Tokyo Diaries: Love Letter to Tsukiji Fish Market
Everybody shops at Tsukiji: 3-star Michelin restaurants, sushi chains and private customers. The relationship between fishermen, salesmen and chefs is quite particular. Fishermen are, technically speaking, bitter competitors. Yet, you can feel this only in the two 30-minutes slots in the mornings when the tuna auction takes place. Otherwise, they hold high respect for each other’s work.
Tokyo Diaries: Eyes in the Night
There are trips that make us more social, more open, in the mood for wonders and in search of adventures. This is not such a story. I visited Japan for the first time in 2017 and decided to stay 2 weeks in Tokyo instead of doing the classical Japanese cities itinerary…
The Annapurna Region in Nepal
If you asked me to describe the Annapurna Region of the Himalaya with a few words, I’d say “pink rhododendrons and breathtaking basecamp views”. The perfect time to visit? Spring. It’s when the magic of the mountain hills is in full swing with blooming trees popping up everywhere on the hills. Pure magic.
The Everest Region of Nepal
All Sherpa people told me they regard the mountain as God. Not in a religious sense, but in the sense of being humble in front of a power far superior to what any human being can harness. I asked one Sherpa how he feels about the mountain and he answered: “we’re at its mercy”. It doesn’t take much experience to realize, the Himalaya Mountain is something different.
Nepal’s Sacred Art
Do you know that peculiar happy feeling when you discover photos of something you forgot you shot long time ago? Well, this is what happened to me while unarchiving and looking at the photos I took in Nepal back in 2018. I had forgotten I visited several Buddhist monasteries in the Himalaya mountain, but as soon as I saw the pictures, I had a flashback of what I felt back when I took them: a heartfelt curiosity mixed with astonishment.
Memories from Kathmandu
The whole city of Kathmandu is practically nested in the Himalayan Mountain: a guardian that protected Nepal from invasion through the past centuries, but also a mighty force capable of causing destruction. I spoke with a Nepali friend of mine who told me proudly “we don’t celebrate Independence Day in Nepal, because we were never an occupied country”.
Spending Christmas in Istanbul
Istanbul is likely not the first place that comes to your mind when you think about where to spend Christmas. Yet, against all odds, this megapolis gave me and my family everything that Christmas is all about: warmth, kindness, love and of course - great food!
Qeshm & Hormuz: Two Otherworldly Islands in Iran
Everything about Qeshm and Hormuz is out-of-this-world. You'll get what Qeshm Island is like if you mix a desert with crazy rock formations. Think about Mars, and there you have it - Hormuz Island. There are absolutely no other places like these in Iran. Being there, you are swept away by the sheer power of the raw elements: sand, salt, rocks, water and wind.
Poems, Roses, Nightingales, Shiraz
If love is your pain, wine is the cure. If wisdom you seek, Hafiz is the teacher. If pink is your mood, Nasr-Ol-Molk is the perfect sanctuary. And if you think that there is no city in the Middle East which speaks romance with its every fabric, oh, how wrong you are! Because this is Shiraz and Shiraz will get you daydreaming of the mystical, the cosmic and everything beyond.
Yazd, a Lighthouse in the Desert
Have you ever dreamed of walking in a labyrinth the size of an entire city? In the desert? In the Middle East? Counter Strike vibes? All your dreams can come true, if you just visit Yazd, the mysterious desert city in the very center of Iran. It's not just the city architecture of Yazd that is unique. The whole place has a different mood: enigmatic, artistic, conservative, yet, chilled-out.
I Lost My Heart In Esfahan
Esfahan is my favorite city in Iran. While walking on the streets of the city I caught myself thinking several times “I could totally live here”. There was a time when Esfahan was the capital of Iran and the biggest city in the world. This is no longer the case, but the phrase “Esfahan is half of the world” has remained alive to this day. I’d say Esfahan is a world of its own.
Abyaneh, a Living Miracle
Abyaneh is a tiny village nested in the Karkass mountains between Kashan and Esfahan. When you walk on the narrow alleys of the village, you not only feel you are in a different place, but your sense of time changes completely. Places like this will always stand out in the sea of touristy bucket lists...
Traveling in Iran During the Muharram
Traveling in Iran during the Muharram was a truly special experience. The only information I had about the Muharram before experiencing it, was that it’s a series of sad days and that it’s a commemoration of the death of Imam Hossein. My mind was free from prejudice and I took it all with an open heart. Once again, this attitude lead me straight into deep, honest conversations and connecting with people.
Kashan, the City of Roses
Kashan is a city oasis close to the Maranjab Desert and a paradise for anyone interested in Persian architecture. The historical carpet merchants homes, the beautiful Aghra Borzg Mosque and the Sultan Amir Ahmad Bathhouse are just among the many wonders to experience in the city.
Discovering Tehran
Tehran is nothing short of any normal European city. Some people told me not to spend time in Tehran because it’s not the “real Iran”. I don’t agree with this statement. Many paramount events for Iran happened in this city. If you care about understanding Iran, especially its recent history, spending time in Tehran will be worthwhile.