I have been traveling in Iran for 4 days now and I thought some of you might enjoy reading about what I have experienced so far:

Sunday. Landed in Tehran at 2.00 a.m. Immigration and customs goes very quickly. Nobody is allowed to bring alcohol into the country. Women must wear head scarves but the dress code in Tehran is very liberal. Women wear jeans and boots and heels but he whole body is covered (no t-shirts or short skirts!)

Tehran is a city of 15 million people and aside from the beautiful museums there is not much to see in Tehran. However, I was struck by how modern and progressive the city looked. It is a clean city (except for the air) and surprisingly, the architecture is very Western looking. But the most amazing part of Tehran are the mountains that ascend from the city everywhere you look.

We visited the Shah’s old palace which is located in Northern Tehran which happens to be the most affluent part of town. The cost for an apartment in Northern Tehran is about $ 500 per square foot. And if one wants to buy one you have to pay cash. There are no mortgages in Iran. As for owning a car, it costs about $ 8 to fill up a tank. Our guide told us that someone in Tehran just brought in 250 Porsches from Germany which will be sold here within a week or two. Iran is the source of the second largest oil reserve in the world but has only the capability to refine 35%. This means they end up importing gasoline mostly form India.

Although Iran has all that oil money, the infrastructure and the tourist facilities and nowhere near as developed as they are for example in Dubai or the Emirates. Although the money is there, the government does not allow for it to be used for private investments in hotels for example or up scale restaurants.

We don’t see a lot of poverty here though. The only beggars so far were illegal immigrants from Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The best thing about Tehran was a visit to one of the tea houses where people go to socialize, have tea and smoke water pipes. Women are allowed inside. As a matter of fact, women in Iran enjoy pretty much the same rights as men. Women own businesses, there a 9 women representatives in Parliament, women go to college etc. Only the clergy positions are strictly reserved for men. Marriage is often still arranged but less and less so. When a couple gets married the husband and wife agree on the dowry i.e. the value of the dowry. If the husband divorces the wife he has to pay the dowry (and only then does he have to pay it) plus alimony. Divorce is allowed by both parties so it’s not as strict as we think!

Our guide is fantastic! He lived in the U.S. for over 12 years and went to college in the U.S. He has a Masters in Business and he is incredibly knowledgeable. His English is perfect and he has taught us more in 4 days about the history of civilization in general, Islam and the politics in Iran than I will ever be able to remember. He is very liberal, speaks his mind about the political situation which he opposes (he watches CNN, BBC.. he even gets FOX TV which he does not think much of and VH1… he is totally up on today’s music scene!) He knows about everything… history, culture, politics, social issues. I hope some of you will have the pleasure of traveling with him and getting to know him. He is an exceptional guide with a great personality.

Many of the people here are reformists, and some are monarchists and do not  agree with the political structure currently in place and… not everyone is religious! Our guide, our driver, many of the people at the hotel they do not pray three times a day and they do not go to mosques! (Shiites pray 3 times a day, Sunis 5 times.. there are no Sunis in Iran). As for their views when it comes to the West, our guide told me that many Iranians, the majority, are looking for a way to establish a harmonious relationship with the West and with Israel and yes, they like America and Americans! At the moment, they feel completely isolated from the rest of the world. By the way, Iran has the second highest population of Jewish people in the Middle East after Israel and the Jewish population is even represented by two people in the parliament.

We were lucky to have been here during the last few days of Ashura, the holiest day of the year in the Shiite religion. During this time people honor the martyrdom of the third saint Hussein. People walk through the streets and flagellate themselves with small chains. This tradition dates back for thousands of years.

On the second day we flew to Kerman where one of the most important Sufi saints is buried. From there we set out on an amazing drive across the desert to Yazd. Iran is surrounded by beautiful mountain ranges and you can see them in the distance as you drive through the desert. Many of the mountains are snowcapped. It’s amazing to think that we are in the cradle of civilization. Mesopotamia is only a few hundred miles away and so, by the way, is the Afghan border.

Yazd is home to the Zoroastrians. This is an ancient religion which honors and worships fire (Thus spoke Zarathustra) and used to have sky burials (just like the Tibetans). The fire in the Zoroastrian temple is said to have been kept lit since the 1600s. Yazd is also home to one of the most beautiful and well preserved Friday Mosques in the country with incredibly intricate and magnificent tile work.

Today, New Year’s Eve we are driving for 6 hours to Shiraz with a stop at the ancient site of Pasargadae. Nothing but desert as far as the eye can see. Our guide is giving a talk on the evolution of civilization in this part of the world and on the evolution and origins of writing and settlements. The first signs of civilization in Iran date back 8000 years!! Yesterday we learned about the old Silk Road as we drove by a caravanserai in the desert which once was used to provide food and shelter for the merchants and their camels. The Silk Road began in China on to Mongolia, on to the steppes of Transoxiana (Northeast of Iran), then down to Samarkand and Bukhara in Uzbekistan then Turkmenistan, then to Isfahan and Shiraz in Iran, then to Baghdad, then to Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Ethiopia. Fascinating!

I’m sure everyone is interested about the immediate political situation but I don’t feel comfortable addressing that on the internet. All I can say is that many of the “myths” created by Western TV and news have been shattered within a few days of being here and interacting with the local people who have been nothing but friendly, curious and welcoming. I feel completely safe here.

When we visited the site of Pasargadae today, which marks the beginning of the Persian history, our guide said that if all the Iranian people understood and appreciated their long and rich cultural heritage, there would have never been a revolution in Iran!

On that note I leave you all with a Happy New Year’s wish from one of the most fascinating places in the world! Enjoy the photos!

