Lapland, Finland

Despite being a Finn myself, I have not taken the time to visit Lapland, until now. Seldom do we take the time to appreciate our own country by visiting other cities to explore. I decided to head up to Levi, which is Finlands largest ski resort to visit my friend Taru. 

I'm not the person who enjoys the snow and the cold, but I was very eager to walk around the small village around Levi. To see the trees and cottages covered with snow was somehow very relaxing and beautiful. The dining experience in Pihvipirtti gave an authentic atmosphere of being in a Finnish old cottage while enjoying some traditional Finnish delights. 

I tried downhill skiing, for basically the first time ever. After my first fall, I got the hang of how to get down safely and very slowly. To be honest, as a quite brave person who enjoys skydiving, downhill skiing is quite scary. I can however see why people enjoy it, especially if you are good. 

One afternoon we visited the Tundra Husky farm to go for a husky sled ride. After receiving a short training from the farm owner, we were all excited to manage our own sled. The farm had 80 huskies, which we could cuddle with after the sled ride. Quite a remarkable experience! 

Shiraz, Iran

After travelling to more than 50 countries, it starts repeating itself somehow. The landmarks, attractions, and religious places all starts looking the same. It becomes challenging to find something unique that makes you want to grab your camera out of your bag to capture the sight. I believe especially recently that I have started to capture more moments and people while travelling, rather than attractions. People in a natural setting in their every day life tells a story, and captures how the atmosphere was. 

Shiraz, oh Shiraz. As long as I can remember from my childhood, have I always heard about Shiraz (and Ghalat of course). Despite all stories, I have not done enough of research nor really dug into my roots as much as I could have. Somehow, leaving it all to my imagination with the stories from my father, made the trip quite exciting. 

When I visited Morocco in the summer 2018, I was mesmerised by the colours, the handicraft, spices and generally the atmosphere of the markets and the locals. While walking through the Vakil Bazaar, it gave me a strong throwback from Fez in Morocco, except that the vendors are less aggressive. Shiraz is the perfect city for a visitor who prefers to walk around and explore. Around and within walking distance from the Vakil Bazaar, you will find almost all most important and beautiful sights. 

From the beginning: Me and Parvin arrived to Shiraz Airport late in the evening, where my two cousins picked us up. Despite us being tired, we were headed towards Haft Khan Restaurant, one of the city's most top-notch restaurants. We had a traditional Iranian feast while enjoying the music from a live band. The very next day was busy walking through most attractions. The day started early with breakfast and a visit to the Nasir ol-molk Mosque (sometimes referred to as the Pink Mosque). The best time of the day to visit is during the morning before noon, as this is the timing when the sun rays hits the coloured mosaic windows. 

Additionally, during my time in Shiraz I also visited the Thomb of Hafez, the Vakil Mosque, the Vakil Bath, The Quran Gate, the Afif-Abad Garden, the Arg of Karim Khan, and probably more. 

During my visit, we spent time at my aunties home where my entire family from my fathers side were gathered. It was probably a moment in my life I will never forget. The gathering was for approximately 40 people, but apparently half of the family could not make it. It's a shame that I don't speak farsi fluently, as this would not only made my visit to the family much easier, but also communicating with the locals while exploring the city aswell. Fortunately, wherever I went, I had the privilege to be accompanied by a cousin or friend.

Shiraz, was amazing and I would recommend it to anyone really. I can't wait to go back again and explore more of Iran. 

Ghalat, Iran

From Kish, the beach and the heat, to Ghalat, the mountains and cold. Ghalat would probably not be  on the list of the most popular destinations to visit while in Iran, but I would definitely recommend it if you visit Shiraz. Ghalat is located 30km outside of Shiraz and is quite popular for hiking and for a weekend outing with the family. The reason for my visit to Ghalat was to explore my fathers hometown and where he grew up. I had of course heard a lot of stories of how beautiful Ghalat is, so naturally I had to visit. Fortunately, Parvins father is a good friend of my own father, and he conveniently lives in Ghalat. 

We arrived and got settled in to Parvins family's house, which very much looks like the typical Persian mountain house - loved it!. Ghalat is a very quiet and simple town, which is charming in its own way. We explored the old part of the village, walked by the house where my father grew up, had a wonderful breakfast in the mountains by the small waterfall. While it was my first visit to Iran, it was surprising that some of my fathers friends could recognise me when we walked around in Ghalat. 

As much as I really enjoy staying in small hostels, I think nothing beats living with friends in their homes. While walking around in Ghalat, I did spot a few hostels, but to truly get the authentic experience and hospitality of the locals, get yourself a Persian friend - or an entire family like myself. Parvin and her family took well care of me, and I immediately felt like I was a part of their family as soon as I arrived.