Dream destination Isfahan

"See the whole world - half of it is Isfahan"

Isfahan has been considered a cultural center of Iran since the time of the Safavids and it still is today.

My dream destination for many years, and now I'm finally here. In a beautiful hotel - by the way, the only one on my trip - with a wonderfully beautiful garden. I'm treated like a queen, I've been given a VIP suite, and I feel like I'm in Arabian Nights.

Naturally, I've visited all the impressive masterpieces of Persian architecture, strolled through the bazaar, and experienced fantastic sunsets with a view of the mosque. The resonant "Allahu akbar" of the muezzin drifted into the golden evening sky.

However, Isfahan is the first city on my journey where I don't really feel at home. The people here are different from what I've experienced so far; cheekier, more demanding, and more adventurous. They may also have been somewhat affected by tourism. Even small children constantly call out "hello, hello" to you. Many people come up to me directly and engage in a conversation that I never know exactly where it's going. Some actually just want to make contact, even if it's not binding. The questions are always stereotypically the same: where are you from, what's your name, and then "nice to meet you". That's the most harmless variant, even though it's tiring. Some want to take a photo with me. I grant it to children and women. But those who then beg or want to drag me to their shop are annoying. Yesterday, a man showed me a banknote during the conversation and explained to me how much I should give him. I got up and left.

It's not peaceful and quiet here. As a solo traveler, I'm approached much more than in a group, but it's not dangerous. I can clearly set boundaries and when I say goodbye, they accept it without any problems. It's just more exhausting than before.

The city has incredible cultural treasures. Beautiful mosques and palaces, a great bazaar, first-class craftsmanship, dreamy parks where Iranian families have picnics, and breathtaking bridges.

But what many don't know is that the most important and largest weapon forge in the country is located just outside of Isfahan. Missiles are built here and warheads are manufactured.

There it is again, this contradiction. On the one hand, high culture, fascinating beauty, and in very close proximity, the means of destruction. That exists everywhere in the world, not just here, even in Switzerland.

It's unbelievable what works of art people were and are capable of. And equally unbelievable how much destruction people were and are capable of.

We always carry everything within us. The knowledge of fragility and transience fills me with great respect and sometimes a slight shudder.

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