Mazandaran, the province of blue mountains adjacent to the Caspian Sea(Iran)

Just after crossing the border into Iran from Azerbaijan, while purchasing a SIM card and waiting for internet activation, I noticed a little girl wearing a hijab watching me through the window.

A moment later, she entered with her mother and younger brother, and showed me a translated message on her phone: "Do you have Instagram and Messenger?" The child, who introduced herself as Vanya, showed me beautiful images of the sea and mountains in northern Iran, asking when I would visit again.

I gave her a vague answer, saying "Someday, if I get the chance..." But the landscapes in the photos were so beautiful, and the people here were so nice that if I visit Iran again, I plan to cross the land border from Azerbaijan once more. This would be to explore the northwestern part of Iran that I couldn't visit this time.

 

In the north of Iran lies the capital city of Tehran, and not far from there, the Caspian Sea is located.

The Caspian Sea, which borders five countries including Iran and Russia, is a cool and beautiful resort area in summer. Its massive size has led to ongoing debates about whether it's a sea or a lake. For thousands of years, it has been an economically and militarily important strategic point that has had enormous influence on surrounding countries.

Unlike the hot and distant south, this area is easily accessible thanks to relatively convenient transportation connecting to the capital Tehran from all over the country and its mild climate. Every summer, the place becomes crowded with people, making it feel relatively easy to access.

(Photo source:https://hipersia.com/en/mi_ax/Original/1394/09/209.jpg)

(Photo source: https://apochi.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Filband-11.jpg)

In Mazandaran, not far from Tehran, there is a place where you can look down at clouds from high mountains and a terraced hot spring called Badab.

I had planned to visit there and even wrote a travel itinerary, but when I actually arrived in Tehran, I had broken my phone in the south a few days earlier and was physically exhausted, so I desperately wanted to rest for a while.

It rained on the way to Mazandaran. It was the first rain I've seen during my trip to Iran.

On the way to Mazandaran, I encountered my first rain in Iran. After passing the outskirts of Tehran with its dry, hot winds, the road was suddenly covered with green forests, and the humid, cool air cooled the hot bus windows, covering them with droplets.

Despite the rainy day hike, the bus driver navigated the narrow paths between cliffs where water was flowing down as if it were routine. For the road conditions leading to northern Mazandaran—which can sometimes be covered in fog so thick you can't see an inch ahead and where traffic can suddenly be prohibited due to rapidly changing harsh weather—this seemed to be just a light outing.

Getting off at the first rest stop, the rain had mostly subsided, with only a faint foggy breeze lingering in the distance. The smell of rain-soaked earth and the cool air of midsummer reminded me of a nameless secluded rest stop in Gangwon Province where I had briefly stayed long ago.

Numerous buses and trucks filled the remote rest stop. People took breaks with steaming cups of tea in their hands. Just as Koreans love iced drinks in summer, Iranians really love their warm tea. In this landscape tinged with eerie fog that darkened the surroundings like in the movie Silent Hill, people holding disposable paper cups with steaming hot tea looked almost as if they were performing some kind of ritual.

In this weather and environment, even I thought a warm cup of sweet tea would be better than cold coffee, so I turned away from the refrigerator full of canned drinks and chose a teabag in a disposable cup. It was a long-forgotten memory, but I recalled the rest stop where I stayed on my way to the Second Military Training Center after finishing boot camp. Except for the people and signs, it was exactly the same feeling from that time. The tension and uncertainty felt when knowing only the destination but not much about the place itself. Groups of people gathered here and there. And the home that felt so missed.

Wandering through this Iranian shopping area where old meets new!
Persian storefronts mixed with contemporary architecture telling the city's evolving story.

Contrary to my expectation that it would be humid and cool, after passing through the rugged mountain path, the fog and humid air that had been lying low on the mountain roof seemed to have soared into the sky and disappeared. Large cumulus clouds bloomed high in the sky. Beneath them, warm sunshine shone down again and a new landscape unfolded

A park of Babol

People with lighter skin and appearances that seemed more comfortable and relaxed caught my eye at a glance. Iranians are generally curious wherever you go, and the people here weren't much different. Interestingly, rather than the overtly curious stares I sometimes felt in other regions, they just approached me as if meeting a neighbor.

I exchanged stories with those people about Iranian and Korean lives, and they asked if I liked it here, thanked me for appreciating Iran, and wished me a safe journey before passing by as if we would meet again soon. Of course, there were also shy people like me there.

One man lingered around me for quite some time, then came over, pulled out a cigarette and asked, "Would you like a smoke?" Although I do smoke, I was feeling a bit uncomfortable, so I smiled and said I didn't smoke. He looked confused and awkward, asked a few questions, and then disappeared. The person next to me burst into laughter. "I think he wanted to talk to you but was too shy to know what to say at first."

Ali said that if you see a blue truck loaded with luggage in Iran, be careful.
Oh.. It's similar in Korea.😅😂

I had already picked out a hotel to stay at here and called a taxi to get there, but the calls kept failing, and with several people continuously asking questions in Persian in the alleyway, I was starting to lose my patience and focus when a savior appeared.

"I saw you kept calling, so I just pressed the button. You're quite lucky."

"Why?"

"Because the taxi drivers here don't speak English well." The man, who introduced himself as Ali, joked that now that I'd met him, I had nothing to worry about. Saying that his hobby was working out, he asked me about my destination and then asked with a slightly worried expression.

