This blog offers a glimpse into the life of an Iranian woman and her honest view on world affairs and issues which concerns her country, Iran. 
Summer is actually the season of vacation around the world, so is in Iran. Students of schools and universities have all about two and a half months holiday and most parents use it to have a trip.
Since It’s difficult for most Iranians to travel abroad, due to Visa issues or financial issues, most of them end up rambling inside the country.
West and North of Iran is most desirable place in the summer. Especially the northern provinces, for its mild weather and green sites. Also the caspian beach in the north is more cool and less hot and humid in the summer than the Persian gulf beach in the south.
Beaches in Iran have separated places for women and men. So muslim women can also freely wear swimwears and swim like all women in the rest of world. Also some may rent a vila which is contained a part of the beach too and they enjoy swimming together with their family.
There is not allowed to have camera/cameraphone in those esp places for women. I actually saw same banning in UAE, Qatar and Bahrain beaches too..
Iranians also enjoy the green sites in the north, esp those of Tehran who just want to run away the crowdedness of the mega city.
Who may forget the memory of making Barbecued Iranian Kebabs along with making and drinking Iranian tea in a northern deep cloudy forest? 
July 15, 2008 at 9:16 pm
What natural beauty! What lovely mist!
July 15, 2008 at 9:50 pm
The scenic beauty is breathtaking. I am sure Iran has lots of historical places to see too. After all, it was once an old Empire and then under the Muslim empire did quite well too.
Do Iranians visit the Middle East (say Dubai, Qatar)?
July 15, 2008 at 10:10 pm
Iran is such a beautiful country, with many places to go and many things to do and see. I like the idea of beaches for women only, and also to be ablr to rent a place with a private beach.
You have taken some very beautiful pictures.
PS I am going to stop blogging for sometime, wishing you and your readers a very happy summer.
July 15, 2008 at 10:17 pm
Achelois, Thank you. I adore mild
Haleem, Yes Iran has many historical sites. And poeple visit them too.
The only country in the middle east which gives visa to Iranians is UAE. Qatar (10% Iranians), Bahrain(many many Iranians)and Kuwait(15% Iranians) dont give visa to Iranians anymore. You can see that they have Iranian communities. But they even dont give a tourism visa to Iranians. (Political issues? Religious issues? etc?!!! I dont know why!)
Dubai is the place that many Iranians live (more than one forth) and many rich Iranians do trade there. Iranians travel to Dubai, Syria, Turkey or Azerbaijan. But again some Iranians can not pay for traveling these countries too.
July 15, 2008 at 10:18 pm
~W~, Thank you. I’ll miss you so much. You know. Come back soon.
July 15, 2008 at 10:33 pm
In Dubai, every Monday is ‘Ladies Only’ day at the beach. And yes, there are lots of Iranians here. Nice people, I must add, and very friendly.
The photos are gorgeous.
July 15, 2008 at 10:39 pm
Nadia, Thank you for your comment. I didnt know that. I used to think Dubai beach is always public place and i just visited there and didnt swim though. This time i must try it on monday.
July 16, 2008 at 1:31 am
Wow, those are very beautiful pics. I know a couple of Iranians from work, and they are very nice people. So easy to get along with. So now I will have to add Iran to my “places to visit” list
July 16, 2008 at 2:30 am
I like the idea of private beaches too! Very nice pictures
July 16, 2008 at 3:58 am
Oh how I wish wish wish wish to have separated beaches here :~)
July 16, 2008 at 5:23 am
Since Iran is a very modest country, I am more than likely correctly guessing you don’t have nude beaches like in Europe and the States I bet?
July 16, 2008 at 8:19 am
Wow! I liked the forests more than the beaches. I have never heard of forests in Iran, or in any middle east countries, and so the beautiful fotos really surprises me. I would like to see more fotos of the forests in your coming issues!
July 16, 2008 at 9:10 am
UAE is having a bit of a problem with beach modesty these days. They want Western dollars, but not their immodesty. Lovely pictures of the Iranian seaside. It reminds me of the neo-colonialist holding in America called Hawaii.
July 16, 2008 at 12:30 pm
A private separate beach sounds divine. If only they had those here i might have some inclination or desire to LEARN how to swim
July 16, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Amir, Am sure you’ll enjoy explorling Iran.
‘liya, Thank you. I think you get more of them on my flickr page.
iliyani, would be nice if malaysia had esp days for women like UAE. Also you can use Islamic swimwear too. You heard about them?
Charlene, if you mean wearing swimwears, bikinis alike, so there is no modesty in Iran separated beaches for women too. lol you can get any kind of swimwears there along with women who take the sun bath.
Life of mainstream here is very different from governmental attitude and ad. Iranians live here as normal as all others in their country. And about modesty i am not sure Iranians are more modest than others. I would like to invite you for a typical Iranian wedding here to see!
Najeeba, oh there are many deep forests in the north. Also half of Iran has a dry cool/cold or mild cool weather and is mountainous. And about the rest of mid east, just aljazeera has big deserts. Other parts of mid east have green sites, for example Lebanon is the country that doesnt have even one inch desert.
johnnypeepers, i heard about Hawaii beaches and the beauty of palm trees there. Caspian sea beaches dont have palm trees due to the cool weather there. But Persian Gulf seaside is full of palm trees.
Sumera, Caspian sea is a sandy and can be very dangerous and swallow the swimmers. Many people have drowned in this way. Actually it’s always what people chose to swim in separated beaches here. Bcs they’re absolutely safe and protected and there is not danger of geting drowned there!
July 17, 2008 at 12:28 am
I want to visit Iran someday!
July 17, 2008 at 1:55 am
YM, sure Iranians will embrace you with lots of hospitality. You’re always welcome here.
July 17, 2008 at 2:01 am
Beautiful! International traveling is educational and better than reading about the place in books, but staying around home is VERY nice and much more peaceful. I didn’t realize the Caspian Sea was dangerous. Now excuse my ignorace Shahrazad, but how is Iranian tea? Is it hot/iced….? What flavor is it? Is it similar to green tea?
July 17, 2008 at 2:07 am
Barbara, Iranian tea is a kind of hot tea. They dry the leaves of tea in very esp healthy ways with esp machines in the factory. It has a natural flavor, alittle bitter and with wonderful fragrance of nature. They dont add any artifical essence to it, like Ceylan or Indian tea, so it’s very natural. I absolutely adore its taste, bcs i generally like natural things.
I may go for a post on it too.
July 17, 2008 at 8:48 am
Shahrzad Says: iliyani, would be nice if malaysia had esp days for women like UAE. Also you can use Islamic swimwear too. You heard about them?
yes it would be great but I guess the govt may not like it thanks to multiracial/tourists tolerancy. That’s why although we have loads of nice islands and beaches here, not many of us Muslims can enjoy them freely. Oh I dont know why there are so many things I don’t like about my country! Great to you Shahrzad you belong to a country you can really be proud of
And to everyone who wants to visit Iran, I really recommend you to! I was there 9 years ago and I have to go again one day
July 18, 2008 at 12:00 pm
iliyani, I understand what you say. I’ve heard about beautiful islands in malaysia, esp Penang. It’s sad that muslim women can not use them like others do. It doesnt make problem really if they make a part for women only or make a day for women.
It’s great to know that you visited Iran. Which cities you’ve seen here? You’re always welcome to Iran. Such a pleasure..
July 29, 2008 at 9:53 pm
you have such a lovely country, I must say. I wish one day I could see it by myself.