Tina Patterson is the founder of Authentic Asia and has been leading trips to Asia, Europe and the Middle East for the past twenty years. Besides Iran, 2010 upcoming trips include Bhutan, Nepal, Mustang, Tibet & Nepal, and India & Sikkim.

A yoga retreat provides the perfect answer to both!

With destinations ranging from local to exotic, Shambhala Mountain Center is pleased to offer a variety of options for those seeking a yoga retreat.  The holistic approach to improving your mind and body is a pleasant departure from the intense-sounding ìboot campî fitness regimens.

Plan your own retreat on Shambhala Mountain Center’s 600 acres of native forests, gentle meadows and sweeping valleys.  From leisurely hiking to botanic gardens, massage sessions and healthful meals, a retreat at Shambhala is just what you need to renew and recharge.  Or, attend the program, “Living Yoga with Wendy Bramlett” Sept 11-13. It is offered in September 2009 and focuses on learning techniques to bolster your happiness during these challenging times.

Ready to begin planning your retreat?  And relaxing?  Learn more about all of the programs offered by Shambhala Mountain Center in beautiful northern Colorado.

#2 – River Rafting Adventure
Nepal has some of the best rivers in the world for rafting. You can experience intense rapids, beautiful wilderness areas and lush green valleys.

#3 – Bird Watching
Nepal is home to over 879 species of birds. In fact, about 10% of the world’s birds are found in Nepal. The most popular bird watching spot is the Phulchoki hill, the highest peak on the valley rim situated 20 km southeast of Kathmandu. Here more than 250 species have been recorded to date. This is a perfect activity after a Nepal meditation retreat when you are relaxed and focused.

Travel to Nepal with Shambhala Mountain Center. Travel Nepal while practicing yoga and meditation. Contact us today to learn more.

#5 – Visit Royal Chitwan National Park
Royal Chitwan National Park is the oldest national park in Nepal. With the largest population of single horned Indian Rhinoceros and Bengal Tigers, there’s a good chance you’ll see at least one. Altogether, the park is home to 43 species of mammals, 450 species of birds and 45 species of amphibians and reptiles. You can explore the park via canoe, elephants or guided jungle walks.

#6 – Collect Nepalese Handmade Paper
Nepalese handmade papers are made using traditional methods carried on from hundreds of years. These beautiful paper products can include photo albums, notebooks, picture frames and more. Nepalese handmade paper is a great gift to bring home to friends and family.

Take a spiritual journey to Nepal with Shambhala Mountain Center. Enjoy the sites of Nepal while practicing yoga and meditation. Contact us today to learn more about traveling with Shambhala Mountain Center.

Perfume Pagoda, Vietnam
Perfume Pagoda, or Chua Huong, is located in Huong Son, Vietnam. Perfume Pagoda is not one temple but a cluster of temples and shrines in the general vicinity of Huong Son. The pagodas are located in My Duc hamlet in the province of Ha Tay.

Perfume Pagoda has a long history in Vietnamese literature and has been a theme of many songs and poems, and used in literary works and paintings. The uniqueness of Perfume Pagoda is that the mountains, river and forest appear like an oasis for Buddhists in the middle of the great plains of northern Vietnam. This location truly incorporates all the elements of beauty that is often used in Eastern philosophy and arts.

Ruins at My Son, Vietnam
My Son, which flourished from the late 400s to the mid 1200s, was a center of Champa culture. Through commercial and religious contacts with India, the Champa kingdom quickly developed a strong affinity for Indian culture, borrowing Hinduism and the Sanskrit alphabet, as well as Indian architectural and artistic tastes. For many centuries the Champa kingdom existed as an independent entity, warring constantly with the Vietnamese to the north and the Khmer to the west. Champa endured until the 17th century when it was absorbed by Vietnam.

The ruins at My Son represent a series of constructions over a period of many centuries. The monuments bear a strong resemblance to Khmer structures found in present-day Cambodia and eastern Thailand. My Son was far enough south that it was sheltered from Chinese artistic tastes that saturated northern Vietnam. Instead, the cosmopolitan city of My Son did a brisk trade with India to the west and Java to the south. Today, the beauty of My Son would be more complete if not for widespread American bombing during the Vietnam War.

Temples of Angkor Wat, Cambodia
Hundreds of years ago, this temple complex in the middle of the jungle was the heart of a sprawling empire. Today, it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Ever since its re-discovery by European explorers in the mid-19th Century, Angkor Wat’s sheer massiveness and breathtaking beauty have awed generations of tourists.

The temples were built between 1130 and 1150 AD by King Suryavarman II, and consist of an enormous temple pyramid covering an area measuring 4,250 by 5,000 feet, surrounded by a moat over 600 feet wide. Enormous doesn’t do it justice.  You only have to stand by the gates to be overwhelmed by the complex’s massive scale.

Angkor Wat is intended to symbolize the universe, as the Hindu Khmer understood it.  The moat stands for the oceans around the earth and  the concentric galleries represent the mountain ranges surrounding the divine Mount Meru, the Hindu home of the gods. The walls are covered with carvings depicting the god Vishnu, to whom Angkor was principally dedicated, as well as other scenes from Hindu mythology.

Join Shambhala Mountain Center as it takes a spiritual journey to Vietnam and Cambodia. On February 12, 2009 Susan Piver and Dana Strong will lead a once-in-a-lifetime adventure through these majestic Asian countries. The trip includes stops at the Perfume Pagoda, the Ruin a My Son and the Temples of Angkor Wat. Learn more about this amazing trip today!