Persian Paradise:
The First Day:
To Tehran
November 4th
By
Abida Rahmani
After a lovely dinner in the last days of September, our dear Major Tariq Hayat quietly whispered, “Don’t worry Apaa, we’re heading to Iran in early November, and you should join us.”
The trip was announced just after four days, and within a couple of days, at least 80 members decided to go.
A WhatsApp group called “Persian Paradise” was created, and all the intended participants were gathered. The trip itinerary and payment form were launched, followed by visa requirements and air tickets.
Like the previous trip groups, this one was flooded with messages and queries from participants, and everyone seemed excited.
Finally, after fulfilling all the requirements, the group was ready to travel to Iran. It was a huge group of 77 people. Almost 30 people arrived from Lahore, and a couple joined from Peshawar, Jhelum and other areas.
Flight to Tehran:
Our flight was on the morning of November 4th at 7:30 am. We were travelling through “Tour Iran flight B9977.”
I left home at 3:15 am and arrived at the airport at 4:5 am was almost the first one. Waited at the gate for quite some time, prayed and then joined the group!
The flight was on time and uneventful. We were served a good breakfast. However, the toilet conditions were pretty bad.
The most significant thing about this group is that almost 90% of members are seniors, four or five are 80 plus.
After landing at Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran, we were quite surprised to receive polio drops as our first welcome! After clearing immigration and grabbing our luggage, we piled into two large tourist buses—one red and one blue—for our journey.
We arrived at the “Parisan Azadi” hotel, disembarked and got our room keys. After a bit of rest, we were ready for our tour and dinner at the Milad Tower.
The Milad Tower is a tall building with super fast elevators, and the decks offer amazing views of the city lit up at night. We also visited the fantastic wax museum and then enjoyed a buffet dinner in the revolving restaurant, which had a ton of delicious options.
The first day was a whirlwind, leaving us tired but happy.
Day 2: Tehran
Nov 5th
We started the day with a fancy buffet breakfast at the hotel, then got ready and hopped on our buses at 9:30 a.m. to explore GOLESTAN PALACE.
It was a stunning palace from the time of the Iranian rulers, showcasing their incredible grandeur and beauty. The painted walls and tiles were absolutely amazing!
Next, we toured the IRAN NATIONAL MUSEUM, which was packed with fascinating artifacts from the country’s rich history.
But then, we had to cancel our visit to the GLASSWARE museum and Tajarish Bazaar because we were heading to Tehran Mall. Many of us were super excited about it, claiming it was the biggest mall in the world (though, honestly, only God knows!).
It turned out to be a long drive of almost two hours, and honestly, there weren’t any shopping spots for me.
We were supposed to drive again for two hours to get to Darband Street for dinner. We took the vans there and then walked.
It looked like a historic food street with tons of vendors and restaurants. But it was a bit messy, had some people on the streets and was uphill.
We weren’t sure where to eat, so after checking out a couple of places, we found out that we should go to DARBAND KOOHPAYEH RESTAURANT.
The restaurant’s building had such a fascinating history and architecture. We were all starving, and we had a delicious Iranian meal.
At the washrooms (سرویس بیھداشتی), a janitor boy was incredibly excited to see Pakistanis and was a huge fan of Maulana Tariq Jameel. It was the first time we truly felt like we were welcomed.
November 6th
Day 3:
We kicked off our day with a quick breakfast as we flew from Mehrabad airport in Tehran to Shiraz. We took off at 7:30 a.m. and landed in Shiraz after about 1:30 hours.
Once we arrived in Shiraz, we checked into our hotel to unwind.
Around 3 p.m., we headed to Erum Gardens, a lovely garden. There, we met a group of Iranian students. There were shops at one end selling Iranian artefacts, and most of us got caught up in shopping.
Next, we visited the Tomb of Hafiz Shirazi , the renowned Farsi poet. It was evening, and the area was bustling with people. We snapped some photos of the scene.
Finally, we had dinner at Haft Khan restaurant. The seating arrangement was amazing on a circular carpet, but we couldn’t sit because of our knees, so we had to dine on regular chairs and tables.
Enjoyed all this and the day wrapped up nicely.
November 7th: After breakfast, we explored the Tomb of Shaikh Saadi, a celebrated poet and scholar of the Farsi language. His sayings are just as cherished in our culture.
Next, we wandered through the Karim Khan Citadel.
In our free time, we indulged in fresh pomegranate juice and browsed the shops at Vakil Bazaar.
The Vakil Bath was such a captivating experience! The statues there beautifully illustrated all the treatments in a Hamam, from massages to shaving and the Hina ceremony for ladies.
Later, we went to the Ali ibn Hamza Shrine. He was the grandson of Imam Ali Raza. At the entrance, we were kindly given chadors to cover. The shrine had a big dome with grand architecture. We offered Fatiha.
The day ended with dinner at Kisha Shiraz restaurant, which was a blast! We sang our national songs, and the Iranians clapped along with great enthusiasm! In Iran, it’s against the law for ladies to dance in public, so all the ladies enjoyed themselves from their seats, and the day ended on a high note.
Day (5): Saturday, November 8:
Our group hopped on two buses at 9:30 a.m. to head to Isfahan. The trip kicked off with a unique greeting from our guide, Babek, followed by a recitation of the Quran. I was wondering if the rest of Iran uses the Islamic greeting, السلام علیکم ، وعلیکم السلام, or if it was just Babek. After an hour, we arrived at Persepolis (Takhte-Jamshid). Babek wasn’t sure if we could make it up the 150-step flight, but the stairs were pretty comfy with side bars, and we all climbed up to see the remains of a once-mighty and powerful empire. Persepolis was the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire in what is now Iran, founded by Darius the Great around 518 BCE. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its magnificent ruins, including grand palaces and massive stone columns, but it was sacked and burned by Alexander the Great in 330 BCE.
After visiting Persepolis, the PTF tourists hopped back on their red and blue buses, heading towards Isfahan. It was almost a 4-5 hour drive to reach the “Palermo restaurant” in Isfahan. Tariq and Basar joined the blue bus, while Major Ghazanfar and his wife took their seats.
The microphone was taken by Colonel Masood, who shared some interesting life stories with Major Ghazanfar. I and many others joined in with comedy skits, songs, poetry, music and dance.
After a couple of quick stops, we finally arrived at the restaurant.
We tried some yummy upside-down crispy rice dishes, but not everyone was a fan.
That musical show with deaf and dumb artists using sign language and a clown doing acts was absolutely captivating!
After dinner, we explored Khajoo & 33Pol historic bridges. I was so tired and sleepy that I didn’t get to fully enjoy it.
Later, we headed to the Kosar hotel to check in. We got there pretty late, almost 10:30 p.m.
November 10, Sunday
Day (6): City of Isfahan
After breakfast, we made our way to Naqshejahan Square, which was a fascinating glimpse into the city’s rich history and grandeur.
Then we visited Aali Qapu Palace, Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque and Shah Mosque were absolutely magnificent and mesmerizing. Later on, we wandered through Isfahan’s traditional Bazaar.
We also visited the Farnam Handicrafts Complex, Chehelsotoon Palace, Hasht Behesht Palace and later, the Arminian Church and the Jolfa area.
Dinner at the Abbasi Hotel restaurant was absolutely delicious, the restaurant and its garden were absolutely fantastic! There was a short walk to reach the hotel. The day ended lovely but tired.
We had to leave the next morning for our return journey to Tehran, with stops in Kashan and Qum.
Persian Paradise:
The last day (7): Monday, November 10;
We were all set to head out of Isfahan, and our group hopped on a bus to Kashan at 9:30 a.m.
Our first stop was the Tabatabai Historic House in Kashan, where we were supposed to see the home of a well-known trader and carpet merchant. The stairs down were a bit tricky for me and a few others, so I missed that part and spent some time admiring the smooth mud walls of the buildings outside. In the street market, we picked up some rose products. Kashan is famous for its roses and everything made from them, like rose water, cream and oil, and the famous Iranian carpets.
Our guide mentioned that hundreds of litres of rose water are sent to Mecca for غسل کعبہ.
Later, we visited the “Fin Historic Persian Garden,” and guess what? I spotted a store in the corner that welcomed us in Urdu, selling small carpets about 8 to 18 inches. A girl holding a screen print picture on it was pretty cool. I bought a few, but some of my friends enjoyed getting their pictures screened.
For our early dinner, we went to Ameris (a historic restaurant) from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. I loved the variety of salads, dips, hummus and other Iranian dishes. Their white rice with saffron topping, roasted tomatoes and kubede (like a big flat seekh kabob) are their favourite all over the world.
After dinner, we headed to Qum. There, we visited the shrine of Bibi Masooma, the daughter of Imam Kazim Raza.
We had to get off the bus and take a shuttle bus to get to the shrine. It was a big complex with hundreds of devotees, but we were short on time and couldn’t stay long enough because we had to get to Tehran for our flight back home.
At the airport, everyone grabbed their luggage and went to the check-in counter.
I was so tired, but luckily I got a wheelchair and for the first time, I went through a lifter into the airplane.
At 1:00 a.m., our flight took off, and dinner was served. About an hour in, we heard the announcement that we were heading back to Imam Khomeini Airport in Tehran because there was a problem with the plane. The flight attendants quickly gathered the dishes. We were a bit scared, but everything seemed normal. Then, there was a rumour that Pakistan’s airspace was closed. No matter what the reason, we returned home the next day on the afternoon of the 11thNovember filled with cherished memories and lots of pictures!
