Shiraz Panoramic night view

this is from @shimaro steemit account: https://steemit.com/creativity/@shimaro/creativity-out-of-the-waste

creative ideas may be very cheap and low cost to implement, or very expensive and luxurious.
in both cases, a creative job, impresses everyone.

the above washing sinks were amazing, in a beautiful restaurant in the heart of the mountains, above the city. there were two lifts taking you high there, with a suspended bridge which I assume loads of money has spent to construct, still the simple idea of sinks, impressed me more.

enjoy the view.

Shiraz city, Iran - Bakooyeh restaurant

Photography in travel

When you are travelling, one of the most incredible experiences can be photography.

but don't forget to:

• not to flash in historical places and museums
• enjoy the moments itself as you capture them
• not to include people's faces
• get permission in special case and places

enjoy your trip :)

Kish island, a state of permanent peace, in Persian Gulf

writing about kish island is not very easy! there are too many informative websites online about it and I just don't wanna be another copy cat in the cloud! but the pearl of Persian Gulf is not easy to avoid to write about too!

Kish coast and sea sides are amazing. soft sand beaches with
almost 330 days of sunshine! photo by Emad Honarparvar

Kish is a 91 sq kilometer resort island in the Persian Gulf. It is in Hormozgān Province of Iran, which its capital is Bandar Abbas. Owing to its free trade zone status it is considered as a consumer's paradise, with numerous malls, shopping centers, environment/sports/eco and business tourist attractions, and resort hotels. More than 1 million people visit the island annually, and high seasons are in March and April, when the Norouz holidays are (Persian Calendar new year).
Almost all the holidays in Iran, people travel to Kish island, for sea sports like Cable Ski, Parasailing, water ski, ski jet, scuba diving etc
there are also almost all around the year, concerts and music festivals with major Iranian singers and music bands. There are also many restaurants with live music performances. 
For business people, there are events like exhibitions and conferences, which need to enjoy a state of relaxation and coziness, comparing large cities like Tehran.

How to get there?

Greek ship in south coast. photo by Emad Honarparvar

you can travel to Kish Island by car or on airplane. to get there by car, you need to drive to Charak Port in Hormozgan province (Bandar Charak - 26°43′50″N 54°16′29″E) and from there, you can ship your car on the vessel to Kish island. No caravans are allowed on the vessel, the cost of a car is around 80 USD and every passenger around 9 USD (so a car with two passengers is about 100 bucks)

you can stay in the island with your car about 5-10 days (depends on the dates) and this period is renewable.Google maps and Google Traffic services work inside the island so you don't worry to find your way anywhere in the small beautiful island.

The Kish airport has flights to all major cities and airports in Iran, plus some international flights to Dubai, Abu-Dhabi, India and Philippine.

Need a Visa?
No entry visa is required for Kish island. Foreign nationalities don't need entry visa at the authorized arrival and departure points in Kish Island. At Kish International Airport, the officials may take your photograph, fingerprints, and stamp your passport, allowing you to stay up to 14 days in the Island. If you are western, you may be asked about the purpose of your visit. Make sure you bring all verification paperwork including hotel reservations with phone numbers, etc.
 

Dariush Hotel is one of the most expensive and luxury hotels
in the island. Photo from Wikipedia

Accommodation and Hotels
With many beautiful landscapes, no wonder why Kish Island was ranked among the world’s 10 most beautiful islands by The New York Times in 2010, and is the fourth most visited vacation destination in Southwest Asia. With such facts, no wonder you will find many luxury hotels in the island, beside budget accommodation and cheap hotels as well.
Kish Island has a range of nice villas, hotels, and guest houses for tourists.
Hotel reservations can be made through travel agencies in the mainland or in other countries (but it would be more expensive) or be done on websites like booking.com or hotels.com with applied discounts on rates and costs.

the budget for a hotel can vary from 30 to hundreds of USD per night. Toranj hotel is the most expensive hotel in the island, with up to 900 USD per night for staying Imperial Suite for four persons. the hotel is located in the sea.

Internet and mobile operators
you can enjoy internet on your sim card, if you have a roaming service from most of the operators worldwide; though it may be a bit pricy.
you can also buy an Iranian pay as you go sim card from: MCI, MTN-Irancell or Taliya
cost of sim card around 8 USD and data less than 10 USD per month for a 8Mbps 4G+ or LTE subscription

Masouleh in Gilan Province, Iran

An incredible choice! MASOULEH is one the most visited places in Iran by Iranian and Foreigners. It is about history, Eco-tourism, sports, relaxation and  Culture. I will expand these issues about Masouleh in this post in abstract. but first, where it is and how to get there?

the panoramic view of the beautiful Masouleh, Iran

Where is Masouleh?
Masouleh is a small city (I prefer to say a village) in Fouman (Fuman) county in Gilan Province of Iran. less than 1000 people are living in Masouleh. the city has at least 2000 years of history.
60 km south west of Rasht city

The local old Bazar of Masouleh. Handicrafts and local food

The altitude, the elevation:
The city's altitude is 1000 meter, in the mounts of Alborz. but the significant thing is the city enjoys a 100 meter elevation in itself! this gives Masouleh spectacular view and sight.

The river and the waterfall
Masouheh River is the river passing through the village, with a waterfall located in the north of the village. It's cut-off by snow during the winter months. Fog is the predominant weather feature of Masuleh and creates even more beautiful views.

How to get there?
first travel to Tehran Imam Khomeini airport, near Tehran. from Tehran you can get to Rasht city by Autobus (around 10 USD per person) or by airplane (around 45 USD per person) or by car (5 hours driving from Tehran)

from Rasht there are buses or cars which takes people to Masouleh. (1 hour)

also from almost all the cities in Iran, you can find Tours to Masouleh.

