Iran - Alti ustu macera (...an adventure after all) 2 x KTM 990

[GB]

Shiraz is gorgeous! thanks for the great pics... Did we make it to Isfahan yet?

[meto]

14 October, Tuesday
Shiraz - Sepidan - Yasuj - Semirom - Esfehan (562 km)



My cellphone alarm rang at 05:00 again. We left Shiraz in dawn. It was easy to find the Yasuj road.
There is a highway-quality main road to Esfehan, but we took the curvy backroads via the Zagros Mountains. This was a good decision. We liked the breakfast on the side of the road model so stopped for groceries in Sepidan. The guy in the store told me that there is a bakery in the street. While Mete got cheese, fruit juice...i take my place in the nun (tortilla bread) line. It's a big stone oven with ascending slope of chestnut-big stones in it. The baker formed the dough and threw it on the stones with his plain wood shovel. After waiting 15 minutes the crowd understood that i don't belong there. Couple guys said something furiously while laughing. I thought it was something like "He's a guest here, why are you making him wait." Suddenly they slipped two nuns under my arm and let me go.
We continued the beautiful roads after shopping.





Endless sheep herds... They use the road like a normal land.



Last night, while i was studying on the map, a notification "Margoon Waterfalls" struck my attention. I must have missed it in the preparation. Eventhough it was a little off track, we decided to take a look. It was going to be a nice break for breakfast too.
After taking the minor road for the falls a police truck stopped us for passport control, no problems. After a while gravel started and we had to ask directions to shepherds, but finally arrived.
Because it was a weekday, there was no one around and it was ours.



It's the dry season, but there is still a lot of water. This fall would have been glorious in may, i guess. We had our breakfast on the stones. The sound of the fall beat ours.





We joined to our original track after the fall.







Mete's bike was halting from time to time. It was breaking our concentration but we thought that it was due to the quality of gas, so there was nothing to do.
After Semirom, the road got faster and we arrived to Esfehan. Esfehan felt different amongst the other cities immidiately. It was no different than any of the European cities.
Finding a hotel turned in to a compelete caos. First, two guys escorted us with their bikes, but there was no room. We chose another hotel from the book. Of course, couldn' t find it. Another biker escorted us along the narrow and crowded bazaar streets. He was flying with his CG 125, so it was a major hassle keeping up. The Esfehan Traditional House was fully booked too. He said he knows another place. We followed him to the Amir Kabir Hostel. We booked a 5 person room for 15 EUR. (shared the batroom with another room)

We had to put our bikes in a private parking, which was 200m away. While i was hanging around the bike, the guy from the store next to our hotel came near me asking the bike's price. As we do from the start i said "5000 dolars"
He made faces and then said "ok, i give you 5000" seriously. While laughing, i tried to explain that this was impossible. After he thought seriously for a minute, he typed something to his calculator and showed me. It was writing "6000". I had a major laugh, and explained that i was suppose to return to Turkey with it.

We were about to starv to death, so first thing is to find a place to eat. After that we walked to the Siesepol Bridge for some night shots.



As it's name claimed, this 298m bridge has 33 arches. It was built between 1599 - 1602 by Allahverdi Khan, who was the favourite general of Shah Abbas I, to link the upper and lower halves of Chadar Bagh St. It served as both bridge and dam, and is still used to hold water today.





After the bridge, we walked to the famous Imam Square. We found the Qeysarieh Tea Shop and relaxed with tea and qalyan, looking over Imam Square.



We left the detailed observation of the square for tomorrow, bacause i had only got juice left to return to the hotel.

[afoganso]

Great photos and great trip! Congratilations!

[DrLewall]

I wish there were no tensions between our two countries (USA and Iran)..I would so much like to visit Iran, great pictures guys!!

[kahoon]

[Herman]

Originally Posted by DrLewall

I wish there were no tensions between our two countries (USA and Iran)..I would so much like to visit Iran, great pictures guys!!

As an American it would be quite safe for you to visit Iran you know. In 2006, just before our visit, a group of 10-12 riders from US rented BMWs from Turkey and toured Iran. They loved the trip.

You can read about it at:
http://www.mysanantonio.com/life/MYS...8612_html.html

[portero72]

Brilliant report. Incredible photos. Thank you for this.

[Slaniac]

This has been wonderful. Thank you both. I hope there will be more.

[meto]

Originally Posted by Herman

As an American it would be quite safe for you to visit Iran you know. In 2006, just before our visit, a group of 10-12 riders from US rented BMWs from Turkey and toured Iran. They loved the trip.

You can read about it at:
http://www.mysanantonio.com/life/MYS...8612_html.html

Herman is right.
The only hiccup is you have to be in an organized tour. They don't issue individual visa.
Once you get the visa, don't think about other security issues in towns or etc, there is none.

[the darth peach]

WOW!!
Amazing pictures........
Thanks for bringing us along..........

[TobaccO-tr]

Great RR... Thx for you and your tyres

I saw your bikes kickstart in Istanbul. But not posible to met you.

[easyman05]

can't stop reading it again and again, great report!

did you need Carnet for the bike?

[Sacha & BJ]

Great, great, GREAT report!

[motorradrudi]

WOW!!!

Looks very good!

Thank you very much!

With the best greatings from Germany
Rudi

[Andres A]

Awesome report and beautiful pitures, thank's for share.


Ride safe.