"Are you really going there?"

"Why? I can sleep anywhere."

"It's fine because my friend runs it, but it's a place where people who come to work from other regions stay, so the amenities aren't that great."

"It doesn't matter, it's fine."

"Hmm... really? Well, okay, let's go."

During my travels in Iran, whenever I saw blue delivery trucks, especially Japanese ones, they always advised me that these trucks carry too much luggage and drive dangerously, so if I ever drive, don't stay close to them. When I told him there are such vehicles in Korea too, he burst out laughing.

When we arrived at the accommodation run by his friend, the man who had been talking with Ali asked me with a concerned expression. "There's a better place at a decent price. It's okay if you stay here, but I'd prefer you stayed somewhere more comfortable. Ali knows it."

"Hmm... okay. Thanks."

(Photo of Ali and me at the beach)

The accommodation Ali took me to was about 10,000 won ($7) more expensive than where I had originally planned to stay, but it was twice as spacious and much more meticulously maintained than the first place I saw. As I was about to put down my luggage and rest, receiving the polite hospitality of the elderly landlady and her well-dressed son, Ali contacted me.

"Where are you thinking of going tomorrow? I need to go to work now. If there's anywhere you want to go, I can take you anywhere for free."

I felt sorry about Ali's offer—he said he usually works at a company and drives a taxi late at night and on his days off—so I declined several times. But as he kept showing concern and making suggestions, I told him I'd like to visit the Caspian Sea and the surrounding jungle.

area instead of the Badab hot springs, which were too far from here. We agreed to have lunch together tomorrow and then depart

(Photo source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bd/Ghormeh_Sabzi.JPG)

The next day, after eating Ghormeh Sabzi at Ali's house and greeting his family, we went around sightseeing along the Caspian coast. Ghormeh Sabzi, which is very popular among Iranians, might not suit Korean tastes because of its strong sour flavor, but since I like chicken, I enjoyed it.

Iranians tend to like sour foods, and later in Isfahan, the Korean tteokbokki and jajangmyeon I ate were also incredibly sour, making them a bit difficult to adapt to. Not all foods have a sour taste though; I enjoyed regular kebabs (koobideh) and rice dishes.

Fried chicken, which I often ordered in Iran. It wasn't bad.

I accidentally ordered too much😢

The food I ate most often while staying in Iran was definitely chicken. At first, because I didn't know Persian well, I ordered through a delivery app thinking I was getting three pieces of chicken, but I ended up receiving a set meal for three people, so I had to eat chicken for several days straight. 

Besides kebabs (koobideh) and chicken, the most memorable food in Iran was fried mushrooms. It's a dish where button mushrooms are fried like fried chicken and dipped in sauce. I ate it so frequently that I thought it would do well if introduced to Korea

 Despite the hot summer, the beach was full of people enjoying their leisure time, and since the waves were stronger than I expected, I didn't go swimming. Besides the beach, in parks and tourist spots, we could often see people promoting horseback riding for a fee. I think there used to be people leading horses around beaches in Korea a very long time ago as well. I've never ridden one and don't remember clearly, but somehow it felt familiar.

 Navigating this Iranian city street on a rainy afternoon

On my last day leaving Mazandaran, it started to rain. I wanted to look around the jungles of Mazandaran, but due to mostly sold-out bus schedules that day, I had to leave in the afternoon, so Ali hurriedly took me to the bus station.

"I think the bus tickets will run out even before you arrive if you don't make a reservation, so I've already reserved and paid in my name. When you get there, tell them my name and they'll change it to yours, so don't worry."

Despite the heavy rain and cool weather, Ali waited until I received my bus ticket, and worried that I might end up paying extra to local hawkers, he asked if I needed anything and went to buy the items for me personally.

"Let's meet again someday, friend. If you visit this place again next time, let's also go to Badab Valley and the jungle that you wanted to visit. I'll take you there."

Since he had to leave for work soon, I was worried that he might get tired, so I earnestly asked him several times not to wait too long, and only then did he reluctantly get in his car. While waiting for the bus, I met a university professor from Isfahan who looked after me throughout the journey, so I was able to arrive in Isfahan without any problems.

Here is some additional information and precautions:

• There are several bus terminals in Tehran. When going to Isfahan, which is located south of Tehran, you should go to the South Terminal, and when visiting cities in the north, you should go to the North Terminal.
• Economical hotels in this area range from $10-20, and there are even cheaper accommodations available. The Mazandaran region has a lot of rainfall and is a humid area.
• When activating your phone, be sure to ask if they can install a VPN for you. It will be a great help to you. Never forget this. If the employee is a very nice person, give them a small tip and then look for a paid VPN. Free VPNs are sufficient, but paid VPNs perform very well.
• The Snapp app is almost essential for travelers. If you have a close local friend, ask for their help. It has all the necessary functions such as delivery, finding accommodation, calling taxis, etc.When calling a taxi with the Snapp app, drivers often cancel for intercity travel because the price is too low. Once a driver accepts your call, try to negotiate paying more with a Persian message. While there are drivers who will take you to your destination at the price suggested by the Snapp app, if you can't get a Snapp taxi for a long time, it wasn't bad to offer about 1.5 times the price via message. Even if you offer a slightly higher price, it is still very reasonable compared to travel in other countries. If all else fails, try finding taxi drivers directly and negotiate the price.