Unusual traveling#4 Hiking with local Iranian friends in the mountains of North Iran

Most people imagine Iran as a country with a huge desert and nothing really more. At least that is what I thought before I went there. When I was in Iran and found out there are also beautiful mountains in northern Iran. Today I would like to show you more about these areas in with it's spectacular views.

The Iranians like hiking very much. And even more, they like to do things in large groups. People who live in the Tehran city often drive to the Alburz Mountains in the North of Tehran.

On a weekend, we could join an Iranian friend for a hiking trip which was unforgettable.

We were more than 10 people in total and shared two cars. The journey took as more than 4 hours but was a lot of fun. We were listening music in the car, talking and laughing. It was end of October, the temperature in Tehran began to cool down. The mountains were covered with snow already. The trees were golden and glowed with the color of fire.

We began our hike at the foot of the mountain, walked on beautiful meadows and green woodlands, through a valley. A small stream flowed down next to us. The sunlight was coming into the valley, reflected the golden light on the stream and grasses, which was like a painting, very beautiful.

We ended up at a old house of a friend’s Grandfather. Now an Afghan man lives there. He came to Iran as a refugee who escaped from war. He has been living alone in the mountains for many years. He guards the forest and some cows and he knows all the things about nature. Occasionally he shoots some walnuts from the trees, picks up wild blueberries. He is like a hermit, lives secluded and spends time with nature.

He helped us making barbecue and boiled Iranian black tea for us. According to the Iranian habit, people like to sit on the carpet together, eat snacks and drink black tea.

It was a lot of fun and a beautiful intense day of hiking, talking and making friendships.

大家印象中的伊朗可能都是一望无际的广袤沙漠，除城市以外的地方都有一种荒芜感，我没去之前对伊朗的印象就是这样。去了才知道伊朗北部还有四季风景不同的美丽山脉。今天就带大家去看看伊朗的秀美山景。
伊朗人很喜欢许多人一起相约徒步。德黑兰城市里的人经常开车去距离德黑兰四小时车程的北部厄尔布尔士山脉 (Elburz Mountains)。我们也和朋友一起去了那里。
一行有十多个人，大家一路有说有笑的，当时真是十月末秋天的时候，德黑兰的气温已经开始转凉了。厄尔布尔士山也是一片金黄，还可以看到远处的雪山皑皑。
我们从山脚下一路上山，然后途径峡谷，峡谷里溪流潺潺，阳光透进来，反射出一道道的金光，非常美。
然后我们去了朋友祖父的老房子，现在借给一个逃难来的阿富汗住，阿富汗人独居在山林中，守护着这片山林，有几头牛，他熟知大自然中的一切，偶尔用猎枪打打树上的核桃，从枯草中撷取一簇野蓝莓，他就像隐居山林已久的老者关于自己的前半生早已不复记忆，只剩下了有关自然生命的纯然智慧。
他帮我们烧烤，烧热水泡伊朗红茶招待我们。按照伊朗人的习惯大家喜欢坐在地毯上围坐在一起，嗑瓜子吃零食喝红茶。