back some 5000 years, Iran offers a wealth of history, culture, and natural beauty.  We found traveling there to offer comforts and convenience not unlike those of Europe, albeit more economically and with vastly fewer fellow tourists.

When we learned that Lufthansa had direct service between Frankfurt and both Tehran and Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, we quickly decided to extend the itinerary a few days and visit that country.  Ashgabat is a short half day’s drive from Mashhad in northeastern Iran, and one of the most visually astounding places we have ever seen: beautifully dressed women, impressive architecture, and affluence at every turn.  One of the highlights of the entire trip was attending a Turkmen wedding, a completely unplanned and highly memorable, wonderful experience.

Click on a box below for pictures.