Water is a Turkmen's life, a horse is his wings, and a carpet is his soul.
- Turkmen Proverb

AS you know we decided to have an Asian tour , and the very first choice is Turkmenistan our north-eastern neibourhood. The reason for choosing this country is that in old times we were supposed as one country, so we have very close cultures and languages.
one nice Saturday morning we(mahya and mehrnaz) packed our stuff(concluded: water,snicker,sleeping bag,canned food, enough money, and our tandem bike, etc).
we passed through alborz mountains, and turkmenistan field ,Golestan province.and we passed the borthers...
TURKMENISTAN

As we rode down the tree lined streets in Ashghabad the capital of Turkmenistan, we passed rows of tiny, one-floor houses that sat just yards away from the road side. I watched through the window as children scurried from one side of the road to the other, playing what appeared to be a game of tag. Women, dressed in brightly colored textiles, were gathered at the corner of one street, watching their children, gossiping.
Visiting Turkmenistan is like nothing you've ever experienced or are likely to experience again. the biggest allure for us was the chance to explore a land with ancient cultures and traditions that was once part of the Silk Road.The Silk Road runs through Central Asia and was a major trading route connecting the West to the East for hundreds of years. In fact, it was the famed traveler, Marco Polo who was the first to mention Turkmen carpets in the 13th century. While many regions along the Silk Road produce unique carpets, Turkmen rugs have become well known in the West, due to their high quality and beauty. The art of carpet weaving has been handed down from generation to generation and is central to the Turkmen culture( This is one of the similarities we have in our cultures) . Each tribe has its own specific patterns and symbols which represent aspects of life which hold great importance. and the languages they speak are: Turkmen,Russian,Kamoosh,Geok Depe.

AS we became tired and thirsty, we decided to knock one of the house's door to ask for some help. They were sooooo hospitable and invited us in,for having dinner with them,and they also let us stay that night in their house.they offered us a feast of chicken, plov (traditional Central Asian rice dish) fruit, fresh juices and tea(This is exactly the kinda meal which is very popular in Iran). We sat on the floor, chatting with our new friends. The smaller children played hide and seek with us, peeking their heads in the door, smiling and flirting. In the corner of the room a black and white television played a video-tape of a recent family wedding. The new bride now sat beside us, holding her new born child and pregnant with her second. She held a piece of cloth from her headdress in her mouth, unable to speak in the presence of her mother-in-law, a tradition that was so surprising for us. We exchanged smiles and even without the benefit of words, she expressed pride in wedding, her child, and her family.After dinner our carpet education began,and as Mahya knew somehow how to do that she was excited to death and all this time I was trying to learn something too. we walked from carpet to carpet as they helped to explain the significance and origin of each rug. the day after, our bellies full from our host's generosity, we walked away with an armful of rugs and an amazing Turkmen experience.The process of creating and selling Turkmen rugs is not simply commerce; it is part of a tradition that stretches back over the centuries. And as a visitor, learning about the Turkmen traditional art is one of the best ways to immerse yourself in the local culture.Where to Learn More about Turkmen Culture and Rugs. There are 15 across the country and the main factory in Ashgabat employs 200 people who produce the traditional "Bukhara" rugs by hand on looms - located on Kuragli Street.The Tolkuchka Bazaar - open on Sundays and located just outside of Ashgabat. You will find the best prices on carpets here and you can easily spend an entire day wandering through the market, taking in the colors, smells, and local flavor.
Ok.this was only one day in Turkmenistan, and we can't wait to tell you all the beautiful things we are seeing here..
so keep being with us in this extra ordinary voyage!!!!

NAMAK ABROOD CABLEWAY, NEAR CHALOOS

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Tonekabon

TonekabonIf we consider the Mazandaran province as Iran’s paredise, then the nice attractive country of Tonekabon should be called a paradise in another. Adjacent to the Caspian Sea, hosting to the beautiful river of Cheshmeh Likeh at the side, enjoying green natural covering in the south and moderate climate, Tonekabon has become the cream of the cake of province.With a population of 33650, Tonekabon is situated 230 km off Tehran(capital of Iran), 62 km east of Noshahr. Tonekabon, the capital city of the country, is one of the rather new cities founded in the Pahlavi 1, the priode within which the city used to be called Shahsavar(king’s horse/ steed).most of the people of the region are the migrants coming to the city since its establishment on, finding it so suitable for living. This is why they are hospitable and always treat the strangers to the city so friendly. The counties of Dohezar(two thousands) and Sehezar(3000) in the south of country with asphalt roads and dry climate have created very pleasant scenery.

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Bandar e Lengeh(Lengeh seaport)Bandar e Lengeh is one of the ports of the Hormozgan province which borders the PERSIAN GULF. It has ship jetties and airport. During the past decade, owning to proximity to the tourist hub of Kish Island, Bandar e Lengeh has also proposed considerably. Many Kish visitors travel to the island by ships via Bandar e Lengeh.Besides the natural beauty of PERSIAN GULF coast, Bandar e Lengeh enjoys vast date palm gardens surrounding the town in a semicircle. In the old days, the town had a surrounding wall, parts of which still remain.The historical sites include a minaret dating back to the 19th century, which is 30 meters high and 3 meters in diameter, covered with tilework.There are several fresh water walls in Bandar e Lengeh, which indicate its prosperity in the past. The population of Bandare e lengeh was 156,930 in 1995. Bandar e Lengeh is 264 km from Bandar e Abbas( Abbas seaport, the capital city of Hormozgan province) and 1631 km from Tehran( the capital city of Iran)

Firuzabad

FiruzabadFiruzabad is one of the most famous cities remaining from the Sassanid era. The town was called Ardeshir kureh( Ardeshir= person whose rage is like lion’s one, kureh/koreh= city) and shar e Gur( city of grave) in ancient times. Until the early Islamic period, this town was one of the five areas of Fars and a very important center. Legend has it that in the 9th century, Azed Dsowleh Dailami frequented the town, and since it was not deemed proper to say “ the king went to Gur(grave), its name was changed to Firuzabad. The road between Shiras( the capital city of Fars province) and the ancient port of Siraf passes through Firuz abad.The foundation of the town is attributed to the period of Ardeshir Babakan, the sassanid king.today too, Firuzabad is one of the most renowned historical sites of Iran owning to the spelendid architecture and ancient relics of the early sassanid era.The Firuzabad Palace is the oldest roofed building which remains, and since it was built by ancient Iranian architects, it has a special place in history of Irainian architecture.In the 10th century, Moqaddasi has mentioned Firuzabad as the cebter of Iran rose gardens.He adds that the main exports of the era were rosewater. The population of Firuzabad was 209,900 in 1995. it is 116 km from Shiraz and 1,033 km from Tehran.