Accommodation:
There are some hotels and motels near the city, but I strongly recommend you to take local houses for accommodation. the city is very safe, don't worry about robbery or other crimes, but it is still wise not to take so much money with yourself. the cost o
f a room with air condition in the upper areas of the city is around 40 USD per night (2 persons)

Trust me this spices up your trip more than a hotel! Local houses of Masouleh

The Attractions of Masouleh:

My roof is your yard!

Masouleh is a historical village, which still has all the aspects of its old life. it seems the time has stopped in this city in many aspects. also there is Ghaleh Roudkhan tower one hour driving from the city which worth a visit.
There are many Eco Tourism attractions close to the city. Famous forests of Gilan, Alborz mountain, the water fall and the river.
Sport activities related to mounts and the river are also very popular.
The Architecture and the local Bazar are the cultural attractions of Masouleh.
The spectacular architecture of Masouleh is popularly known as "The yard of the building above is the roof of the building below"

time to visit Iran?

Iran is a great country in many aspects:

it is one of the largest countries in the world (17th in the world)
it has one the largest varieties of tribes
many Sport attractions in mountains, deserts, rivers etc
you can have sea, mountains, deserts, forests and rivers in one country
one of the most ancient civilizations with historical sights
distinguished location in world business and economic map

33 Arcs (sio-se pol), Isfahan, Iran

there are even more:
Iran has a great attraction for cosmetics surgery and medical tourism
Iran has a vast agriculture attraction for investors
Iran is a logistic hub for transportation and freight network
.....

and what's new about this country?
the propaganda for this country is over! Iran is now safer than before for European and western traveler.

if you wish to visit Iran and you just wonder which cities can be better options, take a look at our blog history.

off road tour and camping in Iran, Taar and Havir lakes

30 kilometers away from Damavand city, if you drive in to the heart of the Alborz mountains, there would be Taar and Havir lakes, like two sisters close to each other! sleeping beauty in peace.
The road to Taar and Havir lakes is completely a dirt road, going through rivers and mountains, so it can be a supper attractive destination for off road camping as well.

Taar Lake, Damavand, Iran

the surface of the lake in the winter may cover by a thin layer of ice. but it hasn't been tested for sport activities like ice skating. the vegetation of Tar and Havir lakes are just like other southern parts of Alborz mountains, the two lakes are guarded and surrounded by higher altitudes, and two notable Dobaraar and Zarrin Kouh mounts.

The Alborz mountains, guarding Taar and Havir lakes

 on the way to Taar and Havir lakes, you will enjoy the scenes and views of Alborz mountains.

Safety issues:
the lakes' coasts are guarded by police all the time, so it will be safe for camping. but the roads, especially in winter time, can have no other passengers, so mind your vehicle's safety, mostly breaks, wheels and spare wheel and the steering system.
the total area has been reported secure and safe, but it is recommended not to go through the roads in the night. so plan your tip to pass the 30 km road trip in the sun light.

the road is unpaved and only one vehicle width

A spring comes out of the mountain's heart

how to get there?
Taar lake geographical dimensions: N354344 E521340
Havir lake geographical dimensions: N354357 E521440

to go there, you can go from Damavand city, Arab Chenaar village, Ma'dan road (mine road), go the dirt road to the end

or

from Tehran to Firouzkouh road, 98kilometer from Tehran, after Delichay village, pass the Li Posht, Moomaj, Dehnar and Havir villages to reach the lake.

What to bring?
camping facilities, like tents, tools, sleeping bags and canned food.
you can light fire to cook. the temperature can be low even in spring and fall. the sun light is very strong though and need sun protection creams, sunglasses and caps.
the night can be very cold even in summer time.
You will find no stores and groceries there (except the villages you pass through with small shops) so buy whatever you may need from Tehran or Damavand.
in the villages you can buy organic eggs, fresh milk or meet.

Full Moon watching, spiritual and fun

For a very long time, watching the full moon was a tradition, a time to celebrate and gathering for people of different nations. among the civilizations, Japanese and Indian are mostly known for cherishing the full moon. Japanese people have a tradition called Tsukimi or Otsokimi. Tsukimi refers to Japanese festivals honoring the autumn moon, a version of the Mid-Autumn Festival. The celebration of the full moon typically takes place on the 15th day of the eighth month of the traditional Japanese solar calendar; the waxing moon is celebrated on the 13th day of the ninth month. These days normally fall in September and October of the modern solar calendar.

Full Moon in Tehran, a partly cloudy night in Shemiran

The tradition dates to the Heian era, and is now so popular in Japan that some people repeat the activities for several evenings following the appearance of the full moon during the eighth lunisolar month.

Tsukimi traditions include displaying decorations made from Japanese pampas grass (susuki) and eating rice dumplings called Tsukimi dango in order to celebrate the beauty of the moon. Seasonal produce are also displayed as offerings to the moon. Sweet potatoes are offered to the full moon, while beans or chestnuts are offered to the waxing moon the following month. The alternate names of the celebrations, Imomeigetsu　(literally "potato harvest moon") and Mamemeigetsu ("bean harvest moon") or Kurimeigetsu ("chestnut harvest moon") are derived from these offerings.

In Iran there is a mixing culture from the ancient Persia with Hindu traditions and even western beliefs on Full Moon event.

I Cherish the moon every night, I believe finding the beauty in every moment of your life is the only way you can claim you had enjoyed your life! but the full moon is indeed inspiring in a very different way. specially if you have the chance to view it in a partly cloudy night, every time the moon shows off, you get surprised how beautiful she is.

Next Full Moon in Tehran: Wednesday * 4th February 2015

for a full moon calendar go to this address: http://www.moongiant.com/Full_Moon_New_Moon_Calendar.php