Header Left

  • Africa
    • Botswana
    • Namibia
    • Tanzania
    • Zambia
  • Asia
    • Central Asia
      • Kyrgyzstan
      • Tajikistan
      • Uzbekistan
    • East Asia
      • China
      • Hong Kong
      • Japan
      • Korea
      • Mongolia
      • Taiwan
    • Middle East
      • Azerbaijan
      • Iran
      • Turkey
    • South Asia
      • India
    • Southeast Asia
      • Cambodia
      • Laos
      • Malaysia
      • Myanmar
      • Philippines
      • Thailand
  • Europe
    • Armenia
    • Georgia
    • Italy
    • Norway
    • Spain
    • Sweden
  • North America
    • Canada
    • Costa Rica
    • Guatemala
    • United States
      • Arizona
      • California
      • Oregon
      • Utah
      • Washington
      • Wyoming
  • Oceania
    • New Zealand
    • Samoa
  • South America
    • Argentina
  • Home
  • START HERE
  • Travel Insurance
  • Work With Me
  • Contact
    • Where Should I Go?
  • Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Open Road Before Me

Giving in to wanderlust

Header Left

  • Africa
    • Botswana
    • Namibia
    • Tanzania
    • Zambia
  • Asia
    • Central Asia
      • Kyrgyzstan
      • Tajikistan
      • Uzbekistan
    • East Asia
      • China
      • Hong Kong
      • Japan
      • Korea
      • Mongolia
      • Taiwan
    • Middle East
      • Azerbaijan
      • Iran
      • Turkey
    • South Asia
      • India
    • Southeast Asia
      • Cambodia
      • Laos
      • Malaysia
      • Myanmar
      • Philippines
      • Thailand
  • Europe
    • Armenia
    • Georgia
    • Italy
    • Norway
    • Spain
    • Sweden
  • North America
    • Canada
    • Costa Rica
    • Guatemala
    • United States
      • Arizona
      • California
      • Oregon
      • Utah
      • Washington
      • Wyoming
  • Oceania
    • New Zealand
    • Samoa
  • South America
    • Argentina
  • Home
  • START HERE
  • Travel Insurance
  • Work With Me
  • Contact
    • Where Should I Go?
You are here: Home / Archives for fortress

fortress

Eight Things to See in Esfahan

Esfahan nesf-e jahan.  Esfahan is half the world. That’s the old adage you’ll hear thrown around within minutes of entering Iran’s cultural hub–the treasure-filled, but surprisingly modernized city of Esfahan.  Like Samarkand in Uzbekistan, Esfahan is more than a historic city, it is a commercial hub and one of the largest cities in the country. …

Eight Things to See in EsfahanRead More

Category: IranTag: architecture, fortress, great view, history, iran, river, sunset, temples, tour

Six Things to See in Shiraz

Many people, myself included, associate the name ‘Shiraz‘ with the wine.  I think of vineyards and rolling hills.  I guess I think of a Persian Tuscany.  That’s not too accurate.  Shiraz is no Tuscany, it is its own place.  It is a place of poets, a lush oasis in the desert, and a thriving city …

Six Things to See in ShirazRead More

Category: IranTag: architecture, desert, fortress, fountain, history, iran, museum, sunset, temples, tour

The Ruins of Persepolis

Few places capture the imagination quite like Persepolis.  Known as ‘Parsa’ to the Achaemenid Persians who built it, the city is known to the West by its Greek name, which means ‘City of Persians’.  Creative, those Greeks. Founded around 518 B.C. by Darius I (whom we saw buried at the Naqsh-e Rostam necropolis) and constructed over the …

The Ruins of PersepolisRead More

Category: IranTag: architecture, fortress, great view, history, iran, national park

The Necropolis of Naqsh-e Rostam

Over 3000 years ago, the Middle East was experiencing a time of change.  The Elamite and Assyrian empires were on the decline, and several Aryan tribes ventured down from what is now Russia, drawn by the prospect of new territory.  These groups were the Medes, the Parthians, and the Persians.  After a period of subjegation to the …

The Necropolis of Naqsh-e RostamRead More

Category: IranTag: architecture, desert, fortress, great view, history, iran

Six Things to See in Samarkand

The Crossroads of Cultures.  The popular nickname for Samarkand is an apt one; the city is a storied Silk Road hub held in awe by travelers and dreamers alike, known for its bustling bazaars, towering minarets, and magnificent architecture.  The former capital of Timur the Lame–who was known to the West  as Tamerlane–Samarkand is a …

Six Things to See in SamarkandRead More

Category: UzbekistanTag: architecture, fortress, great view, history, temples, uzbekistan

A Walk Around Khiva

I almost didn’t go to Khiva.  Deviating from my planned Bukhara to Samarkand route to the tiny, northern desert oasis meant enduring a 10 hour shared taxi ride from Bukhara and a 14 hour overnight train onwards to Samarkand.  It wasn’t until I read ‘A Carpet Ride to Khiva’ by Christopher Alexander that I decided to …

A Walk Around KhivaRead More

Category: UzbekistanTag: architecture, desert, fortress, great view, history, sunset, temples, uzbekistan

Ten Things to See in Bukhara

For centuries, Bukhara was a critical hub on the fabled Silk Road.  Controlled by the Russians, the Bukharan Emirate, the Timurids, the Sogdians, and even the Mongols; it has long been caught up in the ebb and flow of power in Central Asia.  Fortunately, many architectural legacies of its past have been preserved and/or restored, …

Ten Things to See in BukharaRead More

Category: UzbekistanTag: architecture, desert, fortress, great view, history, sunset, temples, uzbekistan

Bukhara: Mosques, Madrasahs, and Minarets

After my ridiculous taxi trip to Bukhara from the border between Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, I took a little time and enjoyed a delicious breakfast at my B&B, Rustam and Zukhra.  Afterwards, I felt surprisingly awake–enough to head out and start exploring the city in lieu of collapsing onto my bed. The sights started almost immediately …

Bukhara: Mosques, Madrasahs, and MinaretsRead More

Category: UzbekistanTag: architecture, fortress, great view, history, sunset, temples, uzbekistan

The Fortress of Hissar

After spending a week in Dushanbe doing nothing but eating, relaxing, and generally being a lazy bum–something I figured I deserved after my scary brush with altitude sickness–I felt a burning desire to get outside the city and explore.  Luckily, the small town of Hissar lies just to the west of Dushanbe.  Nothing special as far as …

The Fortress of HissarRead More

Category: TajikistanTag: architecture, fortress, great view, history, tajikistan

Gyeongbokgung: the Royal Palace

A population of over 25 million people, a history stretching back over 2,000 years, one of the technological capitals of the world; Seoul is big in nearly every way imaginable.  Gyeongbokgung (경복궁), one of the premier historical attractions in the city, is no exception. The 14th century royal palace grounds have a wall encompassing them.  Beyond the …

Gyeongbokgung: the Royal PalaceRead More

Category: KoreaTag: architecture, fortress, history, korea

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to page 3
  • Go to page 4
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

About Me

Spring in Mongolia
Hello, my name's Nathan. I've been living a life on the road since October 2011, and have no plans of slowing down. Come along for the ride!

Follow Me On:

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Current Location

Sign up for the newsletter!

AirBnB

World Nomads Travel Insurance

World Nomads is my travel insurance of choice. Planning a trip? Check out their coverage options! You get great rates and help support my site :)

Tags

architecture california China cooking cultural trip desert endangered species epic favorite festival food porn fortress Georgia great view hike history India iran Japan korea kyrgyzstan lake mongolia motorcycle ride myanmar national park New Zealand pohang river road trip roadtrip sea sunset tajikistan temples thailand The World tour travel issues travel tales travel tips USA uzbekistan washington writing

Previous Posts

Copyright © 2023 The Open Road Before Me · All Rights Reserved · Powered by Mai